Celebrities are always under the spotlight regardless of their ups and downs. However, some celebrities have some pretty shocking low points in their lives. Some of them were arrested for different charges and accusations such as drug crimes, illegal possession of firearms and even assault.
From A-list actors to top entertainers, the high life has surely kept some compelling stories tucked away somewhere all these years. Some celebrities appear to be clean, but are actually not as clean as you might expect. Here is a list of 10 celebrities who have criminal records that you may not be aware of.
1. Will Smith
Crime: Aggravated assault and conspiracy to commit a crime.
Known as one of the most phenomenal actors in Hollywood, it seems Will Smith doesn’t have that squeaky clean image after all. The actor had a criminal record under his belt and was arrested for aggravated assault and criminal conspiracy in 1989. The assault was reportedly so severe that it nearly blinded the victim. Smith has denied laying a finger on the victim and said it was his personal bodyguard who committed the assault. Whatever the truth, the charges against Will Smith were eventually dropped.
2.Bruno Mars
Crime: drug possession
It’s shocking to learn that the highly-sought singer, songwriter, and music producer was arrested for cocaine possession in 2010. Mars pleaded guilty and avoided trial. The court fined him $2,000 and ordered him to do 200 hours of mandatory community service. He then paid the fine and did his community service accordingly. In 2012, the courts threw out his felony conviction.
3.Robert Downey Jr.
Crime: Drunk driving, drug possession, and possession of a firearm.
Next up is the multi-award winning actor famous today in his role as Iron Man, Robert Downey Jr. He has been arrested several times for possession of drugs, cocaine, heroin and marijuana, as well as possession of a Magnum revolver in 1996. He was sentenced to three years probation, terms he later violated for drug-related offences. He was later sentenced to six months in prison.
4.Chris Brown
Crime: multiple assault
The famous singer has been charged with assault after he attacked his famous ex-girlfriend, Rihanna. Not only that, his aggressive behavior also landed him on other assault charges after allegedly punching his former manager Mike G. in the face. Chris Brown and his team still say a big NO to these accusations.
5.Jay-Z
Crime: Stab
Who would have known that the king of hip-hop, Jay-Z, has the ability to stab a person? Back in 1999, the rapper allowed his temper to get the best of him and stabbed a record producer named Lance Rivera in the stomach at a listening party in Manhattan. Jay-Z was arrested for third degree assault where he pleaded guilty to the charge. He was later sentenced to three years of probation.
6. Matthew McConaughey
Crime: drug possession
Hollywood actor Matthew McConaughey was arrested in 1999 when his neighbors got fed up with him and decided to call the police. He was caught dancing naked and playing bongos at his West Austin home. Although he was arrested on suspicion of possession of marijuana and some drug paraphernalia, McConaughey was later charged solely with resisting transportation, a misdemeanor. Fortunately for him, all drug-related charges were eventually dropped, except for the noise complaint from his neighbors, for which he was fined $50.
7.Michelle Rodriguez
Crime: DUI and Probation Violation
The “Fast and the Furious” star really likes to live fast and drive furiously, as most of his criminal records are tied to DUI (driving under the influence) and violating probation. Rodríguez spent five days in prison in 2006, where she was convicted of drunk driving and posted $500 bail. Again, for her probation violation in Los Angeles, she was sentenced to two months in prison and had to complete a 30-day alcoholism rehab program. She also did 30 days of community service. However, as the prison was overcrowded, she was released the same day she entered.
8. Mark Wahlberg
Crime: initially charged with attempted murder
Mark Wahlberg, one of today’s best and most talented A-list actors, was actually quite the thug in his day. His first run-in with the law was at the age of 15, when he allegedly harassed some African-American children. He was later arrested for attempted murder at the age of 16 when he attacked two men, blinding one of them in one eye. The charge was later dropped to assault, resulting in a 2-year jail sentence. It’s worth noting that he only served 45 days!
9.Khloe Kardashian
Crime: Drive drunk
The Kardashian clan is always followed by the press, unfortunately for Khloe, this meant that the whole world knew about her drunk driving offence. She was arrested for DUI in 2007 and later reported to jail to serve time for a probation violation in 2008. She was sentenced to up to 30 days in jail and was enrolled in an alcohol treatment program within three weeks of the arrest. his release. She was later released just after less than three hours in jail due to overcrowding.
10. Justin Bieber
Crime: DUI, reckless driving, misdemeanor
The famous young singer-songwriter had several run-ins with the law. In 2012, he was charged with reckless driving in his neighborhood and was also charged with vandalism in Brazil in 2013. He was then arrested in Miami Beach, Florida in 2014 on suspicion of DUI, driving with an expired license more than six months. and resisting arrest without violence. He was released on these charges on a $2,500 bond. However, a few months later, he was again charged with misdemeanor vandalism in California for egging his neighbor’s house in Calabasas. He was sentenced to pay $80,900 in restitution, serve two years of probation, complete twelve weeks of anger management, and five days of community service.