Most Talked-About Controversies Linked to Kim Kardashian

Controversies are a part of history. Explore the biggest scandals linked to Kim Kardashian.

Kim Kardashian is an American media personality, socialite, and businesswoman. She rose to prominence with the reality television series Keeping Up with the Kardashians, which documented her and her family's personal and professional lives. The show's success led to numerous spin-offs and a successor show on Hulu. Kardashian has leveraged her fame to build a business empire, including ventures in cosmetics (KKW Beauty) and shapewear (SKIMS). She has also been involved in social and political activism, particularly criminal justice reform.

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Full Timeline Controversies & Scandals

2004: Allegation of Unauthorized Credit Card Charges

In 2004, Sonja Norwood alleged that she authorized Kardashian to make "one and only one" purchase on her American Express credit card, but Kardashian and her sisters Khloé and Kourtney incurred over $120,000 in unauthorized charges.

2006: Unauthorized Charges at Family Boutique

Sonja Norwood alleged that the bulk of the unauthorized credit card charges from 2004 were attributable to purchases made at Kardashian's family-owned boutique in 2006, after Kardashian was no longer employed by Norwood's daughter.

February 2007: Sex Tape Leak

In February 2007, a sex tape made by Kim Kardashian and singer Ray J in 2003 was leaked on the internet and gained national attention.

2007: Sex tape release and 'Keeping Up with the Kardashians' premiere

In 2007, Kim Kardashian gained media attention following the release of a sex tape. In the same year, Kim and her family began appearing on the E! reality television series "Keeping Up with the Kardashians".

2007: Unauthorized Charges at Family Boutique

Sonja Norwood alleged that the bulk of the unauthorized credit card charges from 2004 were attributable to purchases made at Kardashian's family-owned boutique in 2007, after Kardashian was no longer employed by Norwood's daughter.

2008: Lawsuit Filed by Sonja Norwood

In 2008, Sonja Norwood filed a lawsuit against Kim Kardashian after no payments were made to settle the alleged debt from unauthorized credit card charges.

2009: Confidential Settlement Reached

In 2009, Kim Kardashian and Sonja Norwood reportedly reached a confidential settlement and the lawsuit was dismissed.

2012: Named Among "Most Annoying Celebrities"

In 2012, a British survey named Kim Kardashian among the "most annoying celebrities".

2014: Paper Magazine Cover

In 2014, Kim Kardashian appeared on the cover of Paper's winter issue, photographed by Jean-Paul Goude. Her nude buttocks were featured above the caption: "Break the Internet".

April 2016: Condemning The Wall Street Journal for Armenian genocide denial ad

In April 2016, Kim Kardashian wrote an article on her website condemning The Wall Street Journal for running an advertisement by FactCheckArmenia.com denying the Armenian genocide.

August 2019: Rebranding to Skims

In August 2019, following criticism over the name, Kim Kardashian rebranded her shapewear company from "Kimono" to "Skims".

2019: Funding the 90 Days to Freedom campaign

In 2019, Kim Kardashian largely funded the 90 Days to Freedom campaign, an initiative by attorneys Brittany K. Barnett and MiAngel Cody to release nonviolent drug offenders from life sentences. This effort led to the release of 17 individuals under the First Step Act, with Kardashian receiving widespread credit, though her involvement also sparked controversy.

January 2022: Lawsuit for Promoting EthereumMax

In January 2022, Kim Kardashian was named as a defendant in a class-action lawsuit filed against the cryptocurrency company EthereumMax, alleging that she and other celebrities promoted the EthereumMax token as part of a pump and dump scheme.

October 2022: SEC Fine for Promoting Cryptocurrency

In October 2022, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) announced that Kim Kardashian had agreed to pay a $1.26 million fine and cooperate with an ongoing investigation for failing to report receiving a $250,000 payment to promote the EthereumMax token. She also agreed not to promote cryptocurrency assets for three years.