10 criminal celebs who revived their careers after run-ins with the law
Recent allegations against English comedian and actor Russell Brand have shocked the world. The Metropolitan Police has received a report of an alleged sexual assault that occurred in 2003, following media claims about the 48-year-old 'Get Him to the Greek' star, reports BBC. Four women's allegations of rape, sexual assault, and emotional abuse against Brand were revealed on Saturday, September 16, as a result of a collaborative investigation by The Times, Sunday Times, and Channel 4 television. Being a celebrity doesn't mean you are above the law as the famous faces in our list found out. But if the public loves them, they can bounce right back. Here are the 10 celebs who were convicted of crimes but saw their careers skyrocket even after they were found guilty.
Chris Brown
Brown was repeatedly accused of violence against women for more than a decade. The most well-known instance was Rihanna, his ex-girlfriend, who became the face of domestic violence after Brown beat her the night before the 2009 Grammy Awards and a picture of her face was posted to TMZ. Brown entered a guilty plea to a felony assault charge, per USA TODAY. Brown was sentenced to five years probation for his assault on Rihanna in August 2009, as well as 180 days of community service and a one-year anti-domestic violence program, per E! News. Brown is still among the most popular R&B musicians in the world despite the numerous serious claims against him and the fact that he was found guilty of domestic violence.
Roman Polanski
Roman Polanski was indicted on six criminal counts in 1977 for drugging and raping a 13-year-old girl. He pleaded guilty to criminal intercourse with a minor and fled the United States before being sentenced in 1978. Since then, he has been making films in Europe, per Vanity Fair. He directed a movie called 'The Palace' which is set to be released theatrically in Italy on September 28, 2023.
Mark Wahlberg
Mark Wahlberg has a rocky past. He was accused of race-related hate crimes twice in the 1980s and served time in prison for one of the attacks. In 1986, Wahlberg and three buddies were charged with pursuing three black children and throwing rocks at them while chanting racial obscenities. Two years later, in 1988, an apparently unrelated second incident happened when Wahlberg attacked two Vietnamese men while high on the narcotic PCP. He faced attempted murder charges but pleaded guilty to felony assault, per Independent. Despite his turbulent history, Wahlberg was able to turn his life around and develop a successful Hollywood career.
Snoop Dogg
Snoop Dogg has a history of encounters with the law. He was charged with first-degree murder after a member of a rival gang was shot and killed by Snoop's bodyguard, McKinley Lee, in 1993. The rapper was declared not guilty after two years of house imprisonment on the basis of self-defense. Despite his legal problems, Snoop was able to rebuild his life and establish a great career in the music industry.
Tim Allen
Tim Allen was arrested in 1978 at the Kalamazoo/Battle Creek International Airport in Michigan for possessing more than 650 grams (1.4 pounds) of cocaine. He apparently faced a potential life sentence, but he pleaded guilty to drug trafficking charges and named the other traffickers who were engaged in the case. As a result, his sentence was lowered from seven to three years in prison, and he was only given two years and four months to serve. Allen returned to comedy in 1981 after being released from prison.
Robert Downey Jr
Downey Jr struggled with addiction and was in serious legal trouble in the 1990s. He was arrested in 1996 for having heroin, cocaine, and an unloaded .357 Magnum. Downey spent 15 months in a California state prison in Corcoran. He was allegedly arrested again four months after his release for alleged cocaine and Valium possession, as well as being under the influence of drugs. He pleaded no contest to the remaining charges and avoided extra jail time after the valium charge was downgraded to a misdemeanor. Today, Downey Jr is one of the most well-paid actors in Hollywood, having appeared in blockbuster comic book films such as 'Iron Man' and 'The Avengers'.
Winona Ryder
Winona was reportedly arrested after stealing more than $5,000 worth of goods from a Saks Fifth Avenue store in Beverly Hills. She was fined and given probation and community service following her trial. She took a break from Hollywood after the incident. She later looked back on the period in her life as a hiatus that gave her the chance to concentrate on other interests. Her comeback vehicle was the critically acclaimed ballet movie 'Black Swan' from 2010. She became a household name again after bagging a role in 'Stranger Things' as Joyce Byers, the harried single mom of the series' protagonists, Will and Jonathan Byers.
50 Cent
50 Cent, real name Curtis Jackson, was arrested on June 29, 1994, for selling four vials of cocaine to an undercover police officer. Three weeks later, he was arrested again after police searched his residence and discovered heroin, ten ounces of crack cocaine, and a starter pistol. The artist was able to rebuild his life and carve out a prosperous career in music despite his legal issues. After his third and fourth albums, Curtis (2007) and Before I Self Destruct (2009), were met with stagnant commercial reception and mixed reviews, before a return to his roots with his fifth album, Animal Ambition (2014).
Justin Bieber
The state of Justin Bieber's mugshot was definitely surprising, even though his arrest in 2014 wasn't entirely unexpected given that he had been in the news for some time due to questionable behavior. You wouldn't have realized from this picture that he was unhappy at all about being accused of DUI and resisting arrest. Later on in the year, Justin reached a settlement in the legal matter, and in 2017, he posted photographs from the arrest with the hashtag "#neveragain."
Eminem
Marshall Mathers III, also known as Eminem, has a history of legal troubles. He was sentenced to two years probation in 2001 after pleading guilty to carrying a concealed weapon. The Grammy-winning rap musician faced a potential prison sentence of five years, per ABC News. Despite his legal issues, Eminem was able to change his life and establish a lucrative career in music. The rapper reportedly made history by being the first performer to have 10 straight number-one albums following the successful surprise release of 'Music to Be Murdered By' in early 2020.
