The upcoming court trial seems to be motivating Johnny Somali to take his problematic behavior to a whole new level.
Friday is the day: the trial of IRL streamer Johnny Somali is finally set to begin. But instead of keeping a low profile and hoping to bring some calm to the proceedings in South Korea, he seems intent on doing the exact opposite, behaving worse than ever in recent days.
The Charges Against Somali
Since Somali traveled to South Korea a few months ago, he has racked up a whole list of offenses for which he now has to answer in court. The most serious include deepfaking a South Korean influencer, harassing children at an amusement park, and threatening to infect as many South Korean women as possible with HIV.
Following a nationwide scandal involving deepfake videos, which rocked the country and led to the dismantling of a blackmail ring with thousands of members, South Korean society and justice have placed a strong focus on such offenses.
While Somali’s actions may seem less severe in comparison, they are being judged by the same standards—especially since he released multiple deepfake videos of various influencers.
His harassment of children—placing them in sexualized contexts—is also being judged under a specific law, which could potentially land him in a labor camp.
South Korea’s law for the protection and prevention of HIV transmission considers even the threat of infecting someone with the disease as a punishable offense, making Somali’s statements legally actionable.
On top of that, he is also facing several other minor charges, such as public disturbance, substance abuse, and stalking. Experts believe that if found guilty on all counts, Somali could face up to 31 years in a South Korean prison and even be sentenced to time in a labor camp.
Somali Is Only Making Things Worse
Rather than preparing for trial or showing remorse in hopes of leniency, Somali appears to be doubling down.
Over the past few days, he has streamed for several hours almost daily, often under the influence of alcohol and other substances.
During these streams, he threatened various influencers and streamers, claiming to have gang connections around the world who could be mobilized against them. He encouraged South Koreans to come find him and voiced support for American football player Shannon Sharpe, who had threatened to strangle a woman who accused him of sexual harassment.
“He threatened to choke a white b**** – I respect that” Somali said, going on to talk about how much he “loves white p****."
Exactly what Somali hopes to achieve with this behavior is unclear—though it seems more likely to be a sign of desperation in an already hopeless situation.
He had previously expressed hope of being deported back to the U.S. to avoid prosecution, even appealing directly to President Trump to “bring him home.” He also considered invoking racial profiling or accusing the judge of racism—tactics that had previously helped him escape legal trouble in China.
A Lengthy Trial Ahead
It’s extremely unlikely that Somali will walk away unscathed. The case has become too public—both globally and especially within South Korea—for it to be dismissed. The charges are too numerous and serious, and his lawyer reportedly hasn’t practiced actively in years.
Although the trial officially begins on Friday, no decisions will be made yet. The initial hearing is mostly to determine what will be tried, what evidence is admissible, and which witnesses will be heard. Still, it will set the tone for a drawn-out legal battle that could ultimately see Johnny Somali sentenced to up to 31 years in prison.
Do you think this is justified? Should Somali spend decades in a South Korean prison, or should he be deported back to the U.S.?