24-year-old American “nuisance influencer” faces prison time after being arrested in South Korea

SEOUL (WKRC) – An American “nuisance influencer” is facing prison time after his arrest in South Korea.

According to CNN, 24-year-old Ramsey Khalid Ismael, known online as “Johnny Somali,” was arrested in South Korea after causing a “commotion” at a supermarket.

The network reported that Ismael built a reputation with his provocative and extremely offensive stunts, apparently to gain attention, which led to him being banned from several social media platforms.

His antics include harassing locals in countries across Asia and disrupting societal norms, including one instance in which Ishmael desecrated a South Korean monument to women forced into sexual slavery by the Japanese Empire. The incident sparked widespread outrage across South Korea, and according to CNN, Ismael posted an apology online earlier this month.

Ismael’s antics have led to angry locals threatening retaliation against him online. JTBC broadcast a video showing Ishmael being kicked as a group followed him, the station reported.

According to CNN, the Ismael situation appears to reflect a broader problem of foreigners exploiting local customs to gain attention online. Citing reports from Japanese news outlets, CNN reported that foreign content creators have been accused of several violations, including the following:

• Doing pull-ups on shrine gates

• “Disturbing dancing” in subways

Ismael took a trip to Japan last year and was arrested in Osaka on suspicion of trespassing at a construction site. According to CNN, this also sparked outrage when he posted a post mocking commuters about the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

MBC News confirmed to CNN that Ismael is under an exit ban, preventing him from leaving the country during the investigation.

According to CNN, Ismael could face up to five years in prison if found guilty.