Actor and singer Tyrese Gibson, best known for his role in the “Fast & Furious” franchise, has been ordered to jail by a Georgia judge for failing to make significant child support payments. The ruling was handed down on Monday by Fulton County Superior Court Judge Kevin M. Farmer, who found Gibson in contempt of court for owing more than $73,000 in overdue child support.
According to court documents reviewed by NBC News, Judge Farmer’s order stated that Gibson, 45, must be incarcerated until he either makes a payment of the required amount or the court issues further orders. Gibson’s outstanding balance totals $73,525.73.
While Gibson’s legal representatives have yet to comment publicly on the case, the actor did take to social media to acknowledge the situation. In an Instagram post, he expressed the emotional toll of his legal troubles, writing, “Getting arrested wasn’t easy… As a matter of fact, it was very traumatic.” He went on to question why the judge and his ex-wife’s attorney seemingly had animosity toward him.
The child support dispute stems from Gibson’s divorce from Samantha Lee Gibson, who filed for divorce in 2020. The couple shares a daughter born in 2018. As part of the legal settlement, Gibson was ordered to pay $10,690 per month in child support. However, court records show he has been legally challenging the amount, stating it is similar to what he pays for another child from a separate relationship.
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Despite his appeals, Gibson has repeatedly failed to meet the full payments. Samantha Gibson’s attorney, Adam Gleklen, revealed that Tyrese has been in willful contempt of the court order three times, having only made full payments on three occasions in the past 20 months. Gleklen emphasized that his client did not wish for Tyrese to be jailed but felt the court had no choice given his continued noncompliance.
“Mr. Gibson has chosen not to abide by the court’s child support order, and he was held in willful contempt now for the third time,” Gleklen stated. “He only paid full child support three times in 20 months.”
As soon as Judge Farmer issued the ruling to jail Gibson, his legal team filed an appeal, though it remains unclear whether Gibson was officially taken into custody. As of Tuesday, his name did not appear in the Fulton County Jail’s inmate database, and attempts to reach jail officials were unsuccessful.
This legal saga continues to unfold as Gibson grapples with both the financial and emotional challenges of his child support obligations. Whether his appeal will provide relief or further complicate the situation is yet to be seen.
