New Orleans, HI – Former UFC champion B.J. Penn has been arrested for the third time in just six days, this time for violating a court order tied to abuse allegations and claims of mental health issues. The 46-year-old was taken into custody on Friday after failing to appear in court, thereby breaching the conditions of his bail, according to MMA Fighting.
Penn had previously been arrested on Sunday and again on Monday, both times on charges of abusing a family or household member. He was later released on bail but has since been ordered to remain at least 100 feet away from his 79-year-old mother, Lorraine Shin, who has filed a temporary restraining order against him.
A judge has approved the protective order, which will be in effect for a minimum of 180 days. Penn is also prohibited from contacting his mother in any form, with a court hearing scheduled for June 10 to review the matter further.
Psychological Abuse and Delusions
According to court documents, Shin alleges that her son has subjected her to “extreme psychological abuse,” including delusional accusations that she is an imposter who murdered his real family. She believes Penn suffers from Capgras syndrome, a rare psychiatric disorder where individuals believe close family members have been replaced by imposters.
In her plea for protection, Shin described escalating incidents: from missing personal items and tampered security cameras to physical confrontations, including Penn allegedly gluing her bedroom locks and shoving her into a vehicle to stop her from calling police.
The alleged abuse began earlier this month when Shin returned home from a trip to find her belongings missing. Despite installing cameras and new locks, Shin claimed Penn repeatedly breached the home, even after being ordered to stay away for 48 hours.
Social Media and Public Behavior
Penn’s troubling behavior has extended to social media, where he’s posted videos accusing his mother of being an “identity thief” and claiming that his entire family has been replaced. One such video posted on May 17 shows him arguing with a woman who appears to be Shin.
Decline from UFC Stardom
B.J. Penn’s downfall has been steep. Once a two-division UFC champion and a Hall of Famer, Penn’s last fight was in May 2019, marking a record seventh straight loss. He was released by the UFC shortly after footage surfaced of him in a street fight outside a Hawaiian bar.
UFC CEO Dana White had previously said, “He won’t fight again. That’s it. That’s a wrap… B.J. needs to focus on his personal life and get himself together before he thinks about fighting again.”
As Penn’s legal and mental health issues mount, the former champion faces not just the possibility of jail time but a very public reckoning with his personal struggles.
