Bad Influence(r)s

Hyderabad: They influence millions, give all the ‘gyaan’ about the good things in life, like being healthy, spiritual and successful.  But look at the lives of all those influencing us. While US-based Ruby Franke, who branded herself as a “parenting expert” was arrested on charges of child abuse, another social media influencer Abhinay Gupta, who has nine million followers on TikTok, was arrested by Mumbai police for stealing valuables worth Rs 24 lakh. The latest addition being “motivational speaker” Vivek Bindra. who has been accused of domestic violence. The list of influencers who were arrested across the world in 2023 is really long. Still want to follow and believe these so-called influencers? How about including “no more influencers” in your New Year's Resolution list?

Don’t follow blindly

Madhulika Maniyar, social media influencer, says just like one bad fish can spoil the whole pond, a few influencers are spoiling the name of the community. “People don’t  always post what’s happening in their life, some of them pretend. We will never know who they actually are and what they do until they’re exposed. So, it’s better we always pick only those things which benefit us rather than follow influencers blindly,” she says.

‘Follow world class’

Nadia Hakani, a leadership trainer and team-building facilitator who operates in India and abroad, says, “I know of influencers who encourage others to drink a beverage even though they may not use it themselves.” She adds that it’s important to have a mentor who can help people find the right route.

February

Sapna Gill, an Instagram influencer, was arrested for allegedly attacking cricketer Prithvi Shaw and causing damage to his car during an argument over selfies. She has over 2 million Instagram followers and is also well-known on other video-sharing platforms like Josh, Snapchat, and YouTube.

March

Naina Kanwal, a Haryana-based social media influencer and international-level wrestler, was detained after illegal weapons were discovered in her hands. She was assigned as a trainee SI in the Rajasthan Police and is also a social media influencer with over 2,51,000 followers. She used to share her workout routine and journey on social media, as well as personal experiences.

April

Jasneet Kaur alias Rajbir Kaur, an Instagram influencer, was detained by the Ludhiana Police on allegations of blackmail and extortion. Kaur was accused of blackmailing her Facebook friends. Her BMW automobile and phone were taken by cops.

August

Ramsey Khalid Ismael, a 23-year-old American influencer known as Johnny Somali, was detained after reportedly sneaking into a construction site in Osaka, Japan. On September 21, Ismael was formally charged with trespassing, according to local authorities.  

September

Dayjia Blackwell, a social media celebrity, was among those arrested in Philadelphia for looting. She was live streaming her burglaries and urged others to do the same.

October

In South Korea, a social media fashion influencer known as “Miss A” was detained in connection with the fabrication and selling of counterfeit luxury-brand merchandise. The influencer was the CEO of a corporation that made 2.43 billion won (about US$1.8 million) in illicit earnings, with a genuine-item price of around US $25 million. Over 20,000 articles of clothes, shoes, and jewellery were counterfeited from 58 labels, including both South Korean and foreign brands.
Abhimanyu Gupta, a former TikTok star, was nabbed by Bandra police for stealing items worth Rs 24 lakhs, including gold jewellery and gems worth Rs 23 lakhs, from a BMW parked outside Lilavati Hospital. Before the authorities outlawed TikTok, he had nine million followers. He thereafter moved to Insta, where his videos depicting a luxurious lifestyle have acquired 4 lakh followers.

November

In Istanbul, an influencer recognised throughout the country for her luxurious and showy lifestyle as shown through her social media posts was detained on various charges involving money laundering and tax evasion through several beauty salons and other businesses. Among those arrested were Dilan Polat’s spouse, Engin Polat, her brother and sister, Engin Polat’s father and brother, and the couple’s lawyer. The couple’s huge fleet of luxury automobiles was also seized.

December

Vivek Bindra, a prominent motivational speaker, has been charged with abusing his wife Yanika Bindra. On December 6, he married Yanika. And barely eight days later, a charge was filed against him at Noida.