Faizon Love, the acclaimed actor-comedian renowned for his role in ‘Elf,’ has been released from prison. Following his arrest on two counts of contempt of court in Florida’s Hillsborough County, the 58-year-old was booked in Tampa. During his court appearance, the actor confessed to his struggles with homelessness and poverty. Here’s a closer look at Faizon Love’s arrest and release.
Faizon Love’s unpaid child support dues to his ex-partner
Initially, Faizon Love was detained in California, where he served a 16-day sentence before transferring to Florida, according to Complex. The ‘Money Talks’ actor was apprehended after his rumoured ex, Tiffany Lee, disclosed his USD 250,000 in unpaid child support on June 11 during a declaration of paternity case. Mentioning Love did not adhere to court-ordered payments, Lee reportedly recalled him claiming that she “wasn’t going to get a dime.” Additionally, she highlighted his intentions of never working again to avoid the aforementioned payments.
Faizon Love relies on royalty checks
As for Love, he stated that Lee and her attorney are framing him as the complete villain in the situation, according to Fox 13. He specified that his income was too low to continue with USD 2,500 per month as child support. Facing homelessness and poverty, the ‘Couples Retreat’ actor reportedly relies on the annual ‘Elf’ royalty checks of around USD 10,000 to survive each year. “He was homeless. He lived in his car,” Love’s attorney said during the hearing, per the outlet, before adding, “That’s how the mighty have fallen.” According to TMZ, Love’s highest annual gross income in the last five years was USD 13,000, and his total income in 2025 was zero dollars. Meanwhile, the judge set July 1, 2026, as the date for Faizon Love to reveal his financial statements to determine his ability to pay the child support.