YouTubeControversial streamer Johnny Somali could be looking at way more than a slap on the wrist for the charges he pled guilty to in South Korea, according to a legal expert.
For months, Johnny Somali went viral with his IRL broadcasts across South Korea where he terrorized locals with his antics, including dancing inappropriately with the Statue of Peace – a monument to victims of sexual slavery in WWII.
During his broadcasts, Somali, real name Ramsey Khalid Ismael, got into all sorts of trouble by allegedly blasting North Korean propaganda, creating AI deepfakes of streamer BongBong, violating the railroad act and threatening to sexually assault female streamers.
So far, he’s pled guilty to Obstruction of Business for causing a commotion in a 7-Eleven and two counts of the Minor Crimes Act for disturbing passengers on a bus with a dead fish, as well as twerking on the subway.
He’s also facing another Obstruction of Business charge, which could warrant a maximum punishment of 10 years in jail and a fine of just over $10K USD.
Although Somali doesn’t believe he’ll face a severe punishment, and showcased as much by showing up to court hungover and wearing a MAGA hat, Kim Ju-hyeong, a senior attorney at the law firm Majung, doesn’t believe jail time is off the table.
Johnny Somali/XJohnny Somali could be forced to do jail time before leaving South Korea
Speaking to the Korea Herald, Kim explained that although Somali will likely be deported, he might have to serve time in a local jail first, depending on the sentence he receives.
“Foreigners are ordered to leave the country, either voluntarily or forcibly, if their criminal actions result in a fine of more than 3 million won ($2,058). Considering the multiple charges against Ismael and the serious nature of his offenses, it is very unlikely that he will receive a lighter penalty than this,” he noted.
If he does get jail time, he’ll be forced to serve his time before being detained at an immigration detention center.
“Foreigners who are subject to a departure or deportation order due to illegal actions are typically prohibited from entering the country for a certain period, depending on the nature and severity of their offenses.”
Johnny Somali is looking at even more charges
In addition to the second Obstruction of Business charge, during one of Somali’s drunken Parti streams, he revealed a document that confirmed he’s facing a sex crime in another district.
As explained by YouTube lawyer Legal Mindset, the document indicated that the charge was referred by the police to the prosecution.
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“He confirmed that in the Eastern district, there’s a fifth charge that the prosecutors haven’t officially announced yet,” he said.
Because Somali pled guilty to the other charges, this would make him a convicted criminal, so the deepfake charges could result in “serious jail time,” according to Legal Mindset.
Meanwhile, Somali claimed he tried to place charges against streamer BongBong after she shared a deepfake of herself kissing Johnny.
“If I’m going down, you’re going down, b*tch!” he exclaimed.
It’s looking like there will be a whole other trial relating to this new charge and others that could follow, so it’s unlikely that Ismael will be able to leave South Korea anytime soon.
Many in the country are hoping that this case sets a precedent for nuisance streamers and that their behavior won’t go without major consequences.
“I hope a fair final judgment is made to prevent such incidents from happening again in the country,” Seo Kyoung-duk, professor of general education at Sungshin Women’s University, said.
“A strong punishment must be imposed to set an example.”
Others have taken the situation into their own hands, such as a former South Korean Navy SEAL, who KO’d Somali after finding him in a must-see video.
Somali is set to be back in court on April 9.
