10 Celebrities Who Were Falsely Accused of Serious Crimes

Welcome to MsMojo, and today were looking at the stars who were the target of major false allegations.

Nicolas Cage

The Face/Off actor is known for his eccentricity and his steadfast dedication to his craft. But Nicolas Cage vehemently denied charges leveled in a former colleagues memoirs. In 2008, Cages Peggy Sue Got Married co-star Kathleen Turner made no bones about disliking him. But her big mistake was alleging that he was arrested not once but twice for impaired driving. More than that, she also recounted a story about how he stole a chihuahua. Cage sued Turner for libel and won, forcing her to apologize, add a correction to the book, and pay damages.

Keanu Reeves

Running down the paparazzi doesnt sound like something one of the nicest guys in Hollywood would do. Thats because he didnt. Keanu Reeves ended up the target of a lawsuit for supposedly hitting paparazzo Alison Silva with his car. Silva reportedly stood in front of Reeves car and insisted the actor had struck him, causing injuries to his wrist and knee. That story fell apart quickly. His knee injury switched sides between the incident and the trial, and footage of him disproved his argument that his hand was too injured to do his job. The jury cleared Reeves of all charges.

Yusuf / Cat Stevens

In the aftermath of 9/11, airport security became much tighter. Through a case of mistaken identity, British singer-songwriter Yusuf Islam, previously known by his stage name Cat Stevens, was detained as a suspected terrorist. The reasons for this were frustratingly vague. His name was flagged by TSA as a potential associate of terrorist organizations, but that was about as far as the explanations went. Stevens denied this charge, of course. His dedication to peace and charity should have spoken for itself. He was sent back to the UK after his plane was diverted and he was denied entry to the U.S.

Mabel Normand

A trailblazer of her time, the silent film actress and director was known for her hard-partying lifestyle. But in 1922, that came back to bite her in a big way. Her friend, collaborator, and alleged lover William Desmond Taylor was found murdered in his home, shot to death. She was the last person to see him alive, and immediately fell under suspicion. The case is still unsolved, with myths about Normands involvement and a Hollywood cover-up persisting for years afterward. Even after the police cleared her as a suspect, Normands reputation was damaged. Frequent news reports about her escapades and substance use still loom large over her legacy.

Jane Fonda

In the 1970s, the movie star lent her celebrity to social causes, throwing herself into activism aimed at ending what she and millions saw as an unjust war in Vietnam. The decision to travel behind enemy lines to North Vietnam was controversial enough. But many Americans decried her as a traitor when she was photographed sitting on a weapon that would ostensibly be used to shoot down American aircraft. She was never formally charged with treason, but it didnt stop many from accusing her. For years afterward, Fonda would cite this moment as one of her biggest regrets.

Lana Turner

She was the biggest star of the 1940s, and he was one of the criminal underworlds most fearsome figures. When Johnny Stompanato was found stabbed to death in the home of longtime girlfriend Lana Turner, people assumed there was more to the story. Turners daughter, Cheryl Crane, was charged with the killing, but due to Stompanatos violent nature, it was seen as justified. However, rumors persisted for years that Turner was really the one who murdered him, and that she set up her daughter to take the fall. Her tearful testimony at the trial only furthered public distrust of the real story.

Mitski

Some celebrities have expressed hesitance to engage with their fan base on social media. A 2019 incident involving singer-songwriter Mitski is a prime example of why. A Tumblr user posted a since-deleted series of elaborate and deeply upsetting accusations against Mitski. These allegations involved some truly heinous incidents of abuse and conspiracy that also implicated the artists family. The story fell apart fairly quickly, exposed by journalists and associates of both the singer and her accuser that proved it was a complete fabrication. Mitskis response was measured, asking for compassion for the accuser, whose mental health she was concerned for.

Conor Oberst

The indie rock sensation faced an accusation of misconduct from a fan of his band, Bright Eyes. In 2013, a woman alleged that singer-songwriter Conor Oberst attacked her after a concert. Obersts credentials as a feminist and ally to women were stomped out by the ensuing internet firestorm. Online sleuths poked holes in the story until the accuser recanted her allegations entirely and offered an apology. Oberst sued the woman for defamation but the damage had been done. He suddenly found himself in the middle of an ideological tug-of-war between internet feminists and mens rights activists.

Ricky Martin

In 2022, the Livin La Vida Loca singer was hit with a damning accusation from his nephew, Dennis Yadiel Sánchez Martin, alleging an inappropriate relationship. Ricky Martin denied this ever happened. Then, in another shocking turn of events, his nephew withdrew the case and recanted the story entirely. Martin, however, sued his nephew for damages, alleging that he was being shaken down for money, and his nephews accusations were part of a larger extortion scheme. This touched off a new round of legal disputes that finally ended in 2025 with both parties dropping their claims.

Roscoe Fatty Arbuckle

While the true details of what happened the night of Virginia Rappes death may never be known, the myths surrounding the case ballooned out of proportion almost immediately. The young actress became ill and soon died after attending a party in the hotel room of silent film comedian Fatty Arbuckle. He was accused of assault, which was said to have caused her death. Key witnesses stories changed several times, and salacious, untrue details of Arbuckles encounter with Rappe spread like wildfire. The actor was tried three times for manslaughter and finally acquitted after the third. While he may not be totally innocent, several accusations leveled at him were patently untrue and had been exaggerated in the press and in later retellings.

Which of these accusations did you find the most shocking? Tell us in the comments.