50 Cent ordered by bankruptcy judge to explain cash pics on Instagram


Last week we heard that 50 Cent, who filed for bankruptcy last July, was using the unique and bullsh*t sounding legal strategy of comparing the court’s repayment plan to slavery and claiming that it violated the 13th amendment. 50 owes millions after losing civil suits against Lastonia Leviston, a woman whose sex tape he published in order to get back at her ex, Rick Ross, and his ex business partner, who accused him of stealing the design for his SMS by 50 headphones.

50 has a long history of posting photos of himself with stacks of cash on social media. He’s been doing it for years and he’s continued to do it following his bankruptcy. In fact his recent pics have had kind of a mocking tone. So Leviston and other creditors alerted the judge to 50’s many Instagram posts featuring tens to hundreds of thousands in cash. He’s also been posting photos of gigs for which he hasn’t disclosed his income to the court, and bragging of homes which he hasn’t listed as assets either. The judge ordered 50 to appear and offer an explanation:

A bankruptcy judge ordered rapper 50 Cent to come to her courtroom and explain several pictures posted on social media websites that show him playing with stacks of cash.

Judge Ann Nevins told the 40-year-old entertainer’s lawyer that his Instagram photos are raising questions about whether he is being truthful about his financial situation.

“I’m concerned about allegations of nondisclosure and a lack of transparency in the case,” Judge Nevins said at a hearing Thursday in Hartford, Conn., on Thursday. “There’s a purpose of having a bankruptcy process be transparent, and part of that purpose is to inspire confidence in the process.” She added that bankruptcy is a place where “honest, but unfortunate” people can get a fresh start.

Earlier court papers put a spotlight on three pictures of 50 Cent, whose real name is Curtis James Jackson III, with bundles of cash. One picture showed cash piles in his fridge.

And another showed him cuddling with them in bed. He also bragged on Instagram about buying a home in Africa.

The photos were flagged by Lastonia Leviston, who won $7 million in a sex-tape dispute but hasn’t been able to collect that money since Mr. Jackson filed for bankruptcy last summer. Two other groups—Mr. Jackson’s mortgage lender and a partner in a failed headphone deal owed roughly $18 million—joined her in a fight to have an outside financial professional manage his money until he pay off the $30 million he owes creditors.

Mr. Jackson’s lawyer wasn’t immediately available to respond to Judge Nevins’s order. The date of the hearing Mr. Jackson is required to attend hasn’t yet been set.

In response to the social media posts, Mr. Jackson’s lawyers said the photos were included in court filings to “disingenuously smear” him.

“By including pictures from [Mr. Jackson’s] social media accounts and implying that [he] is hiding assets…the [three creditors] intentionally ignore that [Mr. Jackson] is in the entertainment and promotion business and must maintain his brand and image (or those of the products he is promoting),” his lawyers said in documents filed in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Hartford, Conn.

A lawyer for headphone investor group said Thursday he was still suspicious of Mr. Jackson’s financial reporting, which calls for him to disclose all of the money he earned during the case. He said that Mr. Jackson has made TV appearances and performed at concerts but didn’t say how much he was paid in fees.

Mr. Jackson’s lawyer, James Berman, disputed that at Thursday’s hearing.

“All his income was reported,” he told Judge Nevins.

[Wall St. Journal via NY Daily News]

Also on 50’s Instagram are pictures of his Porsche, Ferrari, motorcycle, various huge gold chains and medallions and literal buckets of cash. (Plus he’s still fighting with Meek Mill and various other people.) I’m always baffled by these bankruptcy cases in which people are allowed to keep massive assets without selling them off to settle debts. This isn’t just stupidity this is arrogance to a massive degree. Plus it makes him seem like he’s dealing in cash in order to bilk his creditors and the IRS.

Gotta keep a cool little $tash and some Effen Vodka Happy Holidays. #EFFENVODKA #FRIGO #SMSAUDIO

A photo posted by 50 Cent (@50cent) on

This is from before he filed for bankruptcy, but that’s a couple million in cash, right? Is it Photoshopped to look like more? I hope so.

Still got a little Pocket money #FRIGO 😳 LMAO

A photo posted by 50 Cent (@50cent) on

This is from almost two years ago but holy sh*t how much cash is that? Is all the interior cash fake?

Pass the guac! Were going to have snacks and watch POWER. LMAO #smsaudio #animalambition #power

A photo posted by 50 Cent (@50cent) on

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65 Responses to “50 Cent ordered by bankruptcy judge to explain cash pics on Instagram”

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  1. Freebunny says:

    He is disgusting.

  2. Alex says:

    Yea he’s probably hiding cash. There’s no way he magically is bragging about jobs and houses he’s buying that are mysteriously missing from reports. And that’s the easy part to track. Flaunting cash online is just dumb af and he’s bragged about using bankruptcy to dodge paying bills as well.

    Hope they nail him…this is exactly how celebs get themselves thrown in jail.

    • Santia says:

      Sadly, they won’t. His attorneys will argue that it’s fake money (or, at the least, that no one can prove it’s REAL money). He’s smart; notice how he promotes his show “Power” in each of the shots? This is exactly like a scene from “Power” and that’s what he’ll say, that’s they’re props to promote his show in order to make money to pay of his creditors. I believe he’s made an argument like that before – that he has to keep up appearances in order to make money.

      • Alex says:

        if they find he bought cars, houses and did jobs without claiming them they will nail him. That’s exactly how they got the Giudices

      • lucy2 says:

        I didn’t realize he was actually on that show. So he’s got a steady income from that, I’m assuming? Time to garnish those wages, court!

      • Santia says:

        Lucy2 – I think he’s also a producer and/or co-creator of the show. We all know he has money; he’s claiming his expenses and debts are more than he makes. It’s obvious he thinks the whole bankruptcy thing is a joke.

  3. NewWester says:

    I would like to see a reality show where celebrities who can’t manage their money(Theresa from RHWONJ,Kanye West, 50 Cent, Tori Spelling etc) are put on a budget and get a regular job for a month. That would be some entertaining tv

    • LAK says:

      Correction: Tori, Kanye, 50cent earned or inherited their money.

      Teresa and her husband from RHONJ STOLE their money. She and all her family keep calling it something else, but the unvarnished truth is that they stole their money. By falsifying bank documents and or refusing to pay for services rendered by various businesses. On top of which they couldn’t/wouldn’t pay taxes. A completely different endeavour from 50cent or Tori or Kanye’s money issues.

    • Kate says:

      I would watch every second of that!

    • Decorative Item says:

      I’d just love to see the Kardashians forced to get their makeup at the grocery store.

  4. InvaderTak says:

    Good for the judge.

  5. Eleonor says:

    And then we will discover he “forgot” to pay taxes….

  6. Breakfast Margaritas says:

    LOL @ this guy! The Iron Bank of Braavos will have its due! Fifty isn’t too intelligent it seems.

  7. Lucy2 says:

    His lawyers argument is that he has to keep cash around for his image? Because he’s in the entertainment industry? NO. Pay your debt!
    Social media takes down another celebrity, lol.

  8. CharlotteCharlotte says:

    A friend of mine met him several years ago. She had met many an unsavoury character in her profession, but she said that no one had made her feel as threatened as he did. Not from anything he said or actively did; just his general presence was so uncomfortable.

  9. SloaneY says:

    Hahahahahahahahahahaha! Why are you digging into my relevant social media? Wah! What a dumb @$$.

    • holly hobby says:

      Believe it or not a lot of creditors look into debtor’s social media to find out what they are doing. One time I was observing a 341 creditor meeting and the creditor got up and started questioned the debtor about their meal at an expensive restaurant. The debtor was stupid enough to post pics of what they ate. Yes so it’s fair game.

  10. Nikki says:

    He’s icky. And not too smart, right? And look at so many of the people who are getting media attention today: the lowest common denominator. Ugh.

  11. RuddyZooKeeper says:

    Those bills better say ” For Motion Picture Use Only.” How is he getting away with this?

  12. Crumpet says:

    What an idiot.

  13. lila fowler says:

    He is so dumb. Like, double-digit IQ dumb.

  14. chaine says:

    i follow 50 on instagram just to see the ridiculous pix like this that he posts. i’ve been kind of wondering if the bankruptcy court was going to take notice at some point.

  15. Who ARE these people? says:

    So EFFEN stupid.

  16. Naya says:

    Lmao at his lawyer. They are “smearing” him by pointing out his lifestyle and his mockery of the process to the court?

  17. The Eternal Side-Eye says:

    He’s a gross human being.

  18. Nameless says:

    The sex tape thing is awful, what a scumbag. Either he is lying about his assets on instagram, which is pathetic, or he’s lying to the court.

    What are the court’s options? I remember when a court ordered michael Vick to pay for the care of the pit bulls he abused, he refused and went luxury item shopping instead, the court threatened to seize his assets. If 50’s name isn’t on any of his alleged assets and his lawyers argue he’s just trolling, what can the court do?

  19. Cc says:

    Ugh, disgusting.

  20. kri says:

    Let’s just all take a moment to observe true class and sheer genius…just not in this article. My god, what a nitwit. And I hope he ends up having to get a job in the real world. What a douche.

  21. Lambda says:

    Dude’s dumb. And,by what’s in his fridge, he has a terrible diet.

  22. JenniferJustice says:

    “By including pictures from [Mr. Jackson’s] social media accounts and implying that [he] is hiding assets…the [three creditors] intentionally ignore that [Mr. Jackson] is in the entertainment and promotion business and must maintain his brand and image (or those of the products he is promoting),”

    That is the biggest load of crap I’ve ever heard! No, it is not mandatory that entertainers brag up their lifestyle and maintain it in order ot promote their brand. Not every succesful entertainer does that. And yes, the only reason anybody would keep this much cash in their home(s) is an attempt to avoid the IRS having knowledge of your actual worth and not be able to get to it. He isn’t smart or slick. He’s been living beyond his means for decades and now he’s facing the consequences. I suspect he only filed for bankruptcy as a means of refusal to pay Leviston what the court ordered. Again, he’s obvious and a bit dim.

  23. Decorative Item says:

    He’s every bit as revolting and stupid as I thought he was.

  24. Decorative Item says:

    If I had that kind of cash you wouldn’t see individually wrapped Kraft cheese chemical slices within a 100 mile radius of my home.

    • Lady D says:

      I’ve been calling them plastic cheese for years. Ditto white chemical foam in a can masquerading as whipped cream.

      • hunter says:

        Hey I call them plastic cheese too!! Except I eat them too (not often). 🙂

        Yumm, plastic cheeeeeese. 🙂

  25. Snowflake says:

    *sigh* I still find him sexy ♥

  26. Another Anna says:

    I’m no expert in bankruptcy law, but I wish there was a way for the court to hold Ms. Leviston’s debt out from the bankruptcy. Don’t get me wrong, using bankruptcy court to get out of your business debts is just as sucky if you have as much money as he appears to, but to use it to avoid paying a someone (and particularly a woman, in the case) for releasing a sex tape which that person didn’t consent to having released? That’s messed up on a whole new level.

    His business creditors should hire forensic accountants, his accounts should be frozen, and once a final accounting has been done, his money should be held in trust since clearly he can’t be trusted to manage it properly. But he should not get out of paying his debts.

  27. Pants says:

    He was on WWHL I believe last year, and Andy Cohen asked him how much money he had in his pocket and he literally pulled out $10 grand. Just walking around with that kind of money in his pocket. I call BS on that bankruptcy.

  28. Moxie Remon says:

    Seems like he and Kanye have a lot more in common than we thought.

  29. Josefina says:

    50 Cent is still a thing, or was I warped to 2006 without my consent?

  30. jasmine says:

    The title of this article should have been,’ 50’s a Dum A**.’ I used to be a fan..but he turned out to be such a dirt bag…

  31. prissa says:

    The ignorance is so thick with this one it’s palpable.

  32. themummy says:

    The size of the bills looks off, like too large to be real. I bet it’s all a bunch of fake cash.

  33. Amanda G says:

    What a moron. I hope they throw the book at this guy. He is thumbing his nose at the court and the female victim of the sex tape.

  34. Alexis says:

    I’ve never believed for a moment that he’s really bankrupt. The story didn’t add up. I think he heard that rich people can “go bankrupt” and stay rich, so he decided to ham-handedly try it himself. Trouble is, that kind of stuff rarely works for rappers and the like, fair or not.

  35. Nori says:

    He’s not just asking for it from a bankruptcy court; he’s asking for it from armed robbers. Bizarre. He’s just so boss.

  36. kanyekardashian says:

    He’s truly a sociopath. The rules don’t apply to him and he flaunts his arrogance. Ted Bundy did the same thing. You don’t have to kill people to be a sociopath, but this guy certainly enjoys ruining people’s lives, such as with the woman with the sex tape. Sociopaths hardly ever get away with what they’re doing, their arrogance always does them in.

  37. What's inside says:

    Stupid is as stupid does…..I feel the IRS are observing like a buzzard on a limb checking out the next meal.

  38. Abbess Tansy says:

    I hope this revolting POS gets taken for every 50 cents he owns.

  39. fizzle says:

    Whenever I’m in need of a chuckle, I read that one comment from Rick Ross about how much of a failure 50 ended up.