Just because someone is famous doesn’t mean they are flawless or a saint. One might even argue abusive behavior, molestation, and violence are all part of the celebrity package. But not all famous sexual offenders deserve the same level of scorn. Some have been accused but never charged with a sex crime. Bellow, we give you the details about celebrities accused of sexual assault and some that have to register for it.
The Ultimate Celebrity Sex Offenders List
When you think of celebrities, the first thing that pops to mind is Hollywood. And since we’re talking about celebrities or famous sex crimes, you may think this is where most have happened. And while it’s true that California is one of the states with the highest number of sex offenders, celebrities tend to commit crimes in other US states too.
From first and second-degree rape to child pornography and indecent exposure, there are different categories of celebrity sex offenders. Some famous sexual offenders are pedophiles or rapists, while others simply dropped their pants while greeting the audience at a concert.
Learn more: Sex Offense Tiers
Michael Jackson
Many things related to legendary pop singer Michael Jackson point out an ugly truth – that he was a pedophile. In his lifetime, the singer was accused of child molestation on several occasions.
In 1993, Evan Chandler, a dentist and close friend of MJ, accused Jackson of sexually abusing his 13-year-old son, Jordan Chandler. The incident allegedly took place at the Neverland Ranch in Santa Barbara, California. The case ended with a financial settlement of $25 million.
In 2003, Jackson was once again arrested for child abuse. This time the victim was 13-year-old Gavin Arizo, but in this instance, the court acquitted Jackson.
In total, five boys had accused Michael Jackson of abuse. Two of them, Wade Robson and James Safechuck are the focus of the 2019 documentary, Leaving Neverland.
Finally, even though Michael Jackson was never convicted, when it comes to celebrity child molesters, he is ranked on more than one list. On June 25, 2009, Michael Jackson died of a cardiac arrest induced by a combination of drugs, and unfortunately never stood trial for his crimes. He is, however, among the many celebrities whose life ended prematurely due to drug overdose.
Roman Polanski
It may seem unbelievable, but a fair amount of celebrity rapists are roaming free in the world. In March 1977, filmmaker Roman Polanski was arrested and charged with sexually assaulting 13-year-old Samantha Gailey during a photo shoot for a French magazine.
Polanski stood trial and was convicted of unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor, rape by use of drugs, perversion, sodomy, and lewd and lascivious act upon a minor. He was sentenced to 90 days in prison and was released 42 days later on good behavior.
The judge, however, decided the sentence was not enough, which resulted in Polanski fleeing the US and settling in France. Interestingly, before leaving the country, Polanski admitted to the charges and accepted a plea deal.
Multiple assault claims followed, including one by German actress Renate Langer and French photographer Valentine Monnier but no arrests or convictions were ever made.
Woody Allen
Another director on the list of celebrities accused of sexual abuse is the brilliant Woody Allen. In 1992 the adopted daughter of Allen, Dylan Farrow, alleged that he had molested her in their Connecticut home.
Dylan Farrow talked about the alleged sexual assault on multiple occasions, including her open letter, but she never pressed charges. On the other hand, Woody denied everything from the beginning and still does.
However, the controversy surrounding the matter never stopped, especially since Mia Farrow ended her relationship with Woody after discovering nude photos of her then, 21-year-old daughter in his apartment.
So, even though one cannot place Woody Allen on the Hollywood sexual predators list, there is still a cloud of suspicion about him.
Learn more: Sexual Offender vs Predator
Ron Jeremy
When it comes to famous sexual predators, former pornographic actor Ronald Jeremy Hyatt, may just be the worst of their kind. According to court documents and allegations, Ron used his position and status in the pornography industry to lure women into secluded areas like the Rainbow Bar and Grill, where he sexually assaulted them.
The actor was indicted in the summer od 2021 on 34 counts of sexual assault involving 21 complaining witnesses. Moreover, some of the charges for the specific celebrity rape case date as far back as 1996. Furthermore, the victims are of all ages – 15 to 51.
Finally, given that Ron stands charged with multiple violent sexual assaults, he is perhaps the most famous rapist that the pornography and movie industry has seen. Unfortunately, given that he is nearly 70 and was rendered incoherent at the latest hearing, he might not live to pay for his crimes.
R Kelly
Singer and rapper R Kelly was recently found guilty of numerous sex crimes and is now officially one of the many celebrities registered as sex offenders. R Kelly’s history of deviance dates back 20 years. It starts with Tiffany Hawkins who sued R Kelly for the “personal injuries and emotional distress” she allegedly suffered during their three-year relationship.
Multiple other charges were filed against Kelly after that, including making child sexual abuse videos, producing child sexual abuse images, sex trafficking, and prostitution. There was also a video showing R Kelly having sex with a 14-year-old girl. The video is not exactly celebrity pornography, and Kelly denied he’s the man in it.
However, it resulted in the singer being charged with ten counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse in Chicago, for which he is yet to stand trial. Finally, in September 2022, the New York City jurors found Kelly guilty of sex trafficking and racketeering on all nine counts against him and sentenced him to 30 years in prison. According to New York laws, this classifies him as a tier 3 sex offender and quite probably a sexual predator as well.
Mike Tyson
Former professional boxer Mike Tyson has been on the list of celebrities who are registered sex offenders for several years now. In the late 80s, Tyson had won several championships and had broken multiple records, including one of being the youngest boxer to win a title.
In 1990 however, after he lost against Buster Douglas, Mike Tyson’s fame started to wane. In July 1991, Tyson was arrested for raping 18-year-old beauty-pageant contestant Desiree Washington and, after standing trial, was sentenced by the court in Indiana to ten years in prison. After serving three years, he was released but continued to register as a tier 2 sex offender.
Bill Cosby
Stand-up comedian and actor William Henry Cosby, famous for his role as Cliff Huxtable on The Cosby Show, was loved by everyone and even earned the title of “America’s Dad”. Or at least this was the case until January 2004, when the sexual assault charges started pouring in.
In 2018, Cosby was finally convicted of drugging and assaulting Andrea Constand and was given 3 to 10 years in prison. But as with most famous rapists and predators, this was not the only sexual assault trial Cosby was involved in.
So far, around 60 women have accused him of rape, drug-facilitated sexual assault, sexual battery, child sexual abuse, and sexual misconduct, which is why he deserves a spot on more than one list of Hollywood sexual predators.
Recently, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court reversed Cosby’s conviction and allowed the actor to leave prison a free man. In other words, even though he tops the celebrity registered sex offenders lists, Cosby is no longer listed in any sex offender registry.
Tupac
Famous rapper and actor Tupac Amaru Shakur was a top-selling hip-hop artist with a fantastic career ahead. But this was until he made one of the biggest celebrity rape cases in history.
In 1993, Tupac was charged with sexual abuse for an incident in a hotel room in New York. The charges involved sexual abuse, sodomy, and illegal possession of a firearm. Charles Fuller Tupac’s road manager stood as a co-defendant in the trial. The charges were filed by 19-year-old Ayanna Jackson.
The rapper was found guilty of sexual abuse and acquitted on the two other charges, which rendered Tupac a sex offender. He served nine months of a four-and-a-half-year maximum sentence, and one month after getting out of prison, died in a drive-by shooting in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Jeffrey Jones
Known for his roles as Emperor Joseph II in Amadeus and Edward R Rooney in Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, Jeffrey Jones is a successful actor but also part of the crowd of celebrity pedophiles.
Jones was arrested in 2003 for the possession of child pornography. It was later discovered that he had hired a 14-year-old boy to pose for lewd photographs. Jones made the boy pose naked with a cowboy hat, a stuffed animal, and as an Indian.
Finally, actor Jeffrey Jones managed to avoid a three-year prison term by pleading no contest to the charges. Due to his plea, the court gave him five years probation and counseling and, in accordance with California sex offender laws, placed him on a registry of sex offenders for the rest of his life.
Jones was arrested two other times when he failed to update his sex offender status.
Kevin Spacey
Two-time Oscar winner Kevin Spacey, known for his role in The Usual Suspects, American Beauty, and The House of Cards, was on his way to becoming one of the greatest actors of our time. But then he got tangled up in sexual-assault allegations.
Actor Anthony Rapp accused Spacey of sexually assaulting him in 2017 when he was only 14. Spacey’s case is one of the most controversial celebrity sexual assault cases because right after Rapp’s declaration, 30 other men came forward with similar allegations against Spacey.
After the initial wave of allegations, the actor was dropped by his publicist and talent agency, fired from House of Cards, and removed from several other projects.
At the moment, Spacey is associated with multiple celebrity sexual assault allegations, including ones made by London performing arts teacher Kate Edwards, Norwegian writer Ari Behn, actor Harry Dreyfuss, and many other anonymous victims.
At the moment, Spacey is faced with multiple sexual assault charges in the US, and another twelve in the UK. The London trial is set to begin on June 6, 2023.
Britney Spears
Pop star Britney Spears is another controversial figure that deserves mentioning, especially since she has a history of violence and erratic behaviour. Britney has also been charged with a hit-and-run and driving without a valid license, was placed under conservatorship, lost custody of her children, and was allegedly forced into a mental health facility. Unofficially, Britney is bipolar, although the media portrayed her as one of the famous people with BPD.
Moreover, even though she doesn’t appear to be joining the gang of famous female sex offenders soon, the fact remains that she was accused of sexual harassment by her former bodyguard, Fernando Flores.
In his statement, Flores said Britney flashed him and invited him into her bedroom while she was nude. He also claimed she had “made repeated unwanted sexual advances,” and “engaged in numerous sexual acts” in front of him. He also said the singer was abusive towards her kids. In 2010, Flores filed a lawsuit at the Los Angeles County Superior Court that was settled under unknown terms later that year.
Famous Sex Crimes Involving Celebrities
The list of famous sexual assault cases and convictions could go on, and of course, it does not only include celebrities who are sex offenders and committed to reporting to a sex offender registry.
However, it should be pointed out that many celebrities have been charged with a sex crime, typically one involving public indecency, but still bear the weight of being treated as if they’re celebrities accused of rape. Here are some examples:
Brad Pitt
Long before Angelina Jolie’s allegations of domestic violence, actor Brad Pitt was accused of a sex crime. Namely, in 1988, Brad was charged with indecent exposure for allegedly mooning drivers on the Pacific Coast Highway in Malibu. The actor was fined $450 and given two years of probation.
Luckily for Mr. Pitt this happened before 1994, which is when Megan’s Law requirement to register as a sex offender was introduced. Otherwise, he would have been classified as a Tier 1 sex offender.
John Travolta
Grease star John Travolta was accused of sexual battery by a 21-year-old masseuse. Allegedly the actor groped the masseuse’s buttocks and indecently exposed himself during a deep-body massage at a Palm Springs hotel.
This incident resulted in a $2 million lawsuit and another lawsuit by a different massage therapist. After a fair fight in court, Travolta’s case got dismissed. Nevertheless, the actor’s reputation remains stained with celebrity sex assault charges.
Tommy Lee
Mötley Crüe’s bad-boy drummer Tommy Lee, who has an entire sex tape saga with Pamela Anderson, was charged with indecent exposure in 1990.
And while Lee is not on any list of celebrities that are sex offenders, what is true is that the singer was charged with indecent exposure, for which he was fined a total of $1,647.
According to the latest reports, Lee might be facing similar charges as he and his bandmates have been mooning people at concerts since forever. Though, nowadays, fans seem less eager to tolerate such behavior.
Anthony Kiedis
Red Hot Chili Peppers’ singer Anthony Kiedis found himself in a similar situation as his colleague Tommy Lee back in 1989. Namely, during the band’s Mother’s Milk tour, after performing at George Mason University, Kiedis was convicted of sexual battery and indecent exposure.
The incident took place after the concert had ended and involved Kiedis touching a woman’s face with his penis. Kiedis was fined $1,000 on each charge and sentenced to 60 days in prison. Kiedis has now beaten his heroin abuse and alcoholism, but he’s still on the list of smoking celebrities.
Marilyn Manson
Controversial singer Marilyn Manson, real name Brian Warner, has been involved in several sexual assault claims but so far has only been convicted of sexual misconduct. His conviction relates to an incident at one of his concerts in Michigan. Manson allegedly spat on a security guard’s head and rubbed his G-string-clad genital area on it.
Under the Michigan sex offender laws of the time, Menson was charged with a felony fourth-degree criminal sexual conduct along with misdemeanor assault and battery. The singer pleaded no contest to disorderly conduct, received a $4,000 fine, and eventually reached a settlement with the security guard.
The Verdict
As you can see from the above, many famous sexual offenders get away with it, either with a settlement, a plea, or because they have the money to hire some of the most famous lawyers. But, of course, many others have had their reputation tarnished just because people want to extort money from them.
In the end, celebrities come and go, and what remains are the consequences of their deviant and narcissistic actions. And the victims who never saw their abuser pay for their sex crimes.
FAQs
Was Tupac a registered sex offender?
Rapper Tupac Shakur was a registered sex offender, convicted on two counts of sexual abuse in the first degree and sentenced to four and a half years in prison.
What celebrities are registered sex offenders?
Singer R Kelly, comedian Bill Cosby, director Roman Polanski, Tupac, Mike Tyson, and Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein are only some of the famous registered sex offenders.
Who is the most famous sex offender?
Roman Polanski might be one of the most famous sex offenders cases, mainly because the director never served a sentence for his crimes. Also because there had been numerous efforts to bring him back to the US, where he would be made to answer for his sex crimes.
