Johnny Somali, a streamer, could face a lengthy prison sentence, potentially including forced labor, as his trial in South Korea nears its conclusion.
In 2024, Johnny Somali, also known as Ramsey Khalid Ismael, continued his career as a streamer with a trip to South Korea, following previous arrests during travels to Japan and Israel.
Similar to past issues he’s had while traveling, the American was arrested again after a series of disruptive behaviors. These included causing trouble at a 7-Eleven, interfering with a public bus, and even playing North Korean propaganda.
Ismael admitted guilt to several crimes, but he strongly fought to have charges related to deepfakes dropped. These charges stemmed from accusations that he shared AI-generated videos of Korean content creators.
Somali appeared in court on February 27, 2026, to deliver his closing arguments, but they appear to have caused him further trouble.
Johnny Somali reportedly offends judge after blaming South Korean legal system
YouTuber and lawyer Legal Mindset reports that Somali apologized, stating he was “held captive” in Korea for a year and a half.
He admitted he made some mistakes while drinking and understands he needs to face the consequences. He explained that growing up in the United States, he didn’t fully grasp how seriously those actions – which wouldn’t be against the law back home – could be viewed in Korea, and he is truly sorry.
So, apparently Somali wasn’t happy about being accused of using deepfakes. He pointed out that another Korean streamer, Bongbong, actually shared those same videos too, which seemed pretty important to him.
He argued that the law wasn’t being applied fairly, explaining that his report about Bongbong hadn’t been taken seriously by the police. He then pleaded for leniency, saying he was young and simply wanted to return home to his family.
According to Legal Mindset, the judge seemed confused and rejected the argument. Following this, the prosecution requested a harsh sentence for the streamer.
The prosecutor asked the court to sentence him to three years in prison with mandatory work, plus the maximum fine of 150,000 won – a little over $100. They also recommended he be added to the sex offender registry, which could create problems for him even after he returns to the United States, as failing to register there could lead to further penalties.
The judge denied his request for an immediate sentence, and he’s now scheduled to be sentenced at his next court hearing on April 15th.
This situation arises as many live streamers worldwide have recently received significant penalties for their on-air behavior.
Vitaly was imprisoned in the Philippines for almost 300 days after causing trouble with locals, committing theft, harassing a security guard, and even trying to take their weapon.
Jack Doherty could face up to seven years in prison following an incident during a video shoot where he was accused of resisting arrest and possessing drugs.
Read More
- All Golden Ball Locations in Yakuza Kiwami 3 & Dark Ties
- A Knight Of The Seven Kingdoms Season 1 Finale Song: ‘Sixteen Tons’ Explained
- Gold Rate Forecast
- Hollywood is using “bounty hunters” to track AI companies misusing IP
- Mario Tennis Fever Review: Game, Set, Match
- These are the 25 best PlayStation 5 games
- What time is the Single’s Inferno Season 5 reunion on Netflix?
- Beyond Linear Predictions: A New Simulator for Dynamic Networks
- 4. The Gamer’s Guide to AI Summarizer Tools
- Best Zombie Movies (October 2025)
2026-02-27 19:51