A former drug dealer who rehabilitated himself to become a whistleblower on San Francisco’s escalating drug and homelessness crisis has been indicted on suspicion of pimping and pandering.
Ricci Wynne, 39, who regularly appears on Fox News as he chronicles the Democratic city’s big issues, is known for his fiery rhetoric and unfiltered videos exposing the city’s open-air drug markets.
But on Saturday evening, Wynne was arrested on charges of pimping at the San Francisco airport.
Law enforcement officials allege Wynne exploited vulnerable individuals for financial gain, an accusation that stands in stark contrast to his public persona as an advocate for reform.
Details of the case are still emerging, but authorities have pointed to evidence linking Wynne to activities that exploited individuals struggling with homelessness and addiction — the very demographics he claimed to be defending.
Wynne was arrested at San Francisco International Airport at 8:50 PM on Saturday, along with a 30-year-old woman who police say was being used for sex work, after they arrived on a flight from Miami.
The woman was released and Wynne was arrested after officers discovered “probable cause.” Maxie said.
Wynne was booked into the San Francisco County Jail just after 2 a.m. Monday morning.
Ricci Wynne, a former drug dealer who rehabilitated himself to become a would-be whistleblower on San Francisco’s escalating drug and homeless crisis, has been indicted on suspicion of pimping and pandering.
Wynne, 39, regularly appears on Fox News as he highlights the Democratic city’s most important issues
Wynee regularly appears on Fox News and is known for his fiery rhetoric and unfiltered videos exposing the city’s open-air drug markets
Police then conducted a search of Wynne’s home in the city, where they found more than $79,000 in cash in the apartment where investigators say sex work took place.
With more than 100,000 followers on Instagram and 29,900 followers on .
Wynne’s videos forced uncomfortable conversations about the state of San Francisco and highlighted the human cost of the city’s ineffective policies.
Critics argued that his approach lacked nuance and empathy, focusing more on shock value than on any meaningful or lasting solutions, leading to accusations of opportunism.
Wynne rose to prominence after a troubled past, including his own struggles with addiction and incarceration.
A former drug dealer, he pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm and possession with intent to distribute cocaine and was released from prison in December 2021 and sentenced to three years’ probation.
He turned to social media as his platform and seemed determined to shed light on the issues facing his city.
His videos captured the grim reality of neighborhoods like the Tenderloin, where drug use and open-air drug dealing flourished.
Wynne’s videos forced uncomfortable conversations about the state of San Francisco and highlighted the human cost of the city’s ineffective policies
Wynne rose to prominence after a troubled past, including his own struggles with addiction, his work as a drug dealer and subsequent incarceration
Wynne’s videos would help bring attention to the problems with San Francisco, especially when it comes to the city’s drug problems
On social media, Wynne seemed to want to get women off the streets and into rehab
Wynne was even pictured during the most recent election campaign helping Daniel Lurie rise to power and become the city’s new mayor
Wynne has over 100,000 followers on Instagram and 29,900 followers on X
Wynne’s raw images and candid commentary struck a chord with viewers.
‘I have lived this life. I’ve been there. I am not just an outsider who comes to criticize’ Wynne said this in an interview last year. “This is about holding people accountable.”
His criticism was often directed at city officials and harm reduction policies, which he said allowed the drug crisis to continue rather than alleviate it.
But as Wynne’s posts gained traction, he also became a polarizing figure who acted as a hero to some who admired his unvarnished activism, and a troublemaker to others who found his methods sensational.