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Black America Web
01-08-2025
- Entertainment
- Black America Web
15 Celebs Who Fell From Grace Over Sexual Allegations & Convictions
It's no secret that celebrities rely heavily on their public image and the trust of their fans and brands. Even the biggest names can see their empires crumble following the attention that comes with criminal actions or accusations. RELATED: 20 Celebs You FORGOT Were in Prison When a celebrity falls from grace, it's typically due to significant scandal, misconduct, or controversy that destroys their public image and reputation. The consequences can be far-reaching, affecting various aspects of their lives and careers. For some, it just means they'll take smaller roles, or no longer have the ability to find work in the industry, for others, criminal charges that result in a conviction could mean a loss of freedom. Here are 15 celebs who either fell out of public favor or landed behind bars following claims of sexual misconduct. 15 Celebs Who Fell From Grace Over Sexual Allegations & Convictions was originally published on 1. Darren Sharper Source:Getty Former NFL star Darren Sharper is currently in prison for drugging and raping numerous women in multiple states. His crimes spanned across California, Nevada, Louisiana, and Arizona, where he pleaded guilty or no contest to various charges related to sexual assault and drug distribution. Sharper was sentenced in 2016 to 18 years in federal prison after admitting to drugging and raping women in four states. 2. Actor Danny Masterson Portrait Source:Getty Danny Masterson is currently serving a 30-year to life prison sentence after being convicted of raping two women in 2003. He was found guilty of two counts of forcible rape during a retrial in May 2023, after a previous trial ended in a mistrial when the jury couldn't reach a verdict on all counts. The attacks occurred at his Hollywood Hills home during the time he was starring in the sitcom 'That '70s Show.' 3. Jeffrey Jones Source:Getty Known for his roles in movies like 'Ferris Bueller's Day Off' and 'Beetlejuice,' Jeffrey Jones was charged with soliciting a minor for nude photographs and possession of child pornography. He eventually entered a plea of no contest to the charge of soliciting a minor, and the possession of child pornography charge was dropped. Jones was sentenced to: Five years of probation. One year of psychological counseling. Two years of drug and alcohol abuse counseling 4. Cash Out Source:Getty Cash Out was convicted on multiple charges including rape, sex trafficking, and Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act violations. He was sentenced to life in prison plus an additional 70 years. Prosecutors alleged that Cash Out, along with his mother and cousin, operated a trafficking enterprise that forced women into sex work over a period for nearly a decade. They were accused of using his record label as a front for this operation. 5. Kaalan Walker Source:Getty Kaalan Walker, who starred in the 'Superfly' remake, convicted and sentenced to 50 years to life in prison for multiple counts of rape and sexual assault. Walker was found guilty of: Three counts of forcible rape One count of assault to commit oral copulation Two counts of statutory rape Two counts of rape by intoxication He was sentenced in October 2022, following his April 2022 conviction. 6. Stephen Collins Source:Getty In 2014, recordings were leaked to the media in which '7th Heaven' actor Stephen Collins admitted to sexual misconduct with minors. He confessed to sexually abusing three underage girls in incidents that occurred in 1973, 1982, and 1994. Collins was never charged or prosecuted due to the statute of limitations in the cases. He eventually was fired from multiple projects, including the film 'Ted 2' and the TV show 'Scandal.' 7. Sean 'Diddy' Combs Source:Sean 'Diddy' Combs - Picture provided by Canva Following his federal trial, Sean 'Diddy' Combs was found guilty on two counts related to transportation to engage in prostitution. T he jury found Combs guilty of transporting Cassie, and another woman to engage in prostitution. Combs was acquitted of racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking. Had he been convicted on those charges, the music mogul could have faced life in. 8. Kevin Spacey Source:Getty Kevin Spacey has faced numerous accusations of sexual misconduct, resulting in investigations, lawsuits, and criminal proceedings. He was found not liable in the civil case brought by Anthony Rapp and acquitted of all criminal charges. Many accusations remain, some of which did not result in criminal charges. Spacey has denied the accusations against him 9. Mystikal Source:Getty Mystikal, whose real name is Michael Tyler, is currently in prison in Ascension Parish, Louisiana, awaiting trial on several charges stemming from an alleged incident in July 2022. This isn't his first time having trouble with the law, but this go round he's got quite the laundry list of charges: First-degree rape Domestic abuse battery by strangulation False imprisonment Simple robbery Simple criminal damage to property Possession of heroin Illegal possession of Xanax Possession of methamphetamine Possession of marijuana Possession of drug paraphernalia If convicted of first-degree rape in the current case, he faces a mandatory life sentence under Louisiana law. 10. The Jury Deliberates In The Harvey Weinstein Sexual Assault Retrial Source:Getty Weinstein was initially sentenced to 16 years in prison for rape, forced oral copulation, and third-degree sexual misconduct. His conviction was overturned in 2024, and he is currently undergoing a retrial. Weinstein was found guilty of one count of criminal sexual act on June 11, 2025, and a mistrial was declared on another rape charge. 11. Micheal Ward Source:Getty Micheal Ward, known for his roles in the Netflix series 'Top Boy' and the film 'Eddington', has been charged with two counts of rape and three counts of sexual assault. Ward has publicly denied the charges and has stated that he has cooperated fully with the police investigation and has 'full faith that the truth will come out and my name will be cleared.' 12. Matt Lauer Source:Getty Matt Lauer's downfall was a direct result of the credible and serious allegations of sexual misconduct brought against him, which violated NBC's company standards and led to his termination. 13. Bill Cosby Source:Getty Bill Cosby has been accused by dozens of women of sexual assault, harassment, and sexual abuse. His criminal conviction related to one of these accusations was overturned, but civil lawsuits have continued to be filed and Cosby has been found liable in some cases. He maintains his innocence. 14. R Kelly Source:Live Nation In 2021, a federal jury in Brooklyn, New York, convicted R. Kelly of nine counts related to racketeering and violating the Mann Act. Racketeering: This involved leading a criminal enterprise that engaged in acts of bribery, kidnapping, and forced labor. Mann Act violations: These charges related to the coercion and transportation of women and girls across state lines for illegal sexual activity. He was later sentenced to 30 years in prison for these crimes.
The Guardian
28-05-2025
- Health
- The Guardian
Ex-sheriff's deputy convicted in 2016 NFL rape case moved to halfway house
A former Louisiana sheriff's deputy who admitted in 2016 that he raped a woman drugged by serial rapist Darren Sharper – the ex-National Football League champion – has been transferred from federal prison to a halfway house as he approaches the completion of his sentence. At the culmination of what was once a nationally prominent criminal case, Brandon Licciardi, 40, pleaded guilty in federal and state courthouses in New Orleans to assisting Sharper's efforts during prior years to surreptitiously drug women's drinks with sedatives or anti-anxiety medication so as to rape them. Licciardi also acknowledged raping a woman whom Sharper had drugged and was subsequently sentenced to 17 years in federal prison. Licciardi served time at the federal correctional institution in Seagoville, Texas. And on 16 April, he was released into the supervision of the Dallas residential re-entry management office, where he would be either under house arrest or living in a halfway house, a spokesperson for the US bureau of prisons told the Guardian. The prisons bureau spokesperson declined additional comment, citing privacy, safety and security reasons. But information on the local sex offender registry listed Licciardi's address as a halfway house in New Orleans, which is only about eight miles away from the St Bernard parish, Louisiana, sheriff's office where he used to park. Licciardi's place of employment was listed as a business to which his father – who for years was a top-ranking St Bernard deputy – has ties. Many people sentenced to federal prison can become eligible for release after serving about 85% of their punishments, according to government officials. Those sent to a halfway house generally are required to find a job and may be allowed to drive or use a cellphone for employment purposes. And they can also get recreational passes or be moved to confinement in a private residence, all of which are clear indications that they are almost done with their punishments. A statement from Licciardi's attorney, Brian Capitelli, said, 'Brandon … has served his sentence and is trying to move forward with his life.' The date provided for his release from the custody of the federal prisons bureau was 20 April 2026. Licciardi was working an off-duty detail when he met and befriended Sharper in 2010, the year after the former ballplayer had helped the New Orleans Saints win their first – and so far only – Super Bowl championship. According to a summary of the case against him that prosecutors prepared and he signed, Licciardi went to Sharper's condominium in New Orleans in February 2013 to rape a woman who had been drugged by Sharper while she modeled at a party two days before the Super Bowl was played in the city that year. Licciardi then introduced a woman he knew to Sharper in late 2013 and – the woman having been drugged – took her to a hotel across the street from the former NFL pro's condo. Sharper raped her there, Licciardi indicated in court. At a party three weeks later, Licciardi introduced a friend – a former Saints cheerleader – to Sharper, who soon drugged that woman and raped her at his condo. Sharper at his condo that night also raped another woman whom he had drugged. And the two women also endured sexual batteries committed by a friend of Sharper and acquaintance of Licciardi: Erik Nunez, then a steakhouse waiter and self-proclaimed event promoter. The former cheerleader soon went to police and reported that she had been raped, leading to Sharper's arrest in Los Angeles in early 2014. Licciardi and Nunez, 38, were arrested later and accused of trying to conceal incriminating text messages, photos and videos. In 2015, Sharper pleaded guilty or no contest in local courts in Louisiana, California, Nevada and Arizona to charges that he drugged and raped – or tried to rape – numerous women in the four states between August 2013 and his arrest. He also pleaded guilty in New Orleans's federal courthouse to helming the drugging and rape conspiracy involving Licciardi and Nunez. Sharper, 49, remains imprisoned at the federal correctional institution in Elkton, Ohio. As of Tuesday, he had a release date tentatively set for late December 2028. His attorneys more recently argued that he deserved to be re-evaluated for a release prior to that date, maintaining in part that he had taken a number of educational classes during his imprisonment and had proven himself to be 'a model inmate'. 'He also serves as a tutor and has assisted countless adults in getting their' high-school equivalency diplomas, Sharper's attorneys wrote in court. Licciardi resigned from his deputy job in late 2014 before pleading guilty. New Orleans's Times-Picayune newspaper reported that it took Louisiana's police licensing board until its final meeting of 2023 to permanently revoke the credentials allowing Licciardi to work as a law enforcement officer in the state. Nunez was released from prison in July 2023 and – as of Tuesday – was listed as working at a construction company while on active probation. Information and support for anyone affected by rape or sexual abuse issues is available from the following organizations. In the US, Rainn offers support on 800-656-4673. In the UK, Rape Crisis offers support on 0808 500 2222. In Australia, support is available at 1800Respect (1800 737 732). Other international helplines can be found at
