“Elf” star Faison Love has been arrested on charges related to his child support case, claiming he is unable to pay $250,000 due to financial hardship.
The beloved actor, who was in custody on an outstanding warrant, was taken to the Orient Road Jail in Tampa, Florida on June 18, 2026, where he is being held without bail.
He claimed he had only earned $13,000 over the past five years and was unable to pay child support because he was bankrupt.
However, Love is no stranger to legal troubles, having been arrested and sued for assault in the past.
The “Friday” star’s run-ins with the law, which began in 2017, came after he became a popular comedian with more than 90 acting credits since the 1990s.
Page Six deconstructs Love’s career leading up to the legal battle.
rise to stardom
Love’s decades-long career in the entertainment industry began when he appeared as a comedian on the television series “LA Friday” from 1988 to 1990.
In the early 1990s, he appeared in several films, including the role of Big Worm in the 1995 F. Gary Gray film Friday, starring Ice Cube and Chris Tucker.
The actor also had a regular role on the television series ‘The Parent’ Hood’ as Wendell Wilcox from 1995 to 1998.
big break
One of Love’s most beloved roles was as the overworked Gimbel store manager in the 2003 film “Elf,” starring Will Ferrell and Zoe Deschanel.
In Jon Favreau’s Christmas movie, he works with Ferrell and Deschanel’s characters Buddy and Joby to run a department store in disarray during the holiday season.
Additionally, Love played the role of Shane in the 2009 film Couples Retreat.
Other film and show credits include “That’s So Raven,” “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia,” “Zoo Keeper” where he played Bruce the Bear, and “Step Up: High Water.”
Love’s last role was as Vernon in the 2023 film “Last Stop in Yuma County.”
2017 assault arrest
Love was arrested on March 7, 2017, on suspicion of assaulting an employee at John Glenn Columbus International Airport.
According to 10WBNS, authorities say the man got into an argument with a 24-year-old employee at baggage claim, then grabbed her by the neck and pushed her to the floor several times.
At the time, the “Prince of Detroit” star’s attorney explained that there was a disagreement over the actor’s payment for parking after Love left his car at an airport in Ohio for several months while traveling.
Love pleaded no contest and was sentenced to a $500 fine and 180 days in jail.
2024 raid
In 2024, Love was accused of assaulting an employee at the San Diego Sheraton Hotel after learning there were no more rooms available.
The complaint, obtained by Entertainment Weekly, said Love became “agitated and aggressive” and “forcibly ripped the credit card reader off the counter and threw it at the female employee.”
The employee claimed Love broke his glasses and “suffered pain, injury and emotional distress, including a concussion and a visible bump behind his right ear.”
The San Diego Police Department responded to the scene and said Love committed battery, according to the filing.
Arrested in 2026
Love was arrested again on June 16, 2026, for allegedly violating a Florida court order.
According to TMZ, the “Bulletproof 2” star’s arrest is reportedly related to a paternity lawsuit with a woman named Tiffany Lee who claimed he owed her $250,000 in unpaid child support.
He claimed in court documents that he did not have the funds to pay Mr. Lee, claiming he had only earned $13,000 in the past five years and had no income in the past year.
Love did not attend a court hearing in her child support case in April 2026, claiming she had a medical emergency. He was then ordered to turn himself in to serve his 90-day sentence.
He appeared in court on June 19, 2026, wearing a red jumpsuit and using a wheelchair.
