'Thank God for Elon Musk': Convicted 'Sexual Predator' Russell Brand Taunts Meta After Instagram Suspension

Meta has removed Russell Brand's Instagram account, days after he was convicted of rape in London. A post on his X account praised Elon Musk on Wednesday, 11 November, two days after Brand was sentenced to 10 years and six months in prison.

Brand, 51, was sentenced at Southwark Crown Court on Monday, 9 November, after jurors found him guilty of raping one woman and sexually assaulting three others.

The verdict was delivered on Thursday, 5 November. He was cleared of two other rape charges and one count of attempted indecent assault. Police said Brand would remain on the sex offenders' register for life.

The removal came to light after screenshots of notices from Meta appeared on Brand's X account. One said an account had been disabled because its activity breached platform rules; another referred to a suspended page. Reports indicated that his Facebook presence was also affected.

A message accompanying the screenshots read: 'There never was a Russell Brand, according to @Meta. Thank God for @elonmusk. Stay tuned.'

Brand's X account, which has about 10 million followers, remained accessible. It was not clear who wrote or published the post while he was in custody, so its authorship has not been independently established.

Why Meta Disabled Russell Brand's Instagram

A Meta spokesperson confirmed the action to TMZ, saying Brand's account 'violates our policies'. The outlet reported that the decision was made under Meta's Account Integrity policy, which allows restrictions on accounts linked to harmful activity beyond the company's platforms, including those belonging to convicted sex offenders.

Meta did not publicly identify a particular Instagram post as the reason for the removal. The policy basis reported by TMZ concerns conduct outside the platform, rather than only what a user publishes on it.

Brand had previously faced action from another technology company. In September 2023, YouTube suspended monetisation across his channels following public allegations of sexual misconduct. He was not criminally charged until April 2025.

The comedian, who had worked in British radio and television and in Hollywood films, later built an online audience with videos about wellness, politics and conspiracy theories.

YouTube's action affected his ability to earn advertising revenue, while Meta's decision removed his Instagram account. X, which is owned by Musk, had not suspended the account as of Wednesday.

Judge Described Brand as 'Sexual Predator'

At sentencing, Judge Joel Bennathan said Brand had become a 'sexual predator' as he rose to fame. He criticised Brand's 'casual and arrogant disregard' for women who refused his advances. Victim impact statements described the effects of the assaults, including lasting anxiety, humiliation and emotional distress.

The description was part of the judge's sentencing remarks, not a separate criminal conviction. Brand denied wrongdoing at trial, but the jury convicted him of four offences committed between 2004 and 2009.

The Metropolitan Police are also investigating rape allegations involving two other women. On Tuesday, 10 November, police said more people had approached investigators during and after the trial, providing information or reporting potential offences.

Those matters are separate from the offences for which Brand was sentenced. No charges relating to the two further rape allegations had been announced.