Tyrese Gibson was arrested on Monday in Georgia after the court found him in contempt for not making child support payments. The actor, known for his role in the “Fast and the Furious” franchise, was taken into custody by Fulton County Superior Court Judge Kevin M. Farmer, who ordered him to pay over $73,500 to his ex-wife, Samantha Lee, following their divorce in 2020.
The court determined that Gibson was in “willful contempt” for failing to provide child support for their 5-year-old daughter, Soraya. He also has a 17-year-old daughter, Shayla, from a previous relationship. This ruling occurred during Lee’s third contempt motion hearing. The judge mandated that Gibson remain detained until the payment was made.
Gibson’s legal team has filed a notice to appeal the ruling. Representatives for the actor did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Following the contempt ruling, TMZ reported that a bailiff escorted Gibson out of the courtroom in handcuffs. He was later released after failing to pay the $10,000 monthly child support amount that was mandated by the court.
His attorney, Tanya Mitchell Graham, filed an appeal which allowed Gibson to be released without needing to pay back child support at that moment. A similar appeal was filed in April 2023 during their contentious divorce negotiations, when child support was first ordered.
On his Instagram Stories, Gibson described his arrest as traumatic and questioned the judge’s motives. In additional posts, he targeted his ex-wife’s attorney, calling the experience difficult.
Gibson also shared links to appeal documents, where he expressed that the child support demand was excessive and punitive. The documents, although unclear if filed in court, outlined several arguments supporting his appeal.
Gibson’s attorneys argued that an arbitrator had validated their premarital agreement but had invalidated a section regarding attorney fees, which Lee is requesting. They claimed that Gibson has been providing significant financial support for Soraya since her birth and asserted that requiring retroactive payments could discourage others in similar situations.
They further asserted that Gibson’s support to Lee was akin to spousal support, enabling her to purchase a home and cover half of their child’s tuition. The defense criticized the court for penalizing Gibson for his voluntary support rather than acknowledging his efforts as a responsible parent.
Gibson did not respond immediately to requests for further comments. On Sunday, he criticized his ex-wife’s legal actions as “goofy” and claimed his innocence, citing their prenup as having covered all aspects of their divorce. He had also shared thoughts on fatherhood in various posts leading up to his arrest.