Careers Cut Short
Fame doesn't make you untouchable. Some celebrities learned that lesson the hardest way possible. Their crimes caught up with them, and now prison cells have replaced red carpets. They're still making news, just behind bars.
Photo by Max Morse for TechCrunch TechCrunch, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons, Modified
Harvey Weinstein
Harvey Weinstein sits in Rikers Island today, a stark contrast to his days producing Oscar-winning films like Pulp Fiction and Shakespeare in Love. His production company racked up over 80 Academy Awards, ironically including films celebrating strong women, while he committed horrific abuses behind the scenes.
David Shankbone, Wikimedia Commons
Harvey Weinstein (Cont.)
The former producer faces 16 years in California, added to his New York sentence after that conviction was overturned in 2024 due to procedural errors. With over 100 women accusing him and sparking the #MeToo movement, Weinstein will likely spend his remaining years imprisoned despite ongoing health issues, including cancer.
Bex Walton from London, England, Wikimedia Commons
R Kelly
Federal appeals courts upheld this man’s 30-year New York sentence in 2025, ensuring the man behind "I Believe I Can Fly" won't see freedom until 2045. His 75 million record sales and cultural phenomenon "Ignition (Remix)" now feel like distant memories from FCI Butner Medium I in North Carolina.
Jared Fogle
The man who lost 245 pounds eating Subway sandwiches and became their spokesperson for 15 years destroyed his wholesome image with crimes involving those against minors. Fogle's 2015 guilty plea landed him at FCI Englewood in Colorado.
anna Hanks from Austin, Texas, USA, Wikimedia Commons
Jared Fogle (Cont.)
Here, he is serving 15 years and 8 months with lifetime supervision after release. His earliest possible release date is around March 2029, though good behavior credits factor in. Appeals challenging his sentence have all been denied, confirming he'll serve his full term.
IlliniGradResearch, Wikimedia Commons
Josh Duggar
Behind the wholesome facade of 19 Kids and Counting lurked Josh Duggar's disturbing crimes, revealed when he was convicted in 2021. The reality star accumulated hundreds of images of child abuse, leading to a 12-year, 7-month sentence at FCI Seagoville in Texas.
Josh Duggar (Cont.)
This included a $50,000 fine and 20 years of supervised release. Duggar's 2023 appeal was swiftly denied, and infractions have actually extended his original sentence. His earliest release date sits at October 2032, assuming no further violations.
Elizabeth Holmes
Once valued at $4.5 billion by Forbes, Elizabeth Holmes watched her net worth plummet to zero as her Theranos blood-testing empire collapsed under fraud revelations. The founder, who promised revolutionary medical technology, is now at FPC Bryan in Texas.
Glenn Fawcett, Wikimedia Commons
Elizabeth Holmes (Cont.)
There he is serving 11 years and 3 months for wire fraud after deceiving investors with misleading claims that cost them millions. Holmes began her sentence in 2023, and good behavior has already shaved time off her original 11.25-year term, with projected release in December 2031.
Tali Mackay at English Wikipedia, Wikimedia Commons
Danny Masterson
In That '70s Show, Masterson portrayed a lovable rebel while committing forcible crimes that would eventually land him in California Men's Colony. His 2023 conviction on two counts stemmed from assaults involving women with Scientology connections, where the organization allegedly helped suppress victims' voices for years.
Red Carpet Report on Mingle Media TV from Culver City, USA, Wikimedia Commons
Joe Exotic
Netflix's Tiger King made this individual a household name, but the documentary star sits at FMC Fort Worth serving 21 years for animal abuse and murder-for-hire plots. His crimes included killing tigers and attempting to hire hitmen to eliminate rival Carole Baskin.
Fight4animalrights, Wikimedia Commons
Joe Exotic (Cont.)
Multiple pardon requests have been denied despite Joe's health issues, with his release date set for March 2036. Ever the showman, he announced a prison engagement in 2024 and even ran for US President in 2016, blending fame with eccentricity.
Santa Rosa County Jail, Wikimedia Commons
Suge Knight
The co-founder of Death Row Records helped shape 90s hip-hop by launching artists like Tupac and producing iconic albums like The Chronic, but Knight's violent legacy finally caught up with him. In 2018, he pleaded no contest to voluntary manslaughter for a 2015 fatal hit-and-run.
Unidentified LAPD detective, Wikimedia Commons
Suge Knight (Cont.)
Such an act obviously landed him at the RJ Donovan Correctional Facility with a 28-year sentence. Knight will not be eligible for parole until October 2034, with appeals to overturn his conviction denied in 2025. His health has declined significantly behind bars, yet no sentence reductions have been granted.
Nick Leisure, Wikimedia Commons
Michael Jace
Ironically known for playing law enforcement roles in The Shield and appearing in Forrest Gump, Michael Jace was convicted of second-degree murder for shooting his wife in 2014 during marital disputes. He received 40 years to life at Corcoran State Prison, with parole eligibility not arriving until 2056.
Albert L. Ortega, Getty Images
Gary Glitter
Gary Glitter's hit "Rock and Roll Part 2" echoed through sports arenas for decades. What was the point? The glam rock singer's legacy turned sinister with convictions for child abuse and indecent images. He was originally sentenced to 16 years in 2015.
Andy Thornley from London, UK, Wikimedia Commons
Gary Glitter (Cont.)
However, the man was briefly released in 2023 but quickly recalled to prison, where parole was denied in 2024 due to his lack of empathy for victims. The singer remains at HMP The Verne, with his sentence set to expire around 2031 if no further issues arise.
Sean "Diddy" Combs
The legendary "White Parties" thrown by Sean "Diddy" Combs once represented the pinnacle of celebrity excess and glamour, but those lavish gatherings now feel overshadowed by his 2025 conviction. The hip-hop mogul behind Bad Boy Records and fashion empire Sean John received over four years at FCI Fort Dix.
Nicolas Richoffer, Wikimedia Commons
Tammy Lynn Sytch
Sytch has already served 17.5 years at Lowell Correctional Institution following her 2023 manslaughter conviction. Her crime involved a fatal crash where her blood alcohol level was well over the legal limit, and investigators noted multiple prior offenses on her record.
Ryan Grantham
All those early roles in Diary of a Wimpy Kid and Riverdale made his 2020 premeditated murder of his mother almost incomprehensible. Mental health factors were cited during proceedings, but they didn't prevent a life sentence with parole eligibility only after 14 years in a Canadian facility.
Screenshot from Riverdale, The CW (2017-2023 )
Ryan Grantham (Cont.)
The young actor's guilty plea to second-degree murder revealed he'd planned and executed the shooting, a stark contrast to the wholesome entertainment he'd provided audiences. His life sentence was confirmed through 2025 with no successful appeals, and no early release appears forthcoming despite his age and circumstances.
C-Murder
The No Limit rapper and brother of Master P has been serving life at Louisiana State Penitentiary since his 2009 murder conviction. C-Murder's crime was shooting a teenager in 2002, a case that has generated controversy and celebrity support over the years.
Gregory Bojorquez, Getty Images
C-Murder (Cont.)
Every appeal has been exhausted, with his conviction upheld as recently as 2023 by courts. He remains incarcerated as of 2025 with no release prospects, his life sentence meaning the rapper who once dominated Southern hip-hop charts will likely never experience freedom again.
Tory Lanez
Social media exploded when news broke of Tory Lanez shooting Megan Thee Stallion, a feud that ironically boosted both artists' fame before landing Lanez at North Kern State Prison for 10 years. His 2022 conviction, including a firearm, became one of hip-hop's most talked-about cases.
The Come Up Show, Wikimedia Commons
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