Celebrities, like the rest of us, are subject to the law when they commit crimes. However, there’s a complex conversation to be had about whether they receive special treatment within the justice system due to their wealth and fame.
The simple fact is that people with a history of huge success may develop greater confidence in their abilities to handle challenges and achieve their goals, which can translate into a willingness to pursue more ambitious goals and take bigger risks. Of course while most famous faces manage to avoid committing crimes, there will always be those who through extreme caution to the wind and find themselves in some pretty serious situations.
Joe Exotic, who gained famed following the release of the “Tiger King” Netflix doc, was convicted in 2019 of two counts of murder-for-hire, for attempting to arrange the killing of his rival, Carole Baskin. Exotic was also found guilty on multiple charges related to wildlife violations. Joe illegally killed tigers to make space for other big cats and falsified wildlife records to hide the sales of tigers and other endangered species
2. Mystikal
Mystikal is currently in prison in Louisiana, awaiting trial on several charges stemming from an alleged assault in July 2022. This isn’t his first time having trouble with the law, but this go round he’s got quite the laundry list of charges, which include:
First-degree rape
Domestic abuse battery by strangulation
False imprisonment
Simple robbery
Simple criminal damage to property
Possession of heroin
Illegal possession of Xanax
Possession of methamphetamine
Possession of marijuana
Possession of drug paraphernalia
If convicted of first-degree rape in the current case, he faces a mandatory life sentence under Louisiana law.
3. Fetty Wap
Fetty is in jail for his involvement in a large-scale drug trafficking operation. In May 2023 he was sentenced to six years in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess controlled substances.
Prosecutors say Fetty Wap was a “kilogram-level redistributor” for an organization that distributed over 100 kilos of cocaine, heroin, fentanyl, and crack cocaine across Long Island and New Jersey between approximately June 2019 and June 2020. The drugs were sourced from the West Coast and transported to New York, where they were stored and subsequently distributed to dealers.
4. Jared aka "The Subway Guy"
Jared Fogle, formerly known as the “Subway Guy,” is in prison after pleading guilty to charges related to child pornography and engaging in illicit sexual conduct with minors. He was sentenced to 15 years and 8 months in federal prison in November 2015.
Specifically, he pleaded guilty to:
One count of distributing and receiving child pornography.
One count of traveling across state lines to engage in illicit sexual conduct with a minor.
The investigation and charges against Fogle also involved a co-conspirator, Russell Taylor, who was also convicted of child exploitation and child pornography charges. Fogle was initially known for losing a significant amount of weight by eating Subway sandwiches, becoming a spokesperson for the company. However, his public image was shattered after the FBI raid on his home in 2015 and the subsequent revelations of his crimes.
5. Michael Jace
While not quite a household name, Michael Jace is currently in prison for the murder of his wife, April Jace. He is best known for his role as Officer Julien Lowe in the FX drama The Shield, and also appeared in films such as Forrest Gump, Boogie Nights, and Planet of the Apes. He was sentenced to 40 years to life in prison on June 10, 2016.
6. Josh Duggar
Josh Duggar, a former reality television personality, is currently in prison for receiving and possessing child pornography. He was convicted by a jury in December 2021 and sentenced in May 2022 to over 12 years in federal prison. His sentence also includes registering as a sex offender and 20 years of supervised release after his prison term.
He is serving his sentence at FCI Seagoville in Texas. Duggar’s appeals have been denied. His current earliest release date is December 23, 2032.
7. "That 70s Show" Actor Danny Masterson
Danny Masterson is currently serving a 30-year to life prison sentence after being convicted of raping two women in 2003. He was found guilty of two counts of forcible rape during a retrial in May 2023, after a previous trial ended in a mistrial.
The attacks occurred at his Hollywood Hills home during the time he was starring in the sitcom “That ‘70s Show”.
8. Ex-NFL Star Darren Sharper
Darren Sharper, a former NFL star, is currently in prison for drugging and raping numerous women in multiple states. His crimes spanned across California, Nevada, Louisiana, and Arizona, where he pleaded guilty or no contest to various charges related to sexual assault and drug distribution.
Sharper was sentenced in 2016 to 18 years in federal prison after admitting to drugging and raping women.
9. Ex-MMA Fighter War Machine
Jonathan Paul Koppenhaver, known to fighting fans as “War Machine”, is in prison for kidnapping, beating, and sexually assaulting his ex-girlfriend, Christine Mackinday (also known as Christy Mack), and assaulting her male friend, Corey Thomas. War Machine was convicted on 29 of 34 charges, including sexual assault and kidnapping, according to ESPN.
He was sentenced to 36 years to life in Nevada state prison and will be eligible for parole when he is 71 years old.
10. 'Real Housewife' Jen Shah
Jen Shah, a former cast member of The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City, is in prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud in connection with a telemarketing scheme that defrauded thousands of people. Shah was accused of being a central figure in a long-running telemarketing scheme that targeted and exploited vulnerable individuals by selling them nonexistent or worthless “business services” with false promises of financial security.
11. Tay-K
Tay-K, whose real name is Taymor McIntyre, is in prison due to convictions for his involvement in two separate murders and multiple counts of aggravated robbery. Tay-K gained fame during his time on the run for the first murder with his song “The Race,” which was later used as evidence against him during his sentencing phase.
12. Cash Out
John Michael Hakeem Gibson, also known as the rapper Cash Out, is currently on trial in Georgia.
He faces numerous charges related to sex trafficking and other offenses, including rape, aggravated sodomy, human trafficking, and violating Georgia’s Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act. According to prosecutors, he allegedly used his music career and record label, Pyrez Music Group LLC, to lure women into prostitution through deception and coercion
13. Sean Kingston
Sean Kingston, whose real name is Kisean Anderson, is currently in prison after being convicted alongside his mother, Janice Turner, for conspiracy to commit wire fraud and four counts of wire fraud. Kingston and his mother were found guilty of orchestrating a scheme to defraud luxury merchandise vendors out of over $1 million worth of property.
14. U.S. Senator Robert Menendez
Former U.S. Senator Robert Menendez is in prison for bribery, fraud, and acting as a foreign agent. In 2023, Menendez, a Democrat representing New Jersey, was indicted on federal corruption charges, including allegations that he used his position to benefit the Egyptian government in exchange for bribes. He was later charged with conspiracy to act as a foreign agent.
15. Former 'Basketball Wives' Personality Brittish Williams
Brittish Williams, known for her appearances on Basketball Wives, is in prison for committing multiple types of fraud, totaling around $564,000 in stolen funds. She pleaded guilty to 15 felonies in May 2023, including misuse of a Social Security number, bank fraud, making false statements to the IRS, and wire fraud.
Williams received a sentence of four years in prison and five years of supervised release, and was ordered to pay $564,069 in restitution. She is set to be released on December 24, 2025.
16. 'Love & Hip Hop' Personality Maurice "Mo" Fayne
Maurice “Mo” Fayne, a former cast member of Love & Hip Hop: Atlanta, is in prison for running a Ponzi scheme and for fraudulently obtaining a Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan. In April 2020, Fayne applied for a $3.7 million PPP loan for Flame Trucking, falsifying information about his employees and payroll.
In September 2021, he was sentenced to 17 and a half years in prison and ordered to pay $4.4 million in restitution to his victims.
17. U.S. Representative George Santos
Former U.S. Representative George Santos was sentenced to 87 months (over seven years) in federal prison on April 25, 2025, after pleading guilty to charges of wire fraud and aggravated identity theft. He is expected to surrender to the Federal Bureau of Prisons by July 25, 2025, to begin serving his sentence.
18. Pras of The Fugees
Pras (Prakazrel Michel), a member of the Fugees, is facing potential prison time after being convicted on 10 felony counts in April 2023. The charges stem from a foreign influence case, where he was found guilty of acting as an unregistered foreign agent and other related crimes. He faces a maximum sentence of 20 years for the most serious charges.
While the jury found him guilty, a sentencing date has not yet been set. The charges include conspiracy, failing to register as an agent of China, and witness tampering.
19. Ryan Grantham
Ryan Grantham, a Canadian actor known for roles in Riverdale and Diary of a Wimpy Kid, is in prison for the second-degree murder of his mother, Barbara Waite. He was sentenced to life in prison with parole ineligibility for 14 years.
20. Harvey Weinstein
Harvey Weinstein, a disgraced former film producer, is in prison due to convictions for rape and sexual assault in both New York and Los Angeles.
Weinstein was initially sentenced to 16 years in prison for rape, forced oral copulation, and third-degree sexual misconduct. His conviction was overturned in 2024, and he is currently undergoing a retrial. Weinstein was found guilty of one count of criminal sexual act on June 11, 2025, and a mistrial was declared on another rape charge.
Celebrities, like the rest of us, are subject to the law when they commit crimes. However, there’s a complex conversation to be had about whether they receive special treatment within the justice system due to their wealth and fame.
The simple fact is that people with a history of huge success may develop greater confidence in their abilities to handle challenges and achieve their goals, which can translate into a willingness to pursue more ambitious goals and take bigger risks. Of course while most famous faces manage to avoid committing crimes, there will always be those who through extreme caution to the wind and find themselves in some pretty serious situations.
Despite their notoriety, these 25 celebs fought the long arm of the law for various criminal offenses.. and lost. Scroll below.
