Did celebrities misuse COVID-19 grants? An in-depth analysis
Sean Penn has drawn negative press on multiple occasions for violent outbursts. In 1987 he was sentenced to 60 days in jail for punching an extra on the set of the movie 'Colors.' He was on probation for two other assaults at the time.
In 1997, Christian Slater was arrested on charges of punching his girlfriend and then assaulting a police officer while under the influence of drugs and alcohol. He was convicted and sentenced to three months in prison followed by three months in rehab.
Singer and activist Lauryn Hill was sentenced to three months in prison in 2013 for not paying her taxes. She served her time and soon after released the song 'Consumerism.'
Martha Stewart is an incredibly wholesome TV personality and aficionado in the realms of home, cooking, and lifestyle. It's a surprise to learn that she was involved in an insider trading scandal in 2003.
Indian actress Monica Bedi spent two years in a Portuguese prison for using forged travel documents. She was arrested alongside her long-term partner Abu Salem, a known gangster and terrorist.
Wesley Snipes served three years in prison between 2010 and 2013. He was convicted of failing to pay his taxes from 1994 to 2000.
Rapper and actor Ja Rule was sentenced to two years in prison for possession of an unauthorized gun in 2010. While serving his sentence, he was sentenced to a further 28 months for not paying his taxes.
Troubled actor Tom Sizemore, best known for his role in 'Saving Private Ryan' (1998), has a long history of drug and domestic violence arrests. He was sentenced to 16 months in prison after he was found in possession of methamphetamines, which violated the probation of a previous drug-related conviction.
Tim Allen is known for playing Santa Claus and the handyman on 'Home Improvement,' but before his acting days he was arrested for drug trafficking. He was caught with hundreds of kilos of cocaine at an airport and spent two and a half years in prison before being released in 1981.
Actor Lillo Brancato Jr. got a few good acting roles in the late 1990s and early 2000s, scoring a part in 'The Sopranos' and a Robert De Niro film. He later struggled with addiction and he and a friend broke into a house to steal prescription drugs in 2005. An off-duty police officer came to the scene and was shot and killed by Brancato Jr.'s friend. Brancato Jr. was sentenced to 10 years in jail for his role in the incident.
Rapper 50 Cent was incarcerated for six months when he was only 16 years old. He was sent to a correctional facility for minors after he was convicted of several drug related offences.
'Jersey Shore' personality Mike "The Situation" Sorrentino was sentenced to eight months in prison in 2018 for failing to pay his taxes.
Sources: (Ranker) (22 Words) (The Guardian)
See also: Celebrities who grew up poor
Huffman was given a 14-day sentence, as well as 250 hours of community service and a US$30,000 fine.
She was charged with securities fraud, obstruction of justice, and conspiracy. Stewart spent five months in prison and another five under house arrest.
Danny Trejo was in and out of prison for drug and theft offences during the 1960s, before he started his acting career. During one of his stints in prison in 1961 he came across one of the most famous criminals in history: Charles Manson. The cult leader had a reputation for being exceptionally charismatic and intense, and Trejo can confirm this. Manson hadn't gathered his followers and committed his most famous crimes at this point, but he was already exercising his power over others. He convinced Trejo and his friends that he could hypnotize them to the point that they would feel like they were high on marijuana or heroin. According to Trejo, who was a teenage heroin addict at the time, these hypnosis sessions with Manson truly did make him feel like he had taken the drug. "By the time he described it hitting my bloodstream, I felt the warmth flowing through my body," Trejo said. He claimed that Manson could have been a professional hypnotist if he hadn't been a criminal.
James Brown was on probation for drug offences in 1988 when he went on a crime spree that allegedly involved assault and battery, and refusing to stop for police during a high speed chase. He was charged to six and a half years in prison, but got out after three.
Rapper Lil' Kim spent a year in prison after she was charged with perjury. She admitted to having lied to a grand jury about her friends' involvement in a 2001 shooting. She was also ordered to a pay a US$50,000 fine.
Brittney Griner ended up behind bars in a Russian prison for a seemingly minor offense in early 2022. On March 5, the Russian Federal Customs Service announced that the WNBA star—who plays on Russian team UMMC Ekaterinburg during the WNBA off-season—was arrested in Russia in February. They allegedly found vape cartridges containing hashish oil in her luggage at an airport near Moscow, which are legal in the US where Griner was traveling from. She alleges that she packed in a hurry and didn't intentionally bring the cartridges.
'Chrisley Knows Best' stars Todd and Julie Chrisley were sentenced to 12 and 7 years in federal prison, respectively, following their tax fraud convictions in June. They were found guilty in June 2022 of 12 counts, including wire fraud and conspiracy to commit bank fraud.
Fast forward to 2023, and Wahlberg and the SAG Awards are catching heat for allowing the actor to present the award for outstanding performance by a cast in a motion picture to 'Everything Everywhere All at Once,' which has a predominantly Asian ensemble. Many viewers say Wahlberg's presence soured the whole moment, and some even found it hypocritical that Will Smith faced consequences after slapping Chris Rock but Wahlberg was invited to present at this award show. Wahlberg has said he's apologized "many times" and in a 2020 interview with The Guardian he said he "did the work" to change, but many fans still think it should have been anyone but him presenting that award.
Clarkson was found dead in his mansion with a gunshot wound to the face. Spector claimed she accidentally killed herself, but was convicted of murder. He died in jail on January 16, 2021.
Rapper Fetty Wap, real name Willie Junior Maxwell II, received a major sentence of six years in prison for drug charges. He was sentenced on May 24, 2023, after pleading guilty to his role in a drug trafficking conspiracy. The conspiracy involved sending drugs like cocaine, heroin, fentanyl, and crack from the West Coast to the East Coast by mail or vehicle. Maxwell was reportedly a "kilogram-level redistributor" on the East Coast, according to ABC News. He was arrested in 2021 and pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess controlled substances. Five others were charged in the case, including a former corrections officer involved in the drug ring.
On November 21, 2022, Ryan K. Buchanan of the US Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Georgia delivered a final statement: "Over the course of a decade, the defendants defrauded banks out of tens of millions of dollars while evading payment of their federal income taxes. Their lengthy sentences reflect the magnitude of their criminal scheme and should serve as a warning to others tempted to exploit our nation's community banking system for unlawful personal gain." Keri Farley, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta, added, "As this sentencing proves, when you lie, cheat, and steal, justice is blind to your fame, fortune, and position," reports E! News.
Griner was imprisoned for several months while awaiting trial, and in August 2022, she was found guilty and received a devastatingly harsh sentence of nine years in prison. Many believe that Griner was being used as a political pawn as the US government spent months trying to negotiate her release. After four months with no good news, Griner was suddenly released on Dec. 8. It was revealed that the US had agreed to a prisoner swap and had Griner returned to safety in exchange for the release of a Russian arms dealer named Viktor Bout. Griner had spent 10 months in prison by the time of her release.
Mack had previously pled guilty to charges that she manipulated women into becoming slaves for NXIVM leader Keith Raniere. The actress avoided a longer prison term by helping prosecutors mount evidence showing how Raniere created a cult-like society that initially seemed to run life-coaching seminars but actually involved brainwashing women who were branded with his initials and forced to have intercourse with him. Raniere was ultimately sentenced to 120 years in prison after being convicted on several charges.
'Smallville' actress Allison Mack was released early after being sentenced to three years behind bars in 2021 for her role in a human-trafficking case tied to the cult-like group NXIVM. Mack, best known for her role as a young Superman’s close friend on the famed series, was released on July 3, 2023, from a California federal prison, according to the Federal Bureau of Prisons, per ABC News.
Eight months after a jury found Tory Lanez guilty of shooting Megan Thee Stallion, the rapper has been sentenced to 10 years in prison. Lanez was accused of shooting Megan in the feet after a party on July 12, 2020. He was arrested that day and charged with discharging a firearm with gross negligence, assault with a semiautomatic firearm, and carrying a loaded, unregistered firearm in a vehicle. Lanez was released on bail and pleaded not guilty to all three charges. He was issued with an order to stay away from the 'WAP' rapper while he awaited trial, but violated the order by performing at the Rolling Loud festival where Megan was also a headliner. In December 2022, he was found guilty on all three charges and was left to await his sentence. The sentencing date was delayed, but finally, on August 8, the judge sentenced Lanez to 10 years in prison.
Fame and fortune don't make you immune to consequences. In fact, this list would suggest that they make you more susceptible to getting in trouble! The rich and famous are notorious for getting cheeky with their taxes, but it goes a lot further than that. Addiction seems to be a high-risk factor that comes with the pressure of fame, and this can lead people down a dark path. Some of these celebrities did serious time for violent offenses. You'd be surprised which Oscar-winning actors and millionaire TV personalities were put behind bars for making terrible mistakes.
Click through the gallery to find out which other celebs have spent time in jail.
Celebrities who've done prison time
Famous actors and rich TV stars were sent to jail for making big mistakes
CELEBRITY Crimes
Fame and fortune don't make you immune to consequences. In fact, this list would suggest that they make you more susceptible to getting in trouble! The rich and famous are notorious for getting cheeky with their taxes, but it goes a lot further than that. Addiction seems to be a high-risk factor that comes with the pressure of fame, and this can lead people down a dark path. Some of these celebrities did serious time for violent offenses. You'd be surprised which Oscar-winning actors and millionaire TV personalities were put behind bars for making terrible mistakes.
Click through the gallery to find out which other celebs have spent time in jail.