Justin Bieber and His Biggest Scandals: A Timeline
Justin Bieber may be one of the best selling musicians in the world today, but that hasn’t come without a price. From the mere age of 15, he has had to deal with unprecedented hate, scrutiny and judgement on a global scale. And while he is celebrated for his work, he is equally known for some of his infamous scandals.
His behaviour in the public eye has often made him the target of mass scrutiny. From petitions to have him deported, to chart manipulation accusations and his first arrest in 2014, Justin Bieber has seen it all. And though he’s been living a “life of redemption” for the past few years, controversy has followed him right through. Here is a timeline of some of his biggest scandals through the years.
1. At the young age of 17, back in 2011, Justin Bieber took a public paternity test to dispel rumours that he was the father of a three month old baby. Mariah Yeater, 20, accused Bieber of fathering a child and filed a case against him. The paternity test was negative.
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2. In 2013, Justin Bieber was photographed in the background of a selfie taken by a prostitute. He was also photographed sneaking out of a brothel in Brazil.
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3. In July, 2014, Justin Bieber was charged with one count of misdemeanor for egging his neighbour’s house, and causing $80,900 dollars in damages.
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4. In January, 2014, Bieber and his friend Khalil were arrested for a DUI, resisting arrest and driving without a valid license. His toxicology report revealed traces of marijuana and anti-anxiety medication.
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5. On September 1st, 2014, Justin was arrested once again on charges of reckless driving and assault. The incident occurred in his hometown of Stratford, Ontario.
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6. Following his arrest in 2014, more than 270,000 American citizens signed a petition to the White House. The petition moved to have Justin Bieber deported from America back to Canada. The petition was dismissed.
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7. In 2014, Justin’s deposition was published online by TMZ. The video is entirely reflective of his state of mind during the year.
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8. In 2017, Justin Bieber was banned from performing in China. The Chinese Government cited his past demeanors as the reason for the ban, saying: “It is not suitable to bring in badly behaved entertainers”.
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9. In May, 2020, Justin Bieber and singer Ariana Grande were accused of manipulating the Billboard Hot 100 charts, by rapper 6ix9ine. Their collaboration “Stuck With U” shot to No. 1 on the chart after sales of their signed CD bundles.
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10. Most recently, Justin Bieber and his manager Scooter Braun have been accused of using rapper Lil Twist as a scapegoat in a case of possession of marijuana. Twist states that he was made to take the blame.
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By: Ahalya Narayanan
