Robert Miller | |
|---|---|
| Born | Robert Gerald Miller July 1943 (age 82) [1] Montreal, Quebec, Canada |
| Alma mater | Rider University |
| Occupation(s) | Owner and founder of Future Electronics |
| Children | 2 |
Robert Gerald Miller is a Canadian billionaire businessman who founded Future Electronics in 1968, and built it into the world's third-largest electronics distributor. [2] [3]
In February 2023, he stepped down as the company's president and chief executive officer following allegations by at least 28 women of setting up a system involving child sex trafficking. [2]
Miller is also a supporter of the Alcor Life Extension Foundation and cryonics research, [4] and he intends to be cryopreserved himself. [5]
Miller is a graduate of Rider University. [4] [6] [7] He worked at a snackbar and as a DJ to pay for college. [8]
Miller is divorced, with two children, and lives in Montreal, Canada. [4] Miller's ex-wife is Margaret Antonier, a former advertising executive at the Montreal radio stations CJAD and CJFM and a real estate developer. [9] [3] According to the North Bay Nugget , they separated in 2005 and divorced in 2006. [3]
Miller acquired his Westmount home from Seagram co-chair Charles Bronfman in 1984 for $2.65 million in what was at the time the second most expensive sale of a residence in Canada. [9] [10]
The company was raided by the U.S. FBI and the RCMP in 1999. [3] Miller told employees that the raid was "an unfounded assault upon our integrity". [3] The company both challenged the raid and the surrender of documents to authorities. [3] [9]
While Future Electronics released statements that the investigation was based on allegations of price-fixing that defrauded US companies, the FBI declined to clarify the nature of their investigation and stated "We wouldn't confirm that this is the direction the investigation is headed. Future, of course, is welcome to say what they want." [11] Future Electronics took the matter to court, to prevent any further details on the nature of the investigation from being released and to block the release of documents outlining the cause of the May 7 raid. [12] The FBI and U.S. Attorney's Office announced in 2002 that they would not pursue charges. [3]
A Quebec business journal had labeled Future Electonics the province's "most secretive company". [13] [2]
In 2009, the Montreal police began an investigation into Miller's alleged involvement in child sex trafficking, and interviewed several alleged victims as well as carrying out another search warrant on the Future Electronics headquarters. [14] The investigation was closed down in 2010. [14]
After February 2023 Radio-Canada investigative programs Enquête and CBC The Fifth Estate alleging that Miller had been investigated several times for having paid for sexual contacts with minors for years, [15] [16] Miller stepped down as chairman, president and CEO of Future Electronics while denying the allegations. [17]
Miller was arrested on May 30, 2024 and faced 21 charges, later increased to 24 charges, [18] including sexual assault, obtaining sexual services for consideration and several counts of sexual exploitation of minors. [19] He pleaded not guilty and denied the allegations. [18]
On June 10, 2025, Miller was found to be unfit to stand trial due to late-stage Parkinson's disease causing cognitive decline. [18]