A French social media personality has been imprisoned for exploiting widespread public anxiety over needle attacks by filming pranks in which he jabbed strangers with capped syringes before posting their distress online for millions of viewers.
The Paris court sentenced Ilan M., who built a following as Amine Mojito on TikTok, to one year’s imprisonment with six months suspended after prosecutors argued his content amplified a climate of fear gripping the nation.
The 27-year-old had produced videos showing him approaching unsuspecting members of the public and jabbing them with what appeared to be functioning syringes, despite the needles being capped and containing no harmful substances. Victims were left believing they had been injected, with several requiring medical examination in the aftermath.
The timing of the content proved particularly inflammatory. France had experienced a wave of reported needle attacks at concerts and nightclubs, with patrons across the country claiming to have been pricked by strangers in crowded venues. The incidents had generated extensive media coverage and public alarm when Ilan’s videos began circulating.
Prosecutors maintained his content extended beyond individual harm, arguing it actively contributed to societal fears surrounding needle crime and normalised targeting strangers in public spaces for entertainment.
One victim described the experience as “a nightmare,” recounting hours spent believing they had contracted a virus following the staged attack. The court acknowledged that whilst no actual injections occurred, the psychological impact on those targeted proved both significant and genuine.
Ilan attempted to contextualise his actions during proceedings, telling the judge he had drawn inspiration from similar content produced in Spain and Portugal. “I didn’t think it could hurt people,” he stated, according to Oddity Central. “That was my mistake. I didn’t think of others. I thought of myself.”
He characterised the videos as “a very bad idea,” though the admission failed to sway prosecutors from their position that the content warranted custodial punishment.
The influencer’s videos had accumulated millions of views across platforms before his arrest, with the material shared extensively throughout social media networks.
The case has triggered renewed debate in France regarding legal parameters surrounding filmed pranks and the responsibilities carried by content creators who profit from exploiting public anxieties. Legal observers suggest the sentencing may establish precedent for how courts handle social media personalities whose content deliberately causes distress for commercial gain.
Ilan will serve six months behind bars, with his conduct during that period potentially influencing any subsequent legal proceedings.
