It's hard to imagine a glamorous actress or a beloved musician behind bars, but unfortunately, celebrity status and success weren't enough to keep these famous felons out of the big house. Many actors, models, musicians, athletes, and TV personalities have been convicted of felonies. Celebrities convicted of felonies have to pay the price for their crimes, just like any other criminal. Some celebrities grew up surrounded by illegal wrong-doings, while others cite their felonies as a "one-time mistake."
Celebrities like R. Kelly, Chris Brown, Mark Wahlberg, Martha Stewart, and Courtney Love have all been charged with felonies.
Are you surprised that so many celebrities are convicted felons?
On September 27, 2021, R. Kelly was found guilty of racketeering, including acts of bribery and sexual exploitation of a child, along with separate charges of sex trafficking.
"The purposes of the Enterprise were to promote R. Kelly's music and the R. Kelly brand, to recruit women and girls to engage in illegal sexual activity with Kelly and to produce pornography, including child pornography," the indictment reads. The "Enterprise" refers to the group carrying out the illegal conduct, in this case, Kelly, his entourage, managers, bodyguards, drivers, personal assistants, etc.
Age: 56
Birthplace: Chicago, Illinois, United States of America
Profession: Film Score Composer, Record producer, Songwriter, Musician, Film Producer
On September 25, 2018, Judge Steven T. O'Neill sentenced Bill Cosby to three to 10 years in state prison. Cosby was tried in Norristown, PA, for the 2004 drugging and assault of Andrea Constand in his Cheltenham home.
In 2017, Cosby was found guilty of three counts of aggravated indecent assault for the night with Constand. It was the second trial for Cosby concerning these charges - the first trial in June 2017 was a mistrial.
In 2008, Suge Knight was arrested for aggravated assault and drug charges. Police found him beating his girlfriend, Melissa Issac, and threatening her with a knife. He was reportedly on cocaine and ecstasy at the tile of the attack.
In 2014, Knight was arrested along with Katt Williams for second degree robbery after they stole a camera from a female photographer. He was arrested in 2015 on suspicion of running over two people with his car, and then fleeing the scene. The whole thing was caught on camera, and Knight says that his actions were in self defense.
In 2018, he pleaded guilty to murder for running over the two men in 2015. The court sentenced him to 28 years in prison for voluntary manslaughter. Citing his poor health, Knight told the judge he anticipates dying in prison.
Age: 58
Birthplace: Lynwood, California, United States of America
Profession: Bodyguard, Promoter, American football player
In December 2009, Chris Brown assaulted his then-girlfriend, pop singer Rhianna, and was charged with felony assault and criminal threat. He plead guilty at his trial, and was offered a plea deal that allowed him to forgo jail in place of 5 years of formal probation, community service, and domestic violence classes.
Age: 34
Birthplace: Tappahannock, Virginia, United States of America
Profession: Record producer, Songwriter, Rapper, Entrepreneur, Singer-songwriter
In 2003, Courtney Love was convicted of felony drug possession following a painkiller overdose that nearly killed her. A year later in 2004, she was charged with felony assault for attacking a woman with a bottle and a metal flashlight.
Age: 58
Birthplace: California, United States of America
Profession: Film Score Composer, Record producer, Guitarist, Songwriter, Musician
Stephen Fry has always been pretty open about his bipolar disorder, but in 1993 things took a turn for the worse - he stole a family friend's credit card, and went on a spending spree. He was sentenced to three months in prison for theft.
Age: 65
Birthplace: Hampstead, London, England, UK
Profession: Businessperson, Poet, Journalist, Television producer, Novelist
