Justin Bieber’s Childish Prank Cost Him $80K
Justin Bieber was a huge music star at a young age. Growing up is often hard; growing up with all the money and fame you could hope for can be even harder. For a while, Bieber seemed to lose his way.
He went from being a clean-cut teen star to someone who was constantly in trouble with the law. And one immature prank cost him big.
Justin Bieber’s quick rise to fame
According to Biography, Bieber was young when he began his ascent to the top in a very Millennial way. YouTube clips of his singing went viral, drawing attention from new fans and music executives alike. He was discovered at age 13, and his first album, My World, was released when he was only 15. That album went platinum in several countries, and Bieber was on his way.
His music career was meteoric, with hordes of wildly enthusiastic teen fans. He broke several records, such as being the youngest artist to have seven albums make it to number one on the Billboard Hot 200.
Af course, as is often the case with people who found fame at a young age, Bieber has weathered his share of struggle and scandal. For a while, his bad behavior made many more headlines than his musical talent.
Wild days landed him in trouble
The BBC reports that Bieber wrote about his struggles in an emotional Instagram post. He explained that he was immature, and he got too much, too soon.
“I went from a 13-year-old boy from a small town to being praised left and right by the world, with millions saying how much they loved me and how great I was,” he wrote. “I made every bad decision you could have thought of and went from one of the most loved and adored people in the world to the most ridiculed, judged and hated person in the world.”
By the time he was 19 years old, he was using drugs, and his life had become chaotic. In 2014, he was arrested several times for such things as vandalism and driving under the influence.
Things looked pretty bad for the young star, but fortunately, he was able to turn his life around with the support of people who love him.
But although he turned his life around, he still had to deal with the damage he caused. It took a lot of work to rebuild the relationships he damaged, but that wasn’t the only price he paid. One of his escapades cost him a pretty penny too.
Justin Bieber owed $80K for one prank
The LA Times reports that in 2014, during Bieber’s wildest days, he and several friends decided to egg his neighbor’s home. This classic prank is a favorite of teens everywhere, but most kids aren’t targeting a multi-million dollar mansion. The damage rang up at a hefty $20,000.
The homeowner, who had accused Bieber of also spitting at him, was happy to press charges.
Because the damage was so expensive, Bieber could have faced felony charges. To avoid that, he pleaded no contest to criminal misdemeanor vandalism. In the end, he was ordered to pay the homeowner $80,900 in restitution and to take anger management classes.
He fulfilled those requirements, and he then went on to sell his house to Khloe Kardashian. It seemed that he was ready to move on, in more ways than one.
In the years since those wild days, Bieber has put his life back together, refreshed his career, and gotten married.
Though not everyone loves him, the future looks bright for the singer, and hopefully, his egg-throwing days are behind him.
