It’s not been a great few years for Rick Harrison of Pawn Stars fame. His father passed away, and since then he has seen his family’s dirty laundry aired by his mother, who is apparently suing him for various assets related to his business, including the world famous Gold and Silver Pawn Shop in Downtown Vegas.
There has been some chatter that Harrison, who has made noises about running for office as a Republican, was even arrested, although we know that isn’t the case. If you’re wondering what happened to Rick from Pawn Stars, then read on to find out.
Who is Rick from Pawn Stars?
Rick is well known as one of the main stars of Pawn Stars, the hugely popular History Channel show about a pawn store in Vegas. He’s known for being a hard negotiator, as well as being knowledgeable about all sorts of items that find their way into his store.
Rick was always destined to work in this industry as his father, Richard “Old Man” Harrison, was in the business. Old Man and Rick went into business together in the eighties with the Gold and Silver Pawn Shop, and with the advent of the show their success only grew. Pawn Stars has also allowed Rick to work with his friends and family members, and give them a platform for success.
With the death of his father in 2018 Rick took ownership of the store, although as you’ll read below not everyone agrees with his ascension to the top of the pile. He has also written about his work and life, and had cameos in television shows such as iCarly and The Middle.
What happened to Rick from Pawn Stars?
In 2022 Rick was sued by his mother, Joanne Harrison, who alleged that she had been excluded from family assets like trusts, companies, and even a safe full of precious metals. The lawsuit states that after Old Man died, Rick wrongfully took control of various assets that Joanne believes should have been hers. With more than 20 years of documents to look into, it doesn’t look like this will be resolved any time soon.
Other things Joanne alleges make Rick look quite bad. She claims that after she suffered a stroke in the early 2000s, her son made her sign over her 51% stake in the pawn shop, when she didn’t understand what she was doing. She has also filed a restraining order against him.
Despite this, Pawn Stars continues to run, and Rick himself has stated he plans on running for the senate one day, perhaps as early as 2024. He claims his mother is being manipulated, and that he has tried to get into contact with her but hasn’t been able to. He denies all the crimes.