WWE Stars Who Spent Time In Jail

Dale "Brett" DiBiase spent three years under WWE contract, spending the majority of that time competing on the predecessor developmental brand to "NXT," Florida Championship Wrestling. A third generation wrestler, DiBiase is the son of "The Million Dollar Man" Ted DiBiase, the grandson of "Iron" Mike DiBiase, and brother to Ted DiBiase, Jr. and Mike DiBiase.

In 2009, after making appearances at SummerSlam and the subsequent episode of "Raw" as part of The Legacy's (which featured Ted, Jr., Randy Orton, and Cody Rhodes) ongoing storyline, DiBiase was sent back to FCW and did not reappear on WWE television.

After training as a referee briefly before deciding to retire later in 2011 due to knee injuries, DiBiase would fade from the limelight until recent years when he was indicted on various violations involving fraud and embezzlement in connection to a case involving the state of Mississippi's welfare funds. Ted, Sr. and Ted, Jr. were also charged, with Senior being made to pay back more than $720k in misused funds and Junior still facing several charges of conspiracy, wire fraud, money laundering, and more. Brett cut a deal with prosecutors, pleading guilty to a charge of making fraudulent statements about a welfare fund and paying a hefty fine, but has also since pled guilty to conspiracy to defraud the United States and awaits sentencing there, facing up to five years in prison.

A quick Google search for "Teddy Hart" yields no shortage of unfortunate incidents. A member of the famed Hart Family, Edward Annis became the youngest person ever signed by the then-World Wrestling Federation, inking a developmental deal at 18 to train with Dory Funk, Jr. at the Funking Conservatory. But that head start didn't last long, with Hart released before too long, allegedly due to attitude issues. He rejoined WWE on a developmental contract again, appearing for Ohio Valley Wrestling and then Florida Championship Wrestling before being released again in late 2006.

The laundry list of allegations, arrests, and legal troubles include sexual assault charges in 2014 in Canada that were later dropped; DUI, evading arrest, and auto theft in Texas in 2017, also eventually dropped; in 2020, there was a charge for possession of a schedule III controlled substance with the intent to sell or distribute in Virginia, an arrest for violating the house arrest condition of his bail (also in Virginia), as well as charges of strangulation resulting in bodily harm (again, in Virginia); and in Florida in 2023, there were charges of possession of MDMA, as well as possession of a controlled substance without a prescription.

An incident in which Hart was never implicated, however, probably drew the most public attention, thanks to the Peacock docuseries "Dangerous Breed: Crimes. Cons. Cats." Initially intended to be a reality story as Hart attempts to resurrect his career, filmmaker Frederick Kroetsch follows Teddy through his day-to-day routines, but the series takes a sharp turn when Hart's girlfriend, Samantha Fiddler, disappears. Fiddler has been missing since November of 2016 and her case has since gone cold.

For every redemption story, there are usually several falls from grace just around the corner. Enter: Tammy "Sunny" Sytch. Beginning her wrestling career in 1992, simply as an extra money gig alongside her boyfriend Chris Candido in Smoky Mountain Wrestling, Sytch caught the eye of the World Wrestling Federation and debuted in 1994 as Tamara Murphy, a live event news commentator. Soon after, she would accompany Candido, as Skip, to the ring, showcasing the Sunny persona for the first time, and Tom Prichard, as Zip, would join the two as The Bodydonnas.

Representing various wrestlers and tag teams over the years, Sunny would soar in popularity very quickly, even being named in 1996 as the most downloaded woman on AOL. After a hiatus during which she appeared with Candido in ECW on a handful of occasions, Sunny would return to the WWF in 1998 before rumors of backstage drama and drug abuse began to surface, leading to her release. Back with ECW under her real name, Sytch was used regularly before being arrested for violating a restraining order and leaving the company in 1999.

From 2000-on, Sytch would appear for WCW and various independent promotions and made sporadic appearances on WWE television culminating in a Hall of Fame induction in 2011. From there, things seemed to spiral for the former Sunny. Her latest arrest, on DUI manslaughter charges after a crash in Ormond Beach, Florida resulted in the death of a 75-year-old man, saw her enter a no contest plea, and Sytch is currently awaiting sentencing, facing up to 25 years in prison.

At one point, former "NXT" North American Champion Velveteen Dream looked like a sure bet to become a big-time star on "Raw" or "SmackDown," even going so far as to wear tights emblazoned with "Call me up, Vince!" in a match against EC3 at "NXT" TakeOver: Brooklyn 4 in 2018.

That call-up would never come, however, as Patrick Clark Jr. was accused on two occasions of sending inappropriate images to children in 2020. No charges were assessed from these allegations, nor did he face any official recourse from WWE. He went on to challenge Adam Cole for the "NXT" Championship before participating in various other storylines to close out the year. In 2021, Velveteen Dream was not seen on WWE TV and he was released in May.

Though rumors have come and gone regarding a possible return, it seems unlikely these days as Clark has found other trouble. In August of 2022, he was arrested and charged with first-degree battery and trespassing, and then again just days later for violating probation.

As a performer in the ring, Jimmy "Superfly" Snuka is one of the most popular wrestlers of all time, a WWE Hall of Famer, and a multiple-time champion across dozens of promotions in a career that spanned more than 40 years. Unfortunately, a cloud of uncertainty will always be associated with the late James Smith, stemming from an incident in 1983 that resulted in the death of his girlfriend, Nancy Argentino.

Snuka called for an ambulance mere hours after performing in Allentown, Pennsylvania, for the injured Argentino at their motel room. She was transported to Sacred Heart Medical Center where she died soon after arrival of craniocerebral injuries. A coroner's report determined that Argentino died of traumatic brain injuries which were consistent with a head striking a motionless object and her autopsy revealed several other injuries as potential signs of domestic abuse all over her body. Though the coroner informed the district attorney, Snuka was not charged at the time but the case was left open.

Fast forward 32 years and in 2015, Snuka was arrested and charged with third-degree murder and involuntary manslaughter, pleading not guilty. His attorneys argued that his physical and mental health were deteriorating at a rate where he should not be made to stand trial, having been diagnosed with stomach cancer earlier that year, while the opposition argued by showing video of Snuka wrestling as recently as six months prior. Ultimately, the charges were dismissed on January 3, 2017 with Snuka deemed mentally unfit. Jimmy Snuka died a little less than two weeks later.

To say that Scott Hall's career encompassed both the highest of highs and the lowest of lows would be an understatement. Battling alcoholism and substance abuse for most of it, it's amazing he was able to accomplish the things that he did. From the territories to the AWA, WCW, tours of Japan, WWE, and so much more, Hall's impact in the ring is legendary and as a primary force in the original nWo, his defection back to WCW bolstered business immeasurably as well.

Hall's brushes with the law began in 1983 when an altercation outside of a club in Orlando, Florida ended with a man dead. Hall was charged with second-degree murder, shooting a man with his own gun after wrestling it away from him. He claimed self-defense and the charges were dropped due to lack of evidence, but it is well-documented that the incident haunted Hall throughout his life.

Rather than run down the laundry list of the rest of his legal troubles, it's probably more important to stress the fact that all of them had everything to do with his drug and alcohol problems. Hall bounced back in a big way after getting sober with the help of Diamond Dallas Page in 2013 and was inducted twice into the WWE Hall of Fame; in 2014 as Razor Ramon, and as part of the class of 2020 with the nWo. Hall died in March of 2022 and amid all of his career successes and personal struggles, "The Bad Guy" may best be remembered for the end of the speech he gave during his first Hall of Fame induction where he said, "Hard work pays off. Dreams come true. Bad times don't last. But bad guys do."

In another tale of redemption, Booker T overcame the death of both of his parents as a teenager and then a 19-month stint in jail for armed robbery thereafter. His autobiography is titled, "Booker T: From Prison to Promise" and with two WWE Hall of Fame rings, one on his own and one with Harlem Heat along with his brother Stevie Ray, a more apropos title would be tough to nail down.

In 2017, Booker T, whose full name is Robert Booker Tio Huffman, told ESPN that his first Hall of Fame induction was the greatest moment in his career.

"Getting the ring, the Hall of Fame ring, going to the trenches," said Huffman. "You know, we are like soldiers, we are bruised, battered, and torn. ... For me, going to the trenches, WCW, WWE, seeing it all, now being able to give back, you know, becoming a Hall of Famer, thanking the fans for this long ride as well as my wife, for being a big, big part of it. I think that's been my biggest and better achievement."

You would be hard-pressed to find a professional wrestler more commonly known to the layperson than "Stone Cold" Steve Austin. As the story goes, Austin's run as the antihero opposing the evil boss in Mr. McMahon was something that every Average Joe and Jane could relate to and his rise to superstardom remains the face of The Attitude Era to this day.

But Austin, too, has had some issues with the law. Married in 2000 to former wrestling manager Debra Marshall, the couple had enough of a dispute two years later in their Texas home for the police to be called and enough evidence once they arrived for Austin to be charged with misdemeanor assault. Ultimately, Austin pled no contest and was given a year of probation, a fine, and community service. The couple filed for divorce roughly a month after the incident and that was made final early the next year. Marshall never again appeared on WWE TV, but Austin has remained an iconic figure, with sporadic appearances, hosting "The Broken Skull Sessions," and most notably, appearing on both nights of WrestleMania 38, defeating Kevin Owens in a No Holds Barred match on Night One and stunning Austin Theory, Vince McMahon, and Pat McAfee on Night Two to the delight of the crowd.