American YouTuber Johnny Somali has been banned from leaving South Korea while authorities investigate him over drug allegations.
The controversial streamer, 24, whose real name is Ramsey Khalid Ismael, rose to fame in the East Asian country for his disruptive and often offensive stunts.
He arrived in South Korea in September and has already been attacked by several locals who were shocked by his behavior, and now he has gotten into legal trouble.
According The Korean HeraldKorean authorities imposed a travel ban on the content creator to prevent him from leaving the country while police investigations are underway.
After receiving reports on an emergency hotline accusing the streamer of drug use, police quickly began investigations.
American YouTuber Johnny Somali has been banned from leaving South Korea while authorities investigate him over drug allegations.
The Somali, whose real name is Ramsey Khalid Ismael, rose to fame in the East Asian country for his disruptive and often offensive stunts.
He also broadcast himself kissing the country’s Statue of Peace during a live video.
Korean law firm Lee & Lee said that if Somali is convicted, he could face 10 years in prison or a fine of up to 100 million won ($95,000).
The streamer, from Arizona, was also discussed in South Korea’s parliament last month after a series of videos appeared to show him wreaking havoc in the country.
One member of parliament questioned whether there will be legal consequences for his actions, which include disrespecting a memorial statue and pouring ramen on the floor of a convenience store.
He also broadcast himself kissing the country’s Statue of Peace during a live video, a monument honoring Korean comfort women who were forced into sexual slavery by the Japanese military during World War II.
The following week he reportedly applied baby oil to the statue and suggested he would perform lewd acts on it. reported the Korea JoongAng newspaper.
“We are watching Johnny Somali,” said the speaker of parliament.
It came after Somali was reportedly detained for his own protection late last month after a livestream showed someone in a mask assaulting him.
Her alleged attacker, who has since been reported as a rival YouTuber from Japan, was arrested and online clips later showed Somali in the back of a police car.
Somalia has previously said it would perform lewd acts against a statue, the Korea JoongAng Daily reports.
The controversial streamer was discussed in South Korea’s parliament last month after videos emerged showing him wreaking havoc in the country.
A Dexerto report claimed that Somali had been charged with two counts of assault and drug use, which he vehemently denied.
Somali was reportedly detained for his own protection late last month after a live broadcast showed him being assaulted by someone wearing a mask.
The streamer can be seen drinking Soju, being disrespectful to officials and angering locals in images circulating on social media.
“Americans have a lot more freedom here,” he was heard saying in one clip.
‘These black people protect us, us in the back of a police car. Come find us! Come find us!’
Police later told local media: “We intend to investigate related complaints.”
This incident became the third time a Somali was attacked in a week, after being beaten in Seoul on two separate occasions the previous week.
TO expert report He claimed that Somali had been charged with two counts of assault and drug use, which he vehemently denied.
“I have never been accused of assaulting anyone, this is a warning for me to delete this post and this article or I will take legal action,” he wrote about the report about X.
Police confirmed that Somali is still in South Korea, despite posting a photo at Incheon International Airport this week.
His YouTube channel, which had almost 19,000 subscribers, now appears to have been deleted.