Why was Faizon Love arrested for contempt? Inside actor's legal history
The 'Elf' and 'Couple's Retreat' actor was previously ordered to turn himself in after failing to pay child support
Published June 18, 2026
Faizon Love has been put behind bars in what appears to be the latest development in a long-running child support dispute.
TMZ broke the news that The Elf actor was booked into Tampa's Orient Road Jail on Tuesday, June 16, on two counts of contempt of court. The outlet reported that the arrest is tied to an ongoing paternity case involving a woman named Tiffany Lee.
Earlier this year, Love told the court that he was unable to pay the $250,000 he owed in child support to Lee. Love claimed he had not earned any income over the previous 12 months and said his highest gross income during the last five years was just $13,000.
Court documents obtained by the outlet show Love previously argued that he was unable to pay the child support he allegedly owed. He claimed he had not earned any income over the last year and said his highest gross income during the last five years was just $13,000.
Love also defended missing an April hearing in the case, reportedly telling the court that he was dealing with a medical emergency at the time. Despite those arguments, the judge found him in contempt earlier this year and ordered him to surrender for a 90-day jail sentence by May.
The 58-year-old actor has faced legal troubles before, including a 2017 assault case in Ohio and a separate lawsuit filed in 2025 over an alleged altercation at a San Diego hotel.
Love is best known for playing the Gimbels manager in the 2003 holiday classic Elf alongside Will Ferrell. He has also appeared in Couple’s Retreat, Friday, The Meteor Man, Don't Be a Menace to South Central While Drinking Your Juice in the Hood, and 2023's The Last Stop in Yuma County.
