Top 50 Times Celebs Were CAUGHT Lying

#50: Khloé Kardashian

Sometimes, it’s more embarrassing to get busted for a petty lie than a huge scandal. In 2015, for Thanksgiving, KoKo posted a shot of delicious baked goods on her Instagram. She claimed they were ‘homemade’ and a result of, quote, ‘testing’ herself. However, the internet soon figured out that some of the pies in the photo were apparently from a bakery called Sweet Lady Jane. Needless to say, the real baker was pretty ticked off. However, rather than apologizing or laughing it off, Khloé had a very public crash-out. She shared an expletive-ridden post on X to bring haters down. However, it only made her look more guilty.

#49: Robert Pattinson

Making up white lies for the sake of entertainment screams chaotic neutral. Robert Pattinson has a bit of a reputation for lying in interviews. One of the strangest stories he came up with was about a circus experience gone wrong. Speaking with Matt Lauer on “Today”, he claimed that when he went to the circus for the first time, he witnessed a car explosion that killed a clown. Obviously, that was a lie, and he admitted it himself in a separate interview. The “Twilight” star also added that he developed this habit of fibbing because the redundant line of questioning in interviews sent him into a so-called ‘fugue’ state.

#48: Post Malone

When Rolling Stone profiled Posty back in 2017, the rapper couldn’t stop gushing over his friend, Justin Bieber. However, in the same breath, he also called him out for being, quote, ‘real culty’. The “Sunflower” singer claimed Bieber had contributed ten million dollars to the Hillsong megachurch. However, he didn’t stop there. He threw some major shade Justin’s way, saying that God didn’t care about gold-roofed churches. However, former Hillsong New York City pastor Carl Lentz strongly opposed Post Malone’s claims, stating that JB had not made such a lavish donation. He also shot down the gold ceiling allegation, claiming the church didn’t even own a physical building at the time, let alone boast gilded roofs.

#47: Dove Cameron

This one might be a tamer lie in comparison to some others on this list, but the emotion behind it will tug at your heartstrings. Dove Cameron was named Chloe Celeste Hosterman at birth. However, we’ve always known her as Dove. Early in her career, fans assumed it was her real first name, and she didn’t exactly offer a correction. However, she later revealed that she had legally changed her name from Chloe to Dove in honor of her father, who lovingly called her by that name. Dove’s dad, Philip Alan Hosterman, passed away when she was a young teen. So, going by Dove was a meaningful choice, rather than a lie.

#46: Ben Affleck

The “Good Will Hunting” actor once lied to the press out of sheer spite after the paparazzi invaded his privacy. It all went down in 2015, when Affleck was photographed with a majestic phoenix tattoo on his back. At the time, he told Mario Lopez in an interview that the ink was fake and for a movie. However, it was very much real, as he later revealed. Ben even admitted to The New York Times that he felt resentful about the piece being sneakily exposed by the paparazzi. Hence, the lie. More recently, his back tattoo seems to have changed. We wonder if it’s real or fake this time.

#45: Alex Rodriguez

When a 2009 Sports Illustrated story exposed A-Rod for using performance-enhancing substances in 2003, he went after the reporter who broke the story, Selena Roberts. The former MLB star claimed Roberts had been stalking him and alleged that she had attempted to break into his home. However, the police clarified that Selena had not been reported for any of those supposed crimes. Soon after, Alex apologized for his accusations. Years later, he was caught up in another PES controversy, known as the Biogenesis scandal. He denied involvement at first, but that, too, was apparently a lie, and he had to face suspension.

#44: Kylie Jenner

When this young icon first got her lips done, she had everyone talking about them. It was a cultural shift, and you just had to be there. However, the big change was intimidating for King Kylie. She told everyone she had achieved her signature pout with lip liner alone before admitting to temporary lip fillers. Later on, she confessed that she, quote, ‘tiptoed around the truth’ out of fear of being judged. Nevertheless, the millionaire socialite took all the traction her new look got and turned it into a genius business idea, launching her famous Kylie Lip Kit. That’s how her journey to becoming one of America’s richest self-made women began.

#43: Terrence Howard

The Oscar-nominated actor once told Jimmy Kimmel that he had a PhD in chemical engineering. He even specified that he received the degree from South Carolina State University. It didn’t take people long to figure out that the university doesn’t even offer such a program. More importantly, Howard was never a student there. In fact, he didn’t even complete his undergraduate studies in chemical engineering from Pratt Institute. The only connection he had to SCSU was an honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters degree he had been awarded by it. The PhD hoax was probably meant to lend some credibility to his Terryology claims. Remember when he tried to prove one times one equals two? Neil deGrasse Tyson later called him out for misinformation.

#42: Tori Spelling

After giving birth to her son, Finn, in 2012, the “Beverly Hills, 90210” star told Us Weekly that she dropped her baby weight by exercising and eating healthy. However, in her memoir “Spelling It Like It Is”, she came clean and revealed that her initial comments were made at the suggestion of her publicist. Her weight loss was actually caused by extreme dieting, but the optics of such a revelation wouldn’t be ideal. So, she said she was shedding pounds by swimming a lot. Years later, Tori admitted to using Ozempic and Mounjaro to lose weight after having her youngest son, Beau.

#41: Suki Waterhouse

The “Daisy Jones & the Six” actress took a page out of her fiancé Robert Pattinson’s book of lies for this one. She once told Us Weekly that she liked washing her hair with Coca-Cola because it gave her otherwise fine and lifeless hair some texture. “Coca-Cola makes it tousled, like I've gone through the Amazon or something,” she said. Needless to say, the model underestimated her influence because fans rushed to incorporate the soda into their haircare routines. It was only after years had passed that Suki owned up to fibbing and revealed on X that she made up the style tip out of boredom.

#40: Brian Dennehy

For years, the storied actor lied about his military record. He claimed to have served in Vietnam, but it turned out to be a case of stolen valor. While it was true that he was a part of the United States Marine Corps, he completely lied about fighting in the Vietnam War and getting injured in combat. When the truth eventually came out, Dennehy apologized for his fabrication, explaining that he didn’t know how to clear things up after starting the rumor. Even after acknowledging this, the “Death of a Salesman” actor reportedly continued running with his Vietnam story, showing a lack of remorse.

#39: Charlie Puth

Remember when the “Light Switch” singer reportedly had a thing going on with Bella Thorne in 2016? Well, it didn’t last long, and Charlie supposedly wrote the song “Attention” about her. He explained to Genius that he was singing about someone who was manipulating him to be, quote, ‘attached to her hip’. Years later, Little Mix’s Jade said she wouldn’t collaborate with Puth, presumably because of their past drama over him allegedly hitting on her while she was taken. It was then that Thorne chimed in with a revelation of her own. She claimed that Charlie ‘started a hate train’ against her because she wouldn’t get intimate with him. The jury’s still out on whose account is true.

#38: Kate Winslet

The “Titanic” actress is a fierce feminist, but even she succumbed to societal pressure after the birth of her daughter, Mia. The star had undergone an emergency C-section to bring Mia into the world, but initially told the press it was an ‘uncomplicated natural birth’. The Oscar winner was so traumatized by the fact that she hadn’t delivered her baby naturally that she took extreme measures to hide the truth. After birthing her son, Joe, naturally, she told Gotham magazine that she lied about Mia’s birth because she thought of herself as a ‘complete failure’ and felt locked out of the ‘powerful women's club’. That tells you all you need to know about the stigma surrounding cesarean childbirth that continues to plague mothers even today.

#37: Vin Diesel

The “Fast & Furious” actor has bragging rights for a lot of things. Being a Beastie Boys dancer is not one of them. During an appearance on “Jimmy Kimmel Live!”, the action star shared that he danced for the group when he was a teenager. He claimed that the rap collective lived in his neighborhood and took him in as their dancer after watching him perform on the street. This helped him enter Dancetaria, a club he wanted to get into. However, Adam Horovitz told Seth Meyers that the story wasn’t true. He admitted that Adam Yauch may have acted like an underage Vin was with the band so he could enter Dancetaria. However, the actor was never officially associated with the band.

#36: Lindsay Lohan

The loss of Whitney Houston was mourned by the world. So, it was particularly upsetting when Lindsay Lohan falsely claimed she was assigned to work with her remains during her 2012 community service stint at the LA county morgue. The “Mean Girls” star said it was messed up and ‘inappropriate’ that she had to roll the plastic for the late icon’s body. However, in the actress’s own words, she ‘thought it would be a lot worse’. Not long after Lohan made the shocking claim, the Coroner's Office set the record straight by denying that she was ever involved with handling Houston’s body.

#35: Tyrese Gibson

In 2017, the “Transformers” actor was accused of assaulting his firstborn child, Shayla, which led to him having a very public meltdown. During this rough patch, he told fans Will and Jada Pinkett Smith had given him five million dollars to make ends meet. At the time, he referred to the couple as his brother and sister. However, insiders told TMZ that the Smiths had not offered any such monetary help to Gibson. Soon after, Tyrese clarified on Instagram that he had lied. Years passed, and he brought it up again in an interview, admitting that he was struggling with his mental health at the time. “I was out of my mind,” he said, blaming his medication for the outrageous claim.

#34: Sharon Stone

The “Basic Instinct” star is not only one of the sexiest women in Hollywood, but also one of the smartest. In fact, she is intelligent enough to be in Mensa. However, that’s not exactly the same as actually being a Mensa member. For a long time, Sharon Stone seemingly said she was one until a Mensa representative, Jim Blackstone, reportedly debunked the claim. He also explained that the iconic star couldn’t have attended a Mensa program in high school, as she once stated. This was seemingly because no such programs were offered when Stone was a student. The Oscar-nominated performer took back her assertion in 2002.

#33: Todd Lawson LaTourrette

When the “Better Call Saul” actor was starting out in the entertainment industry, he pretended to be a war veteran who lost an arm in combat. This helped him stand out and book roles. In reality, Todd Lawson LaTourrette amputated his own limb during a mental health episode. The actor, who reportedly has bipolar disorder, had not been taking his medication, which led him to commit such a self-destructive act. After working as an actor for years, he fessed up about falsifying his military record out of guilt. Having done so, LaTourrette took the opportunity to spread awareness about the importance of medication for mental health issues.

#32: Meghan Markle

Ever since the “Suits” actress became the Duchess of Sussex, she has been grilled by the media for allegedly making up stories that many consider to be outright lies. One such instance was when Meghan claimed that a South African actor had likened her and Prince Harry’s marriage to Nelson Mandela’s release from prison. According to the mom of two, it happened at the 2019 premiere of “The Lion King”, and the actor in question had been a cast member. Well, the person she was probably talking about, renowned actor John Kani, told The Telegraph that he neither attended the premiere nor remembered talking to Meghan. The “Black Panther” star further added that the comparison was ‘baffling’ and possibly a ‘faux pas’ on her part.

#31: Robin Thicke

When “Blurred Lines” first came out, it was as catchy as it was controversial. Critics condemned the song for its misogynistic themes and explicit music video. It was also said to be a rip-off of Marvin Gaye’s “Got to Give It Up”, which resulted in a prolonged legal battle. Ahead of the plagiarism lawsuit, Thicke had been bragging about co-writing the track in interviews. However, he was quick to backtrack during his deposition, admitting that Pharrell Williams, who is featured in the song, wrote virtually all of it. Meanwhile, Thicke said he was too intoxicated in the studio to contribute in any significant way.

#30: SZA

If people already love you for your music, there’s no need to lie just to impress them. R&B singer SZA told fans she had never owned a TV, only for a picture to emerge of her supposedly with one she owned. Then, she said her freckles were natural (they weren’t), and that she wasn’t “a cake or pie person,” but had been photographed enjoying a birthday cake. That all paled in comparison to her claim of earning a degree in Marine Biology from an Ivy League school. In reality, she had enrolled in Delaware State University for that program, but dropped out to pursue music. Considering how well that worked out, it’s a mystery why she felt the need to tweak the story.

#29: Elon Musk

In 2022, the Tesla CEO took a stand against conspiracy theorist Alex Jones, who had allegedly been spreading false information about the Sandy Hook tragedy. His account on X had been banned before Musk became Chairman, and he refused to reinstate it. Elon explained that he had zero tolerance for people who capitalized on the deaths of children because he knew the pain of losing a child. The billionaire’s firstborn son passed away from sudden infant death syndrome, and he claimed he was holding the little one when he left the world. However, his ex-wife and the mother of the child, Justine Wilson, alleged that her son died in her arms. While we may never know the truth, Musk did not contest her claim.

#28: Victoria Beckham

After giving birth to her first son in 1999, fans noticed something had changed about Victoria Beckham. Her bust size had gotten dramatically bigger. Sure, motherhood comes with a myriad of physical changes, but this one seemed a little too enhanced. Back then, Beckham shut down rumors of cosmetic surgery, insisting that she was “completely natural.” According to the former Spice Girl, her increased bust size was as a result of support tape and push-up bras. The denials continued until 2005 when her lawyers let it slip that she had actually undergone breast augmentation. But it would take until 2014 for Beckham to finally confess herself, revealing that she had removed the implants and regretted ever having them in the first place.

#27: Olivia Jade

Getting into a prestigious university can be tough. Unless, of course, your wealthy, well-connected parents are willing to grease a few palms. The daughter of fashion designer Mossimo Giannulli and actress Lori Loughlin, Olivia Jade was at the center of a scandal in 2019 due to her parents paying to get her admitted into the University of Southern California. Prosecutors charged them with fraud and bribery, and uncovered a fake athletic profile that painted Jade as a champion rower, despite never having played the sport. The deception also included staged pictures of Jade and her sister, Isabella, posing on rowing machines. Although both girls initially secured spots at USC, their enrollment didn’t last long once the truth emerged.

#26: Hasan Minhaj

This former “Daily Show” correspondent was a shoo-in to take over as host until The New Yorker published an article accusing him of embellishing the stories in his stand-up routines. In Minhaj’s special “The King's Jester,” he recounted receiving an envelope of white powder he initially believed was anthrax. The powder then spilled on his daughter and he rushed her to the hospital only to learn it was harmless. He detailed another story about an FBI informant infiltrating his mosque and physically assaulting him. The New Yorker claimed that both stories were exaggerated, which Minhaj more or less acknowledged. However, in a YouTube video, he called the article “needlessly misleading,” insisting that his embellishments weren’t deception, but only a storytelling technique.

#25: Hilaria Baldwin

Born Hillary Lynn Hayward-Thomas in Boston, Massachusetts, this yoga instructor and entrepreneur eventually reinvented herself as Hilaria. In 2020, after noticing that Hilaria Baldwin had been misrepresenting herself as Spanish, one Twitter user compiled a thread exposing her. This included a clip from the “Today” show where Baldwin appeared to forget the English word for “cucumber” and various interviews of her speaking in a Spanish accent. This thread unleashed a wave of more inconsistencies, like her agency’s website falsely listing her birthplace as Mallorca and her willingness to let people believe she was half-Spanish. Baldwin eventually apologized for the falsehoods, explaining that though she was raised with both American and Spanish cultures, she should have been clearer about her actual roots.

#24: Hulk Hogan

The late Hulk Hogan was a wrestling legend, but he was also a master at rewriting history to make himself look cooler. Perhaps his most outrageous tale involved the King of Rock and Roll, Elvis Presley. According to Hogan’s WWE-produced autobiography, Presley was a die-hard fan of his who would swing by to watch him wrestle live in Memphis. Sounds impressive, until you realize that Presley passed away in 1977, two full years before Hogan even set foot in a Memphis ring. That was far from his only lie. Hogan also claimed that both The Rolling Stones and Metallica wanted him as their bassist, and that he was Darren Aronofsky’s first pick for the lead role in “The Wrestler”. Both claims have since been debunked.

#23: Tonya Harding

In arguably the most notorious scandal in figure skating, Olympian Nancy Kerrigan was ambushed in January 1994, leaving her with a bruised leg and her career in jeopardy. The attack was meant to sideline her from competing, and was eventually traced to Jeff Gillooly, the then-husband of Kerrigan’s rival, Tonya Harding. Naturally, suspicion fell on Harding. Although she denied prior knowledge of the attack, Harding later pleaded guilty to covering it up and earned a lifetime ban from the U.S. Figure Skating Association. For decades, she stuck to this story, until 2018 when she finally admitted, in an ABC special, that she knew about the plot beforehand. But of course, she maintained that she had nothing to do with actually carrying it out.

#22: Prince Andrew

Prince Andrew shared a close friendship with disgraced financier and sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein for years. During this period, he was accused of engaging in unlawful activities with Virginia Giuffre, allegedly with Epstein’s help. Following Epstein's death in 2019, Andrew sat for a disastrous interview with BBC’s “Newsnight,” where he denied having sex with Giuffre and claimed to have only met Epstein once after his 2008 conviction, to sever ties. That, however, turned out to be a lie. Court papers from a separate civil case revealed emails showing that Andrew arranged a meeting with Epstein in February 2011, despite his claims that their last encounter was in December 2010. Although he denied Giuffre’s allegations, he later settled with her, for a reported £5 million.

#21: James Frey

Back when “The Oprah Winfrey Show” ruled daytime TV, every author dreamed of making it onto Oprah’s Book Club. In September 2005, James Frey hit the jackpot when his memoir “A Million Little Pieces” got the coveted nod, turning it into a cultural phenomenon. The book detailed Frey’s experience with substance use disorder and journey to sobriety. However, a few months later, an investigative website accused Frey of fabricating multiple details in the book. Winfrey initially stood by Frey, but as the evidence mounted, she brought him onto her show and grilled him about the memoir’s authenticity. Frey ultimately admitted to embellishing parts of the story, leaving Winfrey and her audience disappointed. As a result, subsequent editions of the book included a disclaimer.

#20: Tiger Woods

Needless to say, a successful marriage hinges on openness and honesty among all parties involved. Hence, it’s understandable why professional golfer Tiger Woods and Elin Nordegren’s marriage fell apart when it was revealed that he engaged in extramarital affairs and lied about them. This shocking revelation came in 2009, after Woods crashed his car just outside his Florida home, triggering media scrutiny into his personal life. Subsequently, several women came forward alleging that they had had affairs with the golfer. Woods eventually owned up to the claims, admitting that he had lied to a lot of people, including himself. The fallout from the scandal not only cost him his marriage, but it also had significant consequences for his career.

#19: Star Jones

The long-running daytime talk show “The View” was designed as a platform for women to engage in candid discussions about various topical issues. But it turns out one of its original panelists, Star Jones, wasn’t so candid about her personal life. In 2003, Jones, who was once diagnosed as morbidly obese, began to lose weight in a rather dramatic fashion. According to her, this was the result of a strict dieting and exercise regimen. She also vaguely alluded to receiving a “medical intervention.” However, rumors persisted which seemed to suggest otherwise. Finally, in 2007, Jones confirmed the speculations, disclosing that she had indeed undergone gastric bypass surgery to help with her weight loss.

#18: Rick Ross

In 2008, a photograph emerged in the media showing Rick Ross dressed as a correctional officer. The rapper took offense to its publication, insisting that his face had been digitally manipulated onto someone else’s body by “online hackers.” In fact, he took things a step further by challenging anyone to provide solid proof that he ever worked in the prison system. Well, investigative website The Smoking Gun decided to take him up on the challenge. They unearthed his personnel record with the Department of Corrections, complete with his social security number and copies of his birth certificate. Faced with the overwhelming evidence, Ross confessed to his past job as a corrections officer in Florida between 1995 and 1997.

#17: Rebel Wilson

The film industry is often seen as a realm of smoke and mirrors– a reputation that was certainly not helped by Australian actress Rebel Wilson. Back in 2015, an Australian magazine alleged that Wilson had fabricated several aspects of her personal history. The actress had claimed to be 29 years old that year, and asserted that Rebel was her birth name. However, a former classmate countered this, stating that she was actually 36 at the time, and official records revealed her birth name as Melanie Elizabeth Bownds. In addition, Wilson’s claim of a rough upbringing in the quote-unquote “ghetto” of Sydney was debunked, as evidence pointed to a “very normal, upper-middle-class” background.

#16: Bow Wow

Sometimes, celebrities tell lies that seem understandable. Other times, such as in the case of Bow Wow, their fabrications are so ridiculous and unnecessary, they leave you wondering “why?” In 2017, Bow Wow shared a picture of a private jet on his Instagram, claiming he was flying to New York with the aircraft. Yet, shortly after, a fan spotted him seated in economy class on a New York-bound commercial flight. A quick reverse-image search revealed that the original picture Bow Wow posted was actually a stock photo from the website of a private transport service. This led to social media users ridiculing the rapper, sparking the #BowWowChallenge, in which they shared side-by-side pictures depicting a glamorous falsehood, alongside their mundane reality.

#15: Ryan Lochte

All eyes were on decorated swimmer Ryan Lochte at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. However, Lochte misused that attention and effectively derailed his career, after falsely claiming to have been robbed at gunpoint by individuals impersonating police officers. The incident generated international attention, but as more details emerged, it became apparent that Lochte and three other swimmers allegedly vandalized a gas station bathroom and were made to pay for the damages. Lochte eventually apologized for over-exaggerating his story and was charged in Brazil with falsely reporting a crime. Although the charges were later dropped, the repercussions to his career were severe: he lost multiple endorsements and received a 10-month suspension from competitive swimming.

#14: Brandy

In 2002, then 23-year-old singer Brandy appeared on “The Oprah Winfrey Show,” where she announced that she was expecting her first child with music producer Robert Smith. But that wasn’t her only big announcement. She also revealed that she and Smith had gotten married in a secret ceremony months earlier. However, it turns out only one of those statements was true. After their relationship ended, Smith admitted that they had actually never gotten married. This claim was later confirmed by Brandy to none other than Oprah herself. According to the singer, they had fabricated the marriage story to protect her innocent image, as she desired to maintain the perception of not having a child out of wedlock.

#13: The White Stripes

When Jack and Meg White first started gaining traction in the Detroit music scene as the indie rock duo The White Stripes, they made everyone believe they were siblings. This image persisted, even as the two rose to international fame. However, in 2002, a local Detroit paper did some digging and uncovered the truth: Jack and Meg were once married. They tied the knot in 1996, shortly before forming the band, and divorced in 2000, just as they began gaining widespread attention. Despite this revelation, they maintained that they were siblings. It wasn’t until 2005 that Jack publicly acknowledged the deception, stating that they had propagated the lie so as to be taken more seriously as musicians.

#12: Bill O’Reilly

Conservative journalist Bill O’Reilly has faced scrutiny over some of his exaggerated claims. In 2013, O’Reilly asserted in a book that he was present outside the home where George de Mohrenschildt fatally shot himself and had heard the shotgun blast. De Mohrenschildt had gained notoriety for his association with Lee Harvey Oswald before the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. However, this was later debunked as false. Then, in 2015, Mother Jones magazine published an article which disputed O’Reilly’s claims that he was on the Falkland Islands during the 1982 war. The controversy that ensued led O’Reilly to retract previous assertions that he had witnessed extreme violence during conflicts in El Salvador and Northern Ireland.

#11: Steven Seagal

In addition to his roles in action films, Steven Seagal has also dabbled in reality TV, most notably the A&E series “Steven Seagal: Lawman.” The show trailed him as a reserve deputy sheriff in Arizona and Louisiana. During his work on the series, Seagal claimed to be a licensed law enforcement officer in California. But when the LA Times did a little research, they found no evidence of such certification in either California or Louisiana. In fact, his role as a sheriff’s deputy in Louisiana was purely ceremonial, handed to him by longtime sheriff, Harry Lee. Seagal has also claimed that he once helped train CIA agents, but shockingly, there’s no proof of that either.

#10: Angelina Jolie & Brad Pitt

Though Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt would initially deny allegations of an affair, many did think it was a very big coincidence that the scandal broke out the same year that Pitt and then-wife Jennifer Aniston ultimately divorced. During the proceedings, Jolie would claim no infidelity took place and cited her father’s cheating on her mother as ample deterrent. And yet just a few months after the divorce was finalized, Jolie announced her pregnancy with Pitt’s child. So did they or didn’t they? Well, in 2008, both Jolie and Pitt would refer to “Mr. & Mrs. Smith” as the movie where they “fell in love” in two separate articles… so we guess that answers that.

#9: Lil' Kim

Some lies can get you jail time! That's what Lil' Kim found out during a court proceeding in 2005. She told a federal grand jury that her co-manager, Damion Butler, and bodyguard, Suif Jackson, were not involved in a 2001 shootout in front of radio station Hot 97 in New York. She also claimed to have not been on the scene or to know one of the suspects. But, Lil' Kim ran into big problems when security footage was released showing that not only was Kim there, but also, so were Butler and Jackson. This mis-recollection earned the rapper 366 days in prison, 30 days house arrest, and three years probation.

#8: Paris Hilton

After serving jail time, Paris Hilton appeared on “Larry King Live” to talk about the experience. During the interview, King asked the heiress if she had ever taken drugs, and twice she denied it, claiming all she's taken were meds for ADHD. Photos began to pop up showing Hilton smoking the green stuff though, and perpetrators of a 2008 robbery claimed to have found other narcotics in her Hollywood mansion. However, what cast the most doubt on Paris' drug-free claims was when she was arrested on suspicion of drug possession in 2010 – a suspicion cast due to 0.8g of the stuff being found in a handbag that also contained her credit cards, phone, and driver’s license.

#7: Beyoncé

In a 2008 interview with Marie Claire UK, Beyoncé appeared to imply that some of the lyrics to her 2006 single “Irreplaceable” weren't actually aimed at Jay-Z. Prompted by an on-stage claim that Bey wrote the song for her “ladies”, Ne-Yo came forward saying he had written the lyrics himself, for himself. Ne-Yo went so far as to express regret for giving the song up, although he acknowledged it was better suited to a female artist. The singer also confirmed that Beyoncé re-wrote the song's harmony and melody lines, and thus, did in fact earn her song-writing credit – just not for the lyrics.

#6: Stephen Rannazzisi

Given the profound tragedy of the September 11 attacks, it’s certainly not a good idea to falsely claim to be a survivor. If only someone had told that to Stephen Rannazzisi beforehand. The comedian and actor had previously described working as an account manager at Merrill Lynch in the South Tower on that fateful day. He claimed to have narrowly escaped the building shortly before the second plane hit, citing the experience as his motivation to move to Los Angeles to pursue an entertainment career. However, a New York Times investigation proved that it was all a bold-faced lie. Not only did Rannazzisi never work for Merrill Lynch, the company didn’t even have offices in either tower at the time.

#5: Milli Vanilli

They certainly can't blame this one on the rain. Milli Vanilli was hot in the late '80s, but soon after their lip-synching facade began to crack. Charles Shaw, one of the actual singers, came forward in 1989 and revealed he was one of three vocalists who recorded the tracks. As the vocals were attributed to Fab Morvan and Rob Pilatus, this got messy, fast. Morvan and Pilatus had to ultimately relinquish their Grammy, lawsuits were sprung on them and Arista Records, citing consumer fraud protection laws. While Morvan recovered from the humiliation, Pilatus did not, as he grappled with substance use disorder until his death in 1998.

#4: Kim Kardashian

In 2007, when Kim Kardashian was only semi-famous, rumors emerged about a sex tape made by her and her ex, Ray J. In an interview with Complex magazine, she publicly denied that any sex tape was made. Even worse, she denied it to her then-boyfriend Nick Cannon. When the tape finally got leaked, Nick called it quits, saying it was mostly the deception that pushed him away. Despite claiming she wouldn't release a sex tape for any amount of money, Kim is reported to have settled for a $5m payout from Vivid Entertainment, and has long battled arm-chair speculation that she herself was directly involved in the leak.

#3: Jussie Smollett

One of the most confounding celebrity lies ever told remains that involving actor Jussie Smollett. In January 2019, Smollett made headlines after claiming to have been the victim of a hate crime in Chicago. Smollett alleged that he was attacked by two individuals who hurled homophobic and racial slurs, doused him with an unknown chemical substance, and placed a noose around his neck. The news sent shockwaves throughout the country, with many high-profile figures expressing their support. But as the Chicago PD investigated the incident, several inconsistencies in Smollett’s story emerged. That was because it was all staged. Smollett was subsequently convicted of felony disorderly conduct for lying to the police, effectively derailing his career.

#2: Brian Williams

In 2003, while on assignment in Iraq, Brian Williams was traveling on a military Chinook helicopter when the chopper ahead was hit by RPG fire. Williams reported a story to this effect at the time, but as the years passed, the story morphed until he was no longer a mere witness, but a victim of the attack. Williams chalked up the mistelling as a “bungled” attempt to thank a vet involved in the incident... an explanation that seemingly overlooked his past re-imaginings of the event. The fallout was a six-month suspension from the “NBC Nightly News,” and a serious blow to his professional reputation.

#1: Lance Armstrong

Cancer survivor and Tour de France champion Lance Armstrong always maintained that his legacy was drug-free. But in 2012, after years of denying charges to the contrary, the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency determined that was a lie. By October of that year, Armstrong had forfeited prizes and awards dating back to 1998, he was stripped of all seven Tour de France titles, and he was banned for life from Olympic sports. The IOC would later delete Armstrong's Olympic results and take back his bronze medal. Additionally, he was forced out of the foundation that once carried his name, lost multiple sponsorships, and even saw the episodes of Arthur he appeared in be banned, all due to this one massive long-running lie.

Did you ever see these lies coming? Tell us in the comments section!