From R&B legends and a Real Housewife to a former sitcom star – these famous folks sensationally went from riches to rags overnight ...
and are still paying for their crimes A life of fame and fortune comes with plenty of perks most people can only dream of. But every so often, the fairy tale unravels and those that had been put on a pedestal end up in prison instead. From financial corruption and tax evasion to more sinister crimes like sexual assault and even murder, plenty of celebrities who once lived a life of luxury have since swapped their designer outfits for prison jumpsuits while serving hefty jail sentences for their crimes.
Here are some of the most famous faces currently doing time on the taxpayer’s dime. R. Kelly, 58 {"@context":"https://schema.
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Kelly emerges from his Chicago studio to turn himself in to Chicago police in February 2019. Photo: TNS Advertisement R&B singer R. Kelly has faced multiple allegations of sexual misconduct and abuse, particularly involving minors, in a case that made global headlines and prompted widespread discussions about accountability in the entertainment industry.
In June 2022, he was convicted on charges of producing child pornography and enticing young girls for sex, leading to a hefty 30-year prison sentence, per AP. He was initially being held at a facility in Chicago, Illinois, but was transferred to a federal prison in North Carolina in 2023 according to CNN. Since then, he’s continued to fight legal battles over additional charges and appeals related to his convictions.
Diddy, 55 {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"ImageObject","caption":"Producer-musician Sean “Diddy” Combs’ trial is set to begin in early May. Photo: Getty Images via AFP/TNS","url":"https://img.
i-scmp.com/cdn-cgi/image/fit=contain,width=1024,format=auto/sites/default/files/d8/images/canvas/2025/04/28/ac4bc614-1f18-4dd7-a9ba-4e2c42082a7b_ae37834e.jpg"} Producer-musician Sean “Diddy” Combs’ trial is set to begin in early May.
Photo: Getty Images via AFP/TNS Sean “Diddy” Combs was once on the brink of billionaire status thanks to his high-flying music career and business ventures, per Forbes. However, following his September 2024 arrest in New York, he now faces trial for sex trafficking and racketeering. This arrest comes amid numerous civil lawsuits alleging sexual assault and violence dating back to the 1990s.
Over two dozen people have accused Combs of leveraging his industry influence for drugging, assaulting, and raping them, and having his employees assist in his exploits. Combs denies all allegations, with his trial date set for May 5. He is currently being held in the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, New York, where he shares a unit with disgraced crypto mogul Sam Bankman-Fried, who is serving a 25-year sentence for conspiracy, fraud and money laundering, notes The New York Times.
Danny Masterson, 49 {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"ImageObject","caption":"Actor Danny Masterson was sentenced to 30 years to life in prison for raping two women. Photo: Getty Images via AFP","url":"https://img.
i-scmp.com/cdn-cgi/image/fit=contain,width=1024,format=auto/sites/default/files/d8/images/canvas/2025/04/28/9a9c7a21-0b6a-4f82-b052-916b7f615d6a_7b457c21.jpg"} Actor Danny Masterson was sentenced to 30 years to life in prison for raping two women.
Photo: Getty Images via AFP In September 2023, American actor Danny Masterson was given a sentence of 30 years to life in prison for raping two women. At the time of his crimes in the early 2000s, Masterson was a popular cast member of the television series That ‘70s Show . Prosecutors claimed that Masterson, a prominent Scientologist , leveraged his high-profile status to avoid responsibility for his actions, per the BBC.
Masterson, currently housed at a prison in San Luis Obispo County, is challenging his conviction, with his lawyers arguing that he didn’t receive a fair trial, per CBS News..
Entertainment
6 celebrities currently in jail – from R. Kelly and Diddy to Harvey Weinstein, That ‘70s Show’s Danny Masterson and Theranos’ Elizabeth Holmes

From R&B legends and a Real Housewife to a former sitcom star – these famous folks sensationally went from riches to rags overnight ... and are still paying for their crimes.