Amine Mojito, whose real name is Ilan M., received a 12-month prison sentence, with half of that time to be served in custody. A Paris court determined that his viral act constituted “violence with a weapon not resulting in work incapacity,” according to the French publication Libération.
The 27-year-old was also fined €1,500 and prohibited from possessing or carrying a weapon for a period of three years. The influencer uploaded videos depicting him sneaking up on people and feigning injections with a capped syringe, just days before the major Fête de la Musique street festival in June.
While the videos gained popularity, prosecutors stated they contributed to heightened public concern regarding a wave of recent syringe assaults occurring in the nation. Public outrage surged following the circulation of Mojito’s videos.
Amine Mojito’s statement after arrest
Prosecutors reportedly labeled him a “public menace,” arguing that his actions “knowingly aggravated public outrage in an otherwise volatile context.” One victim recounted in court that the incident felt “like a nightmare,” especially in light of ongoing health concerns.
Mojito maintained that it was merely a foolish stunt aimed at revitalizing his social media presence and promoting a fitness program. He stated in court, as reported by Libération: “I had the very bad idea of doing these pranks by imitating what I saw on the Internet, in Spain [and] in Portugal,”
“I didn’t think it could hurt people. That was my mistake, I didn’t think about others, I thought about myself.”
His attorneys pleaded for mercy, highlighting the two months he has already spent in pre-trial detention in solitary confinement at Fleury-Mérogis prison.
Attorney Marie Claret de Fleurieu contended that the ruling “brings the debate back to more reasonable proportions after the initial media frenzy.”
However, the court remained unmoved. This sentence follows months of anxiety related to needle incidents across France.
