Russell Brand’s Instagram Account Taken Down by Meta After Rape Conviction

Russell Brand, who was found guilty last week on one count of rape and three counts of sexual assault by a U.K. jury, said Wednesday that his Instagram account was disabled by Meta. “We disabled your account,” Brand posted on X along with two screenshots. “Your account, or your activity on it, doesn’t follow our rules.” However Brand’s X page, which still has over 10 million followers, is still active. “There never was a Russell Brand, according to @Meta. Thank God for @elonmusk. Stay tuned,” he wrote on X. A spokesperson for Meta confirmed the removal to TMZ and said the account was taken down because it “violates our policies.” Representatives for Meta did not immediately return TheWrap’s request for comment. Brand was sentenced to 10 years and six months in prison Monday after being found guilty one count of rape and three counts of sexual assault. The comedian had previously pleaded not guilty to all seven of his charges; he was found not guilty on two other counts of rape and one count of attempted indecent assault. Brand was initially charged with five counts of rape and sexual assault against four women in April 2025: two counts of rape, two counts of sexual assault and one count of indecent assault. He was then charged with an additional count each of rape and sexual assault in December 2025. The investigation into the star began in September 2023 when his alleged victims publicly spoke out in an exposé about incidents that supposedly took place between 2006 and 2013 (the two newer charges are for incidents that allegedly took place in 2009). He has long maintained his innocence. “I’ve always told you guys that when I was young and single before I had my wife and family — who are just out of shot over there, my beautiful children — I was a fool, man. I was a fool before I lived in the light of the Lord,” Brand said in a video message at the time. “I was a drug addict, a sex addict and an imbecile — but what I never was a rapist. I’ve never engaged in non-consensual activity. I pray that you can see that by looking in my eyes.” Brand was best known for starring in comedies like “Forgetting Sarah Marshall” and “Get Him to the Greek,” but in recent years had embraced a right-leaning podcast and speaking career.