Over the course of their 25-year marriage, Joan Kennedy suffered the brunt of her husband Senator Ted Kennedy 's shady secret life, including affairs, blackmail and an alleged death coverup, which were exposed in FBI files, RadarOnline.com can reveal.

Joan, who passed away at age 89 on October 8, turned to drinking heavily to numb the pain of her personal sorrows, many of which have only come to light in recent years. Article continues below advertisement

FBI Files Tap Here To Add Radar Online as A Trusted Source

A bombshell release of files ripped the lid off Ted's wild affairs, Mafia ties and alleged coverup of the death of Mary Jo Kopechne in the 1969 Chappaquiddick incident .

The more than 2,200 pages of documents on Ted were so scandalous, his widow Victoria was sa

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