Celebrities often take home a lot of money that other people can only dream of. But somehow many of them also lose their fortune. Some of them are lucky and managed to get on top of their debt, but for others, they are trapped just like everyday people in a grind. Here is a list of seven top celebrities who lost their fortunes.
1) Michael Jackson was in deep debt when he died
Michael Jackson made millions during his musical career. Best Life Online noted that he amassed a fortune and was a millionaire. Problem was, he spent money like he was actually a"billionaire." When he died in 2009, he was $300 million in debt.
It's hard to get your head around owing anyone that kind of money.
I know it wasn‘t on purpose but Michael Jackson singing with his microphone being off is everything.
— sabby (@whoisitbad) August 5, 2018
Such a powerful voice. pic.twitter.com/XTgVfthbdO
2) Chris Tucker, the comedian who stopped laughing briefly
Chris Tucker probably didn't laugh a lot when he lost his money. He's best known as a stand-up comedian and acted in several movies, including the "Rush Hour" series. According to Direct Expose, he was popular on the Def Comedy Jam, a show that ran in the 1990s. But he caught the attention of the IRS when he got a huge paycheck for "Rush Hour 3." He took home $25 million, but due to bad accounting, he ended up owing $14 million in taxes.
However, he sold some of his mansions and still does gigs.
Award-winning actor and comedian Chris Tucker coming to SA | @Channel24 https://t.co/ZoOHjsrIqa pic.twitter.com/rDt4mwFpeI
— News24 (@News24) July 31, 2018
3) Mike Tyson
Mike Tyson made his money as a boxer and was eventually worth hundreds of millions of dollars. Almost unbelievably, he managed to go broke and had to file for bankruptcy.
By 2003 he had nothing left of his 300 million dollars. He spent it all on an extremely lavish lifestyle. He owned mansions and expensive cars and loved flamboyant jewelry.
Robert Downey Jr. & Mike Tyson, 80s pic.twitter.com/4eCBkUptPz
— Movie Graf (@MovieGrafTR) August 3, 2018
4) Nicholas Cage
Nicholas Cage went bankrupt after his money problems began in 2009.
He was a multi-millionaire from his acting in movies like "Moonstruck." He owned huge houses, lots of flashy cars and even purchased a dinosaur skull for a quarter million dollars. Basically, he spent as fast as he earned and his extravagant lifestyle was sure to end in tears and regret. But he seems to be getting back on his feet now.
NICOLAS CAGE BANKRUPT - Best known for his roles in movies such as "Leaving Las Vegas," Nicolas Cage was once a top earner in Hollywood, worth $150 million. But he blew is money on a private island (shown below), a dinosaur skull and much more! pic.twitter.com/huIzPXQsZF
— John Hoy (@Mike1951Mike) May 11, 2018
5) Sly Stone
Sly Stone was the frontman of Sly and the Family Stone, but he was cheated out of his money.
It got so bad that he ended up sleeping in his van. According to The Source, he was forced to sign contracts that he didn't understand and he lost millions. Eventually, he was granted $5 million in damage. The Source noted that Stone had not received any royalty payments between 1989 and 2009." At 71-years-old, he had been "living in an RV and was barely surviving. He couldn’t be more deserving of the settlement. After all, the San Francisco native is responsible for hits such as “Everyday People,” “Dance To The Music,” and “Family Affair.”'
Record store day, and Sly Stone was a badass. pic.twitter.com/h3MVmJ2WhT
— Curtis Powell (@dribbledfiddler) August 7, 2018
6) Shane Filan
Singer Shane had to file for bankruptcy in 2012 according to MSN.
He was with boy band Westlife. But it was not all about crazy lifestyles and extravagance. There was a problem with a recession in Ireland and he, along with many people lost a lot of their investments. Shane Filan did not stay down for too long though. He continued to bring out new albums and songs, including "You and Me," "Right Here" and "Love Always." However, his wife is now facing similar bankruptcy problems.
Shane Filan's wife declared bankrupt - six years after Westlife star's own financial collapsehttps://t.co/Ue9wfKXiNb pic.twitter.com/xWvWIBm12t
— Mirror Celeb (@MirrorCeleb) August 4, 2018
7) Lena Headey
Lena Headey is probably best known for being in the popular franchise series, "Game of Thrones." In 2013 she told TMZ she was so broke she had "$5" in her bank account.
At that time, she was waiting for a tax refund so she could buy some basic necessities. She had made a loss on the sale of a house. She paid $1.8 million for a house but made a loss on the sale, getting only 1.4 back for it. There was a problem with a divorce that got nasty and money was frozen until the dispute was settled. But TMZ said her ex claimed she was earning around $1 million an episode, which sounded a bit steep. Was she that broke? Nobody really knows for sure.
The fictional actress who plays Cersei, Lady Crane, has dark hair but wears a blonde wig when portraying her character. The real life actress who plays Cersei, Lena Headey, also has dark hair but wears a blonde wig when portraying her character pic.twitter.com/bTrGXKj8Nx
— Game of Thrones Facts (@thronesfacts) August 6, 2018