•  C.J. was arrested for assault after filming Below Deck season 1, tarnishing his reality TV career.
•  C.J.’s relationship status is unclear and with zero updates.
•  It seems unlikely C.J. will return to yachting or Below Deck due to personal growth.

C.J. LeBeau was an original cast member of Below Deck season 1, but what is he up to in 2024? The inaugural season of the Bravo franchise began with C.J. and his fellow Below Deck season 1 castmates. Besides C.J., the cast included fan favorites Captain Lee Rosbach, Chef Ben Robinson, and Eddie Lucas, who was just a deckhand at the time. The crew also had Aleks Taldykin, Adrienne Gang, Kat Held, Samantha Orme, and David Bradberry onboard. Below Deck season 1 made the franchise what it is today and C.J. is part of the show’s continued success.

During his one season on Below Deck, C.J. was a bit of a troublemaker onboard. While he got on a lot of people’s nerves, C.J. did form a great connection with steward Samantha. The two were never romantically involved and Sam did always see C.J. as a great friend, but they did have strong feelings for each other. C.J. and Sam remained close after the show, which they revealed during the Below Deck season 1 reunion. However, C.J. was a one-hit wonder on Below Deck, and he was never seen on reality TV again. So what is he up to now?

C.J. Was Arrested After Below Deck

He Was Charged WIth Assault

Shortly after the premiere of Below Deck season 1, C.J. was arrested for assault. According to a TMZ article from August 2013, C.J. was arrested for assault in Phoenix, Arizona, at one in the morning and charged with intentional assault and defacing property. Shortly after the news broke, TMZ returned with an update from law enforcement revealing the details were grimmer than expected. According to the publication, C.J. reportedly got into a physical altercation with his then-fiance and “took her to the ground.” His reported fiancé revealed that C.J. choked her, but that she did hit him.

C.J. apparently did have a scratch on his face from the brawl. And for the defacing property charge, C.J. allegedly broke her cell phone while the two were fighting. Nonetheless, the arrest isn’t a surprise as TMZ says C.J. has already had a run-in with the law. In May 2013, he was arrested on a marijuana-related charge.

C.J.’s Relationship Status

C.J is Likely Single

While Below Deck was airing, it was revealed C.J. was in a relationship; the two were even engaged. As of April 2024, it’s unclear what C.J.’s current relationship status is. C.J. hasn’t updated his X (formerly known as Twitter) since November 2015, more than eight years ago, so there is no sign of a current relationship there. C.J.‘s Instagram does have a few posts with a young girl who could potentially be his daughter; however, she could be a friend’s daughter or his niece. It does seem as though C.J. and his previously-mentioned fiancé are no longer together.

Does C.J. Still Work In Yachting?

He Moved On From The Yacht Life

According to C.J.’s social media accounts, as of 2021, it doesn’t seem like C.J. works in the yachting industry anymore. On Below Deck, C.J. did have a hard time working with some of the crew members but nothing too serious that would cause him to leave the industry. Other factors could have played a role or maybe C.J. was simply ready to move on from the yacht life. In 2019, C.J. shared a video on his Instagram of him and a crew doing a kitchen remodel. C.J. may have moved onto the world of construction following his yachting career.

C.J.’s Journey On Below Deck

C.J. Was A Trouble Maker

C.J. was quite the character during his time on Below Deck season 1. According to his bio on BravoTV, C.J. discovered his passion for sailing when he spent many months vacationing after college in exotic locations such as the Caribbean, Columbia, and the San Blas Islands. This kickstarted C.J.’s love for the sea and he began his yachting career soon after. C.J. is also a philanthropist, but he has a rebellious side, which fans saw on Below Deck, where he served as a marine engineer aboard the yacht Honor.

While starring in Below Deck season 1, C.J. enjoyed the nights out with the crew and did his best not to get into too much trouble. However, C.J. is very much a free bird, and an interesting one at that, so it’s difficult to keep him caged in. If he ever did get into some sort of issue, he easily used his witty flirtation and likable personality to win people over.

Will C.J. Ever Return To Below Deck?

He Won’t Return

C.J. will likely never return to Below Deck or its several spin-offs Bravo has created since. The reason why he likely won’t return is C.J. is too far gone from the series. He has moved on with his life, has grown up, and probably doesn’t want to be exposed to reality TV anymore. Plus, he was arrested shortly after Below Deck season 1 began airing and left the show early, so Bravo probably doesn’t want him to return. Nonetheless, C.J. was an iconic part of Below Deck history and viewers will always remember him and his wild antics on the show.

Crew members who join Below Deck don’t usually last more than a season, and if they do, it’s very rare. Most Below Deck cast members who’ve done multiple seasons are usually the captain, chef, chief stew, or the bosun. Therefore, it’s even rarer when someone who isn’t the head of a department returns after one season. While it would’ve been interesting to see C.J. back on Below Deck, his absence is likely for the best.