You’ve seen it. That grainy photo of a younger Miles McCollum—better known to the world as Lil Yachty—staring into a police camera. It’s a staple of hip-hop Twitter and "before they were famous" threads. Most people assume it’s from a standard celebrity run-in with the law, but the reality is actually a bit more complicated. It’s also not the only time the "Broccoli" rapper has had to pose for a booking photo.
In the age of viral moments, a celebrity mugshot is basically a rite of passage. For Yachty, however, his first major legal hurdle happened before he was the king of "mumble rap" or a fashion icon. It happened when he was just a kid trying to figure out how to survive in a world that hadn't yet given him a platinum record.
The 2015 Florida Arrest: What Really Happened
Let’s go back to August 2015. Yachty wasn't a household name yet. He was 18 years old. He was in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, and things took a sharp left turn at the Gardens Mall.
Police picked up Yachty (Miles McCollum) and another man on charges related to credit card fraud. Specifically, they were accused of using fraudulent credit cards to buy items at the mall. If you look at that 2015 Lil Yachty mugshot, he looks completely different. No signature red beads. No designer fits. Just a teenager in a gray shirt looking like he’s wondering how he ended up in a Florida jail cell.
The details of the case are pretty specific:
- Location: Gardens Mall, Palm Beach Gardens, FL.
- Date: August 29, 2015.
- Charges: 1 count of fraud and 1 count of credit card forgery.
Honestly, it’s a story he’s been pretty open about. He’s admitted in interviews that he was broke and doing what he thought he had to do. He spent a night in jail, posted a $12,000 bond, and eventually, the charges were expunged. He got a second chance.
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150 MPH in a Ferrari: The 2020 Atlanta Incident
Fast forward five years. Yachty is now a superstar. He’s rich. He’s successful. And he has a thing for fast cars. On September 21, 2020, a Georgia State Patrol trooper spotted a white Ferrari weaving through traffic on the Downtown Connector in Atlanta.
The trooper clocked the car at over 150 mph.
When the car was pulled over, it was Yachty behind the wheel. He was arrested on the spot for reckless driving and speeding in excess of maximum limits. He was taken to the Atlanta City Jail.
This led to the second major Lil Yachty mugshot that circulated online. This time, he looked more like the star we know, but the situation was arguably more dangerous. Ironically, this arrest happened just a few months after he had totaled another Ferrari in a rain-related crash on the same highway.
Why the 2020 Arrest Went Viral
Social media had a field day with this one. Yachty himself even leaned into it. When the news first broke, he posted a video to TikTok showing off stacks of cash with a caption basically saying, "I’m not in jail."
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Technically, he wasn't lying at that exact moment—he had already posted bail. But once the mugshot dropped, the internet did what the internet does. Yachty eventually posted another TikTok with a simple warning to his younger fans: "Slow down kids."
Misconceptions About the Photos
There’s a lot of noise online, and people often mix up these two incidents. Here is the breakdown:
- The "Broke" Photo: If he looks young and has natural hair, that’s the 2015 credit card fraud arrest in Florida. This is the one that people use to talk about his "hustle" before the fame.
- The "Ferrari" Photo: If he looks like a millionaire and the news reports mention Atlanta, that’s the 2020 speeding incident.
One common myth is that he was in a gang or involved in violent crime. That’s simply not true based on public records. His legal issues have generally fallen into two categories: youthful mistakes driven by financial struggle and adult mistakes driven by a love for high-speed Italian sports cars.
E-E-A-T: The Legal Aftermath and Expert Context
Legal experts often point to Yachty’s 2015 case as a classic example of how the legal system handles non-violent offenses for first-time offenders. Because he was 18 and had no prior record, he was able to enter a program that eventually cleared his name. This is crucial. Without that expungement, his career might have looked very different before it even started.
In the 2020 case, the stakes were higher because of the sheer speed involved. Driving 150 mph is often treated as a "super speeder" offense in Georgia, which carries heavy fines and potential jail time. However, Yachty’s legal team managed to navigate the situation, and he has since been more vocal about road safety.
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What This Means for His Image
Most rappers use a mugshot as a badge of honor. For Yachty, it’s more of a "look how far I’ve come" moment. He doesn't shy away from the 2015 arrest. He uses it as a teaching tool. It adds a layer of "street cred" that is often questioned because of his "bubblegum trap" origins, but it also shows a human side of a guy who made mistakes and learned from them.
If you’re looking into these photos for research or just out of curiosity, remember that public records are the only way to get the real story. Avoid the fan theories on TikTok that claim he was undercover or that the photos are fake. They are very real. They just happen to be chapters of a much larger success story.
Actionable Insights
If you find yourself following the "Lil Yachty path" of fast cars or questionable financial choices, here are some things to keep in mind:
- Public Records Are Forever: Even if a charge is expunged, the internet never forgets. Mugshots are public domain in many states (like Florida), meaning they stay on the web long after the case is closed.
- Speeding Isn't a Joke: In states like Georgia, going over 100 mph can lead to an immediate arrest, not just a ticket. It stays on your permanent driving record and can skyrocket your insurance rates for years.
- Second Chances Exist: Yachty's ability to pivot from a fraud arrest to a multi-million dollar career is proof that one bad night doesn't define your entire life—if you're willing to change course.
Check the official Georgia State Patrol or Palm Beach County court archives if you want to see the literal paperwork. Everything else you hear is likely just social media fluff.