A French influencer, identified online as Amine Mojito and real name Ilan M, has been sentenced to 12 months in prison, with six months suspended, for his involvement in a series of disturbing pranks. The influencer filmed himself approaching strangers on the streets of Paris and pretending to inject them with syringes. Crucially, the syringes were empty, but the unsuspecting victims were understandably horrified.
The Paris Criminal Court issued the ruling on October 3rd. According to reports from French newspaper Libération, the 27-year-old prankster appeared remorseful in court, stating he was “ashamed” and didn’t fully grasp the social implications of his actions, admitting he was “in his own world.” He explained that he was inspired by similar pranks seen online in Spain and Portugal, and that his mistake was not considering the impact on others.
The court found him guilty of “violence with a weapon that did not result in incapacity for work.” In addition to the prison sentence, he was fined €1,500 and prohibited from possessing or carrying a weapon for three years. His lawyer, Marie Claret de Fleurieu, commented that the sentence aimed to bring the situation back into perspective following public attention and strike a balance between public order and her client’s rights.