It's extremely hard to believe that such a chiseled physical specimen such as Cameron Wake went undrafted, but sometimes the masses sleep on world-class talent. Born in Beltsville, Maryland, Wake played college ball for the Penn State, switching back and forth from linebacker to defensive end. While had a rather successful collegiate football career recording 191 tackles and 8.5 sack, Wake went undrafted in the 2005 NFL Draft.
In 2005, the New York Giants signed the hopeful youngster to a deal, but Wake later decided to ditch the NFL for the Canadaian Football League where he would make a name for himself. In two seasons in the CFL, Cameron Wake stacked up 39 sacks and was named Most Outstanding Defensive Player for both seasons. The following year, in 2009, Wake was signed by the Miami Dolphins were he would spend the next ten seasons with the team earning five Pro Bowl trips and be named All-Pro First Team in 2012. To this day, at 37-years-old, Wake is active on a roster with Tennessee Titans.
Not all celebrities have fame and fortune, some are just famous – and in a ton of debt. They came from rags to riches, then went back to rags. Whether they’ve filed bankruptcy, ended up in court, or just can’t stop spending, celebrities mismanage their money just like everyone else. They just hide it well.
50 Cent coined the term “wanksta,” then “partied like it was his birthday” until he filed Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2015. The rapper was said to be anywhere between $10 million and $50 million in debt. In 2016, a federal bankruptcy court judge in Connecticut approved a plan for the founder of G-Unit to pay his debts back. He was able to get his bankruptcy discharged in February of the following year.
Following a 45-year-long career in Hollywood, acting in more than 70 films, actor Gary Busey found himself in more debt than he was worth. In 2012, it was reported that Busey owed between $500,000 and $1 million worth of debt, but only had $50,000 to his name. The 74-year-old actor owed money to hospitals, banks, the L.A. Waterworks District, and even a storage company. He filed Chapter 7 bankruptcy that same year. Despite his longstanding career in Hollywood, Busey's net worth is now only $500,000.
Burt Reynolds is still worth five million dollars, but his battles with debt date back more than 20 years. Between bad investments and a pricey divorce from actress Loni Anderson, the 1970s superstar had to deal with over $10 million in debt and decided to file Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 1996. While testifying in a 1994 custody hearing, the South Florida native said he spent $40 million getting through his divorce.
The former Hollywood bad boy, Charlie Sheen owes the IRS nearly $5 million. But that's not all. In 2016, his net worth was reportedly still as high as $150 million, but he was nonetheless $12 million in debt at the time – including mortgages, legal fees, and taxes. That same year, Debt.com reported Sheen owed nearly $300,000 on an American Express card alone.