Whenever a cast member of a popular show like Pawn Stars disappears, their absence fuels rumors and speculation. For Austin “Chumlee” Russell, there was good reason for concern—the 42-year-old businessman and reality star has been through the wringer over the past few years, with arrests, legal issues, and health problems, but he got through it and is better than ever. So what exactly happened to Russell, and what’s he up to these days? Here’s everything you need to know.
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Legal Issues
Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department
Russell was arrested in 2016 after police found illegal drugs and unregistered weapons in his home. He was charged with 20 felony counts that were eventually downgraded to misdemeanors. Russell pled guilty to the charges and agreed to three years of probation and counseling, which he completed.
Gastric Sleeve and Weight Loss
History Channel
Russell has dealt with issues with his weight, which went up and down until he got gastric sleeve surgery in bypass in 2021. The reality star weighed 350 pounds at his heaviest in January 2019, and lost 160 pounds after getting the surgery. He frequently posts before and after pictures online, rightfully proud of his progress.
Candy Store In Vegas
Copyright @chums_candy/Instagram
Russell opened a candy store called Chumlee's Candy On The Blvd. in 2017, and it’s still going strong. “A Las Vegas based candy store selling nostalgic, novelty, and bulk candy. A variety of sodas, along with unique keychains, coffee, and bobbleheads,” reads the description on the account.
He’s Still on Pawn Stars—and Cameo
History Channel
Russell remains a fan favorite on Pawn Stars, with his law-breaking days far behind him. These days, he takes part in Cameo. “A lot of the ones, I pretty much do everything,” he told Looper. “Most people just want me to have fun and say hi to someone or happy Birthday and make them feel special. So that's fairly easy to do. They give me a little bit of information, and I read it beforehand, I try to personalize it a little bit. But the thing for me is, I always try to continue to set my prices, sometimes I'll do a dollar price like, ‘Hey, Cameos for a dollar,’ and I'll run it for a day or two. That way people will get them.”
Chumlee's Adventure: The Quest for Pinky
Kickstarter
Russell is thrilled to star in his own video game Chumlee's Adventure: The Quest for Pinky. “I don't play games as much as I used to, very rarely these days, I just still play a little, but growing up on Nintendo was really cool,” he told Looper. “And it kind of has an old Kung Fu Nintendo-kind of vibe to the game, and I loved that game growing up. I just thought it would be a cool idea to make a home brew video game because they're kind of popular. Actually, there are people who love collecting these home brew games, so I partnered up with a few people and made a pretty awesome game. If you love home brew games, it's a fun one to grab. And there's actually some cool hidden stuff in there. If you can beat the game without getting hit, you'll find out.”
