YouTuber Arrested Over Stunt Involving Fireworks Shot at a Lamborghini From a Helicopter, Faces up to 10 Years in Prison If Convicted
San Fernando Valley resident Suk Min Choi, aka YouTube creator Alex Choi, was arrested on a federal criminal complaint alleging he directed a YouTube video in which two women in a helicopter repeatedly shot fireworks at a Lamborghini sports car last year, federal authorities said.
Choi, 24, was arrested June 5 and charged with one count of “causing the placement of an explosive or incendiary device on an aircraft,” according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for Central District of California. If convicted, Choi would face a statutory maximum sentence of 10 years in federal prison.
Reps for Choi at his management firm, Underscore Talent, did not respond to a request for comment Friday.
Choi’s YouTube channel, which touts videos of “the greatest car shenanigans,” has 924,000 subscribers. The video over which federal authorities arrested him, “Destroying a Lamborghini With Fireworks,” is no longer available on YouTube.
According to an affidavit filed with the complaint, Choi posted the “Destroying a Lamborghini with Fireworks” video to his channel on July 4, 2023. In the video, Choi allegedly presses a “fire missiles” button while two women are in a helicopter, shooting fireworks at a speeding Lamborghini. Law enforcement officials believe the video was shot on the El Mirage Dry Lakebed in San Bernardino County, per the U.S. attorney’s office.
After the initial footage of the fireworks being shot at the Lamborghini, the 10 minute, 45-second video showed a behind-the-scenes look at how Choi shot the first portion of the video. Per federal authorities, Choi allegedly made various references to himself coordinating the shoot and directing the video. In other parts of the video, Choi was shown next to the helicopter, holding what appears to be a firework, according to the affidavit. In addition, in the video, Choi thanked a camera company for “being a part of my crazy stupid ideas.” He also allegedly said in the video that the group that helped make the video “[expletive] up” at one point “because I forgot to tell my friend how to use a torch,” according to the U.S. attorney’s office.
Choi made his initial appearance on Thursday in U.S. District Court for the Central District of California and was released on a $50,000 bond, according to the U.S. attorney’s office. Choi’s arraignment is scheduled for July 2.
Law enforcement officials said they believe Choi committed the offense sometime in June 2023. Federal authorities allege he did not have a permit to film a shoot using fireworks on a helicopter and that he purchased the fireworks in Nevada because they were illegal in California. The U.S. attorney’s office noted that a “complaint is merely an allegation, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.”
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