Influencer Amine Mojito Sentenced to Prison Over Syringe …

French Influencer Amin Machito Sentenced Over “Fake Injection” Prank That Sparked Public Panic

A Viral Prank Turned Criminal

Influencer Amine Mojito Sentenced to Prison Over Syringe …, French influencer Amin Machito (real name Illan M.) has been sentenced by the Paris Criminal Court to 12 months in prison, with six months suspended, for filming himself pretending to inject random strangers on the street as part of a so-called “virus joke” video.

The 27-year-old content creator posted the footage online last June, coinciding with France’s annual World Music Day celebrations, showing him approaching unsuspecting people with a syringe — a stunt that quickly went viral and provoked outrage.

Court Verdict and Penalties

Machito was found guilty of “violence with a weapon that did not result in incapacity to work.”
The court imposed a €1,500 ($1,760) fine and banned him from owning or carrying any weapon for three years.

Prosecutors had initially sought a harsher 15-month sentence under electronic monitoring, citing how the prank amplified public anxiety over a series of reported — though mostly unproven — needle attacks during festivals and student gatherings in France.

“I Was in My Own World,” Says Machito

During the hearing, Machito expressed regret and claimed he didn’t realize the wider social impact of his stunt:

“I was in my own world and didn’t think about others. It was a terrible idea. I saw similar pranks in Spain and Portugal and thought it would help me relaunch my online career. I didn’t think it could actually scare people.”

Machito explained that his intent was to revive his online presence and promote a new fitness program, following a brief earlier career as a teenage influencer.

Defense Argues for Compassion

His lawyer, Marie-Claret de Florio, appealed for leniency, arguing that the court’s decision “restores balance between public order and her client’s fundamental rights,” after what she described as an early “media frenzy” around the case.

Two Months in Solitary Before Trial

Machito had already spent nearly two months in solitary confinement at Fleury-Mérogis Prison, one of France’s largest correctional facilities, before the court issued its final verdict.

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