Nakulong si Ricardo Cepeda noong 2023 dahil sa kasong syndicated estafa laban sa aktor. Nasangkot ang aktor dahil sa investment scheme ng isang kumpanya ng herbal products. Unang nabilanggo si Ricardo sa Camp Caringal, Quezon City ng dalawang buwan bago pa napalipat sa Cagayan Proviancial Jail, Tuguegarao at doon naman nakulong ng siyam na buwan.
“I was working with this company, sa isang direct selling company and ‘yung role ko in the company is a brand ambassador, a product endorser. Which is I simply talk about my experiences using products that they distribute. Kapag may sales meeting or presentation, I come up on stage and I talk about experience namin sa bahay paggamit ng products. Habang we’re doing this presentation, merong ibang meeting na nangyayari in a private area. Pinag-uusapan na parang hihiramin ‘yung pera nila, then may monthly interest,” pagbabalik-tanaw sa amin ni Ricardo sa Fast Talk with Boy Abunda.
October 7, 2023 nang maaresto sa Caloocan at pinabulaanan naman ng aktor ang mga mapanirang akusasyon laban sa kanya. Hindi naging madali ang buhay ni Ricardo sa loob ng piitan sa loob ng halos isang taon. Hindi umano tumanggap ng teleserye noong isang taon ang asawang si Marina Benipayo dahil kailangang bisitahin ang aktor nang lingguhan habang nakakulong pa sa Tuguegarao. “It’s hard honestly. I was very grateful pinag-PMA ako ng father ko, parang nag-barracks ulit eh. Away from the family, you’re on your own place with strangers. It sounds cliché pero everything happens for a reason. Why are you there? There must be a plan. Luckily, we’re able to still communicate eh. My biggest worry, Boy, is how this will affect them outside,” pagbabahagi ng aktor.
Iba’t ibang uri ng tao ang nakilala at nakasalamuha ni Ricardo sa dalawang magkaibang kulungan. Maraming mga bagay umano ang natutunan ng aktor dahil sa mga naranasan sa loob ng bilangguan. “I think more patient with other people. I saw so many people who are in jail for simple things eh. But there are also so many who are in there because of some frivolous charges made by somebody else. It’s so easy to get arrested by,” makahulugang kwento niya.
Setyembre noong isang taon nang tuluyang makalaya ang aktor. Mayroong mensahe si Ricardo para kay Marina at sa kanilang pamilya. “I would say sorry sa nangyari. Talagang we’ve discussed it that there is no one to blame amongst us. But still, I feel sorry that it happened, that we went through that, the family went through that. And salamat for being there, as always and more than ever,” pagtatapos ni Ricardo. — Reports from JCC