Ashton Kutcher attends FIRST public event since Danny Masterson controversy – as actor smartens up for star-studded Chase Bank function in Miami

Ashton Kutcher joined the stars this week at a Chase Bank event in Miami, marking his first public event since he and his wife Mila Kunis were criticized for their support of That ‘70s Show co-star and convicted rapist Danny Masterson.

Masterson, 47 — who was recently transferred to a maximum-security prison that formerly housed cult leader Charles Manson — was convicted last May of raping two women in the early 2000s and sentenced to at least 30 years in prison.

In September it was revealed that Ashton, 42, and Mila, 40, had written letters to the judge on Masterson’s behalf, pleading for ‘leniency’ after the trial.

In response to the backlash, the couple released a poorly received video apology and Ashton resigned as chairman of his anti-sex trafficking organization Thorn.

And now, some five months later, the actor returned to the spotlight on Thursday with 51-year-old talent manager Guy Oseary by his side.

Guy is the longtime business partner and manager of pop superstar Madonna.

He also manages comedian Amy Schumer and the rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers.

Ashton teamed up with Guy in 2015 to found venture capital firm Sound Ventures.

Last year they launched a $240 million AI investment fund Varietyto invest in “AI companies at the base model layer.”

For the Chase Bank event, Ashton looked smart in a navy suit, styled with a green polo shirt and black sneakers.

Despite being an A-list star, the Butterfly Effect star wore a paper name tag.

The man wore a similar blazer, which he paired with black pants and a white button-up shirt.

Other attendees at the event included Jerry Seinfeld, Karlie Kloss, Paris Hilton and Alex Rodriguez.

Ashton’s wife Mila, who was seen in Los Angeles two weeks ago, went missing during the operation.

Following Danny Masterson’s response, insiders claimed that Mila and Ashton were concerned that the ‘damage of it all’ could be detrimental to their careers.

“We are aware of the pain caused by the character letters we wrote on behalf of Danny Masterson,” Ashton began in their short apology video on Instagram.

“We support victims,” Mila added. “We have done this historically through our work and will continue to do so in the future.” Comments on the post have been disabled.

Critics were quick to call out X and express their displeasure at the “lawyer” apology.

The couple reportedly chose to stay out of the spotlight in recent months, hoping people would “forget” the ordeal.

The situation also brought their own relationship into question, with many highlighting that Mila was only 14 years old when she was cast in That 70’s Show, alongside a then 19-year-old Ashton.

Ashton and Mila tied the knot in 2015 and share two children: daughter Wyatt, nine, and son Dimitri, seven.

On Wednesday, it was revealed that Masterson has been transferred to a high-security facility that has long been the home of Charles Manson.

He was sentenced by a Los Angeles jury in September to 30 years to life behind bars with the possibility of parole for two counts of rape by force, violence or fear of bodily harm.

Since the conviction, Masterson, who was denied bail last week, has been held at North Kern State Prison.

He was recently transferred to Corcoran State Prison in Central California.

The disgraced actor’s current location is where he will likely serve the majority of his sentence.

Records show the once prominent member of the Church of Scientology will first be eligible for parole in 2042, when the now 42-year-old is 66.

Masterson, who shares a pre-teen daughter with actress Bijou Phillips, will reportedly live in the prison’s maximum security Level 4 housing unit – the highest level of security available at the prison.

In addition to cult leader Manson, Corcoran was also the prison where Sirhan Sirhan, who murdered RFK, was held.

Built in 1988, the prison houses some of California’s most dangerous inmates and has a significant population of Level 4 inmates who require additional protection and/or supervision.

If Masterson remains in danger or otherwise shows signs of serious “mental distress,” the prison has a small wing, the Protective Housing Unit, for inmates who are still at risk of injury.

Manson infamously spent nearly a decade in Corcoran’s Protective Housing wing.

Following Masterson’s conviction, it was reported that he was under 24-hour supervision for possibly showing signs of ‘mental distress’.

Officers visited his cell every half hour to check on him “with the aim of monitoring his mental state and ensuring he was safe.”

Masterson’s legal team is currently attempting to appeal his conviction.

Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Charlaine Olmedo said last week that Masterson “will likely remain in custody for decades, and perhaps for the rest of his life” if his sentence is upheld on appeal.

The judge, who oversaw his trial and subsequently denied him bail, said he was a flight risk in part because his now ex-wife Bijou Phillips had filed for divorce after his guilty verdict last year.

The judge’s ruling read: “In light of the fact that the suspect has no wife to go home to, the suspect now has every incentive to flee and little incentive to return to state prison to serve the remainder of his to serve a long sentence if his appeal were unsuccessful. .’

The denial comes after Masterson’s attorneys Clifford Gardner and Eric Multhaup wrote a motion on Jan. 17 asking the court to grant the disgraced actor bail.

Their motion read: “Defendant requests that the Court grant bail on appeal, and offers to comply with all relevant conditions imposed by the Court that enable him to be a stay-at-home parent and financial provider for his family, including house arrest and/or participation in an electronic monitoring program administered by the probation department.”

After his conviction for the two rapes, Masterson became so

and declared a “suppressive person” – or “SP” – which the church defines as someone whose behavior is aimed at hindering the spiritual progress of those around him.