French social media influencer Amine Mojito, whose real name is Ilan M., has been sentenced to prison for his viral syringe prank videos that caused widespread fear in France.
The Paris Criminal Court handed down the verdict on Friday, October 3, sentencing the 27-year-old to 12 months in prison, six months in custody and six months suspended. He was also fined €1,500 ($1,761) and barred from owning or carrying a f+rearm for three years.
Mojito went viral after posting videos showing him pretending to inject strangers with an empty syringe on the streets of Paris. The clips circulated just before France’s Fête de la Musique (World Music Day) in June, a time when the nation was already tense due to false reports of needle attacks at festivals and student events.
The court found Mojito guilty of “vi%lence with a weapon not resulting in work incapacity.” Prosecutors had sought a harsher penalty—15 months under electronic surveillance for five years, arguing that his actions fueled public anxiety during a sensitive period.
In his defense, Mojito claimed he never intended h@rm, calling it a “bad idea” inspired by similar pranks he had seen online. “I didn’t think it could scare people. That was my mistake, I thought only of myself,” he told the court, as reported by Libération.
He added that the prank was an attempt to revive his online career and promote a fitness program, following what he described as a brief period of popularity as a teen influencer.
