- Primary Subject: Shia LaBeouf
- Key Update: The 39-year-old actor was arrested in New Orleans during Mardi Gras celebrations after allegedly assaulting two men following an altercation at a Royal Street business.
- Status: Confirmed
- Last Verified: February 18, 2026
- Quick Answer: Shia LaBeouf was arrested on February 17, 2026, in New Orleans and charged with two counts of simple battery following an aggressive physical altercation during Mardi Gras.
Shia LaBeouf is once again making headlines, but not for good reasons. The actor stirred another controversy after being arrested in New Orleans during Mardi Gras, reportedly following an altercation.
Unfortunately, this isn’t the first time the Transformers star has found himself in legal trouble. From sexual assault allegations to incidents of public intoxication, here’s a look inside LaBeouf’s ongoing controversies.
The Mardi Gras Arrest
Shia LaBeouf was arrested in New Orleans’ French Quarter during the early hours of Tuesday, February 17, after allegedly assaulting two men amid Mardi Gras celebrations.
According to the New Orleans Police Department, the 39-year-old actor became aggressive inside a business on Royal Street and was asked to leave by staff.
He then reportedly punched one man multiple times outside and left the scene, only to return in a more aggressive state, assaulting the same man again and striking another man in the nose.
Patrons attempted to intervene until police arrived. LaBeouf was later booked on two counts of simple battery.
FKA Twigs’ Lawsuit Against Shia LaBeouf
After a year-long tumultuous relationship, FKA Twigs filed a lawsuit against Shia LaBeouf in 2020, alleging sexual battery, assault, and emotional distress.
According to the musician, LaBeouf subjected her to “relentless abuse” during their romance, including giving her a sexually transmitted disease, choking her, and forcing her to sleep naked while keeping a loaded firearm by their bed.
While LaBeouf denied some of the allegations, calling them “not true,” he accepted “accountability for those things” he had done.
However, in July 2025, Twigs requested dismissal of the case and a settlement out of court.
Using Force and Violence in an Incident
In October 2020, Shia LaBeouf was charged with one count of misdemeanor battery and one count of misdemeanor theft for an incident that occurred in June of the same year.
Allegedly, he used force against a man named Tyler Murphy and took a hat belonging to him.
LaBeouf was later ordered to attend a diversion program, which included anger management classes and a 12-step program.
Going on a Public Tirade
Shia LaBeouf was also arrested in Georgia after being charged with public intoxication, disorderly conduct, and obstruction following a tirade that began when he was reportedly refused a cigarette by a woman in 2017.
The actor launched into racist remarks and profanity-filled outbursts directed at the police officers who arrested him.
He was later found guilty of obstruction, though not guilty of public intoxication, and pleaded no contest to disorderly conduct. LaBeouf was sentenced to one year of probation and ordered to undergo therapy.
Spending a Night in Jail
In 2015, Shia LaBeouf shared a candid personal story in the book Prison Ramen, which featured arrest-themed essays from celebrities including Taryn Manning, Slash, and Danny Trejo.
LaBeouf contributed an essay titled Error Breeds Sense, recounting an arrest after he refused to leave a Walgreens store in Chicago.
Despite the experience, The Tax Collector star later said that, “for some reason,” spending a night in jail turned out to be “the best sleep ever.”
Interrupting a Broadway Performance
Back in 2014, Shia LaBeouf disrupted a performance of Cabaret and was involved in an altercation with a homeless person, which led to his arrest at Studio 54 in New York City.
He later pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct and publicly apologized during an appearance on The Ellen DeGeneres Show.
At the time, LaBeouf said he was experiencing an “existential crisis,” which resulted in “some hiccups” and “some judgment errors.”
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