American actor Faizon Love, best known for his roles in Elf, Couples Retreat, and Mr Bones, has been released from jail after a child support dispute landed him behind bars.
The 58-year-old actor was freed on Friday, June 19, three days after he was booked into a jail in Tampa, Florida, on two counts of contempt of court. Records show he had earlier served a 16-day jail sentence in California before being transported to Florida.
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Love’s legal troubles stem from a reopened paternity case filed by Tiffany Lee, identified by several media outlets as his ex-partner. Lee claims the actor owes approximately $250,000 in unpaid child support and told the court he had failed to make court-ordered payments for years.
During a court hearing, Lee alleged that Love once told her she “wasn’t going to get a dime” and intended to stop working to avoid making the payments.
However, Love’s attorney, Glen Lansky, pushed back against the claims, arguing that his client has faced severe financial hardship.
“He was homeless. He lived in his car. That’s how the mighty have fallen,” the lawyer told the court.
Love also told the judge that he could not afford the court-ordered $2,500 monthly child support payments, saying his income had dropped drastically. Appearing in court in a wheelchair, he said he survives largely on annual royalty payments from Elf, which amount to about $10,000 a year.
Court documents cited by U.S. media indicate Love claimed his highest annual income in the past five years was $13,000, while his income for 2025 was listed as zero.
Lansky later clarified that the actor is no longer homeless and currently lives with a friend in California.
A judge has given Love until July 1 to submit financial records proving he is unable to meet the child support obligations. His attorney said he plans to file a petition seeking a modification of the support order and expressed confidence about the outcome of the case.
