Top 5 celebrity legal scandals as Felicity Huffman pleads guilty in college scam

21 Savage

The arrest of Grammy-nominated rapper 21 Savage, who holds British citizenship, in February by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for allegedly staying in the States illegally after his 2005 visa expired sent shockwaves across the world.

While for many, his British roots became a revelation (and an inexhaustible source of memes), his lawyers confirmed that their client, whose real name is She'yaa Bin Abraham-Joseph, was born in the UK, but legally entered the US when he was seven years old.

At the time, fans speculated that he was targeted by ICE due to the song "A Lot", which included lyrics condemning the behaviour of immigration officers for their detention of children at the US-Mexico border; 21's legal team, however, could not confirm those rumours.

The rapper, who was released on bond several days later, still faces deportation and potentially a ban of at least 10 years against returning to the US, where his entire family, including three US citizen kids, lives.

Cristiano Ronaldo

Renowned footballer Cristiano Ronaldo found himself at the epicentre of a legal scandal in September 2018 after 34-year-old Kathryn Mayorga filed a lawsuit against the Portuguese forward, having accused him of raping her in a Las Vegas hotel in 2009.

The woman alleged that she met Ronaldo at a night club and they moved to his luxurious suite, where the footballer came on to her despite her protests and screams to stop.

The lawsuit claims that Mayorga was pressured into signing a non-disclosure agreement in 2010 after reaching an out-of-court settlement for $375,000.

Las Vegas authorities investigated her complaint in 2009, but ultimately backed off after the alleged victim failed to provide detectives with the location of the incident or suspect description. In September 2018, police reopened a criminal investigation into the case, following up on fresh information.

The footballer has consistently denied the rape allegations as "fake news", and said that despite his willingness to clear his name, he would not "feed the media spectacle created by people seeking to promote themselves at my expense".

Allison Mack

And last but not least: Allison Mack, the former star of the hit series "Smallville", was arrested in April 2018 on suspicion of being the second-in-command of NXIVM, a sex cult that preyed on vulnerable young women, trying to lure them into serving as "slaves" for male "masters".

Last month, Mack pleaded guilty to racketeering (including extortion and forced labour) as well as racketeering conspiracy and now faces up to 20 years in prison.

The Smallville alum, who is now under house arrest, is reportedly planning to testify against alleged NXIVM leader Keith Rainere, who was recently accused of possessing child pornography and having a relationship with a minor.