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Jonathan West

Crimes With Famous Victims

Crimes occur everywhere, though the numbers in some countries may be less than others. The FBI reported that in 2018 alone 1,206,836 violent crimes occurred over the course of the year. Amongst all the crimes that have happened to people throughout history, celebrities have been no exception.


Back in 2016, the well-known model Kim Kardashian traveled to France for Paris fashion week. In the middle of Kardashian’s trip, the hotel's receptionist unlocked her room at the urging of several assailants. USA Today states that, “she was tied up at gunpoint and locked in a bathroom” with the receptionist while the armed robber stole approximately $10 million worth of her jewelry. Around November 2021, police arrested 12 men in connection with the heist, though some have been released.

On Valentine’s Day of 2020, the former One Direction vocalist Harry Styles headed home after visiting a friend. A group of men approached Styles and whatever cash he had on him and to unlock his phone. In an interview with Howard Stern on SiriusXM detailed by CNN, Styles refused to give up his phone because he didn’t want to, “have to wipe his phone, lose all his pictures, videos, and contacts, along with new lyrics he records daily in his voice memos.” In order to elude the muggers, Styles ran out into the road when he saw headlights. The presence of other people on the scene deterred the attackers from pursuing Styles further. No one has been arrested for the offense.


Even famous people cannot escape the cruelties of the real world. Photo by Abi Burt

The American Idol judge of eight seasons Paula Abdul faced an obsessed fan in 2005 when they auditioned for the fourth season of the show. The fan, who legally changed their name to Paula Goodspeed, gave a lackluster performance for the judges. That should have been the end of the story. However, three years later Goodspeed committed suicide down the street from Abdul’s house. According to an article written at the time by ABC News, “police were apparently familiar with Goodspeed, who may have been stalking Abdul.”

Many other celebrities have been the victims of crimes. Even a small list like this shows that famous figures, despite their exaggerated monetary status, cannot escape the darker facets of other people.


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