The Dramatic Rumor About Pawn Stars' Rick Harrison That's Completely Untrue

The cast members of "Pawn Stars" are no strangers to scandals. Rick Harrison and his fellow "Pawn Stars" also know a thing or two about sketchy legal troubles. But that doesn't mean that everything about Rick out there is true. In April 2025, the online rumor mill churned out headlines claiming the Gold & Silver Pawn Shop owner had not only been arrested but also received a lengthy prison sentence. That simply didn't happen. In fact, there's no public record of Rick ever being incarcerated. 

That's not to say no Harrison has never been behind bars, though. Corey Harrison, the oldest of Rick's kids, was arrested on a DUI charge in September 2023, TMZ reported. He told authorities he had had one drink several hours earlier but failed his field sobriety test. He agreed to having his blood drawn and was released eight hours later. Unfortunately, Corey isn't the only Harrison to have had a brush with the law.

Shortly before Rick's second son Adam's tragic death in January 2024, he'd spent a few months in jail. The circumstances around his arrest were a lot more complicated, too. Adam had struggled with drug addiction most of his life, leading Rick to take some drastic actions. In a March 2025 interview on "In Depth with Graham Bensinger," Rick admitted to calling the police on his son after he broke into his home. "I figured maybe if we put him in jail for two months, it'll clean him out," he said. 

"Pawn Stars" fans may not be seeing much of Rick Harrison anytime soon. But that's because the popular History Channel show went on an indefinite hiatus following the end of Season 23 in April, and not because its main star received a life sentence for money laundering and other federal crimes. It's unclear where the rumor started, but it spread like wildfire overnight, particularly on YouTube. Some sources, however, included veiled disclaimers that went unnoticed by many viewers.

The Thoughtful Lab posted a YouTube clip, titled "Rick Harrison From Pawn Stars Sentenced To Life Imprisonment," but noted: "Our videos blend factual, rumored, and fictional content. Viewers should not consider any of this information as definitive or accurate. We advise responsible viewing." But the disclaimer was below a lengthy caption about "the shocking details behind his sentencing, the events that led up to it, and the courtroom drama that stunned the world." Viewers had to expand the caption to even see the disclaimer.

The confusion surrounding the news prompted the U.S. Prison Guide, which provides information about the country's correctional system, to look into the matter. "Rick's never been convicted of a crime, never faced a judge for anything that'd land him behind bars," the website confirmed. Harrison, for his part, wasn't too concerned about the fake news. "What everyone tells me is, you know, if they're writing fake stuff about you to get clicks, you're obviously popular. So maybe I'm popular," he said on "Pawn After Dark."