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 stars at a Chase Bank function in Miami this week – marking his first public event since he and his wife Mila Kunis were slammed for supporting That ‘70s Show co-star and convicted rapist Danny Masterson.

Masterson, 47 – who was recently moved to a maximum security prison that previously 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.

It was uncovered in September that Ashton, 42, and Mila, 40, had penned letters to the judge on Masterson’s behalf begging for ‘leniency’ after the trial.

In response to the backlash, the couple issued a poorly-received video apology and Ashton stepped down as chair of his anti-sex trafficking organization Thorn.

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

Guy is pop superstar Madonna’s longtime business partner and manager.

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

Ashton partnered with Guy in 2015 to create the venture-capital firm Sound Ventures.

Last year they launched a $240million AI investment fund, as per Variety, to invest in ‘AI businesses at the foundation model layer.’

For the Chase Bank event, Ashton looked smart in a navy blue 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.

Guy sported a similar blazer which he styled with black pants and white button down shirt.

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

Missing from the action was Ashton’s wife Mila, who was seen out in Los Angeles two weeks ago. 

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

‘We are aware of the pain that has been caused by the character letters we wrote on behalf of Danny Masterson,’ Ashton began in their short Instagram apology video.

‘We support victims,’ Mila, added. ‘We have done this historically through our work and will continue to do so in the future.’ The comments on the post were disabled.

Critics were quick to take to X to unleash their dismay over the ‘lawyered’ apology.

The couple reportedly chose to stay out of the spotlight for the last several months in the hopes that people would ‘forget’ about the ordeal.

The situation also saw their own relationship called 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.

It was revealed on Wednesday that Masterson has been moved to a maximum-security facility that was the longtime holding place of Charles Manson.

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

Since sentencing, Masterson, who was denied bail last week, has been held at the North Kern state prison.

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

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

Records indicate that 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 maximum-security prison’s Level 4 housing unit – the highest tier of security available at the facility.

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

The prison, which was built in 1988, houses some of California’s most dangerous prisoners and has a sizable population of Level 4 inmates in need of extra protection and/or supervision.

If Masterson is still in danger or otherwise showing signs of severe ‘mental distress,’ the prison has a small wing called the Protective Housing unit for inmates who remain in danger of being harmed.

Manson infamously spent nearly ten years in Corcoran’s Protective Housing wing.

Following Masterson’s sentencing, it was reported that he was under round-the-clock surveillance due to potentially showing signs of ‘mental distress.’

Deputies would come by his cell every half hour to check on him ‘with the goal of keeping tabs on his mental state and making sure he’s 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 the rest of his life’ if his sentence is upheld on appeal.

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

The judge’s order read: ‘In light of the fact that defendant has no wife to go home to, defendant now has every incentive to flee and little reason to return to state prison to serve out the remainder of his lengthy sentence should his appeal be unsuccessful.’

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

Their motion read: ‘Defendant requests that this Court grant bail on appeal, and offers to comply with any relevant terms and conditions imposed by the Court that enable him to be an 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 was

and declared a ‘suppressive person’ – or ‘SP’ – which the church defines as someone whose behavior seeks to impede the spiritual progress of those around him.