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Posted 5/8/2026

Wide receiver Stephon Diggs had a productive season in his last year with the New England Patriots, leading the team with 85 receptions for 1000+ yards and helping them reach the Super Bowl. A former employee of his came forward, accusing him of felony strangulation and misdemeanor assault. Despite his recent acquittal on all charges, he remains a free agent, having been released by the Patriots at the height of the controversy. Diggs was earning almost 70 million dollars on a three-year contract. Diggs previously had endorsement deals with Jordan, ASICS, Saxx Underwear, CenturyLink, and DraftKings. Though no specific brand has been named, it has been reported that the case affected his business relationships, causing endorsement deals to dissolve. In addition, Diggs had to retain attorneys for his defense, which isn't cheap. He perhaps could have lost untold millions. 

In 1993, famed singer Michael Jackson settled child molestation allegations against him for 23 million dollars, 5 million of which went to the accuser's attorney. Michael Jackson adamantly denied the allegations, and the settlement was not an admission of guilt. Prosecutors presented their case to a grand jury, but Jackson was never indicted. Following an interview Michael Jackson granted to former British journalist Martin Bashir, the legendary singer found himself embattled with the same accusations, this time leading to his arrest in 2003. Jackson later made remarks about the video titled "Living with Michael Jackson," which his attorneys claimed "contains the clear innuendo that Mr. Jackson is guilty of inappropriate behavior with children," by saying...

"Today I feel more betrayed than perhaps ever before; that someone, who had got to know my children, my staff, and me, whom I let into my heart and told the truth, could then sacrifice the trust I placed in him and produce this terrible and unfair program."

Ultimately, Michael Jackson was acquitted, but the financial costs were substantial. Besides posting a 3 million dollar bond, he had to retain a legal team to represent him at trial. The late great entertainer's reputation was severely tarnished. Tabloids plastered his face on the cover of their publications, giving traction to the moniker bestowed upon him, calling him "Jacko," as in "Wacko Jacko." 

Rapper and businessman Shawn "Jay-Z" Carter fought back against claims leveled against him. He was accused of raping a woman in 2000 when she was 13 years old after the MTV Video Music Awards. The lawsuit was voluntarily dismissed with prejudice, meaning it cannot be refiled. In response, Jay-Z filed a defamation and malicious prosecution lawsuit against the woman and her attorney, Tony Buzbee, claiming the accusations were a fabricated "extortion" attempt that caused significant reputational and financial damage. According to amended court filings in early May 2025, Jay-Z claimed that the sexual assault allegations spearheaded by attorney Tony Buzbee cost him or his company, Roc Nation, a total of nearly $190 million to $200 million in lost income, loans, and credit opportunities. The lawsuit by Jay-Z was later dismissed.

Police have a difficult task distinguishing liars from actual victims. According to the Columbia Human Rights Law Review, "Inadequate police investigations, where police fail to take reasonable investigatory steps, are one of the leading causes of wrongful convictions." Sometimes law enforcement has tunnel vision, focusing on a preconceived theory of the crime, which causes them to overlook evidence inconsistent with that theory. If police fail to conduct an investigation accordingly, it could cost an innocent person their life. More often than not, it definitely takes a toll financially.