Was Teddy from Black Ink Crew arrested? Teddy Ruks arrest claim erupts online

Reports of Teddy Ruks’ arrest have been trending online for some time. The news created headlines after The Georgia Gazette shared an update on November 8, 2025, stating that the tattoo artist was allegedly accused of violating probation.

A few sources have claimed that the Black Ink Crew member’s legal issue happened in Gwinnett County. Moreover, his mugshot is also going viral on various platforms. Teddy or his representatives have not commented on anything so far.

On the other hand, Teddy Ruks has been active on social media, sharing an Instagram post two days ago. He wished a “Happy Sunday” to everyone in the caption, with the photo on the post saying:

“Every day above ground is a beautiful day… Thank You Lord.”

This is not the first time that a Black Ink Crew member has been arrested. Tatiana Ritter also had to face a similar situation around three years ago on felony charges that included conspiracy and attempted conspiracy. Monsters & Critics stated that she faced a five-year probation, following a plea agreement.

In 2019, another member, Ceasar Emmanuel, was reportedly stopped by the cops for a traffic violation. According to the Atlanta Black Star, he had a dispute with Ruks and Paul "Puma” Robinson after discovering that their tattoo shop had been damaged. Following this, Emmanuel left in a car and drove at high speed.

Teddy Ruks has been active as a tattoo artist for a long time

The Harlem, New York native has become a popular figure over the years due to his appearance on the VH1 show, Black Ink Crew. National Today reported that he began his career as the manager of a tattoo studio.

Teddy Ruks first appeared on the VH1 series in 2013. It featured other personalities active in the same field. The show had a successful run, lasting for nine more seasons. While this one was based in New York City, spin-offs focusing on Chicago and Los Angeles were later created.

During a conversation with In Touch Weekly around seven years ago, Teddy revealed his real name as Shariff Homer, despite initially claiming that he did not like to say his name. He further stated:

“My real government name is Richard Duncan aka D*ck Duncan aka Big D*ck Duncan.”

Black Ink Crew also grabbed a lot of attention in 2019 when Teddy Ruks and his cousin Ceaser Emmanuel had a dispute with another cast member and tattoo artist, Alex Robinson, and his girlfriend Donna Lombardi. Teddy and Ceaser punched Alex, which was even featured in an episode of the show, as per Atlanta Black Star.

Teddy Ruks was heavily criticized after the incident, and he later apologized to Robinson in an Instagram post, which has now been deleted. Ruks wrote at the time:

“To the Young Philly Man *You Know Who You Are…* I WAS WRONG AND I APOLOGIZE TO ALEX! You made me understand and I will do better for us.”

Ruks is also active on Instagram with more than 900,000 followers. He started a YouTube channel last year.