A YouTube star has been sentence to 15 months in prison sentence and a fine of over $22,000 for a mean prank in which he fed a 52-year-old homeless man in Barcelona Oreo cookies that were sandwiched together with toothpaste.
The sentencing was handed to Chinese YouTuber Kanghua Ren on Friday for a video that generated widespread outrage in 2017. In the clip, which has since been removed from his channel, the 21-year-old prankster joked the homeless man would at least have clean teeth.
"Maybe I've gone a bit far, but look at the positive side: This will help him clean his teeth," the 21-year-old YouTuber known as ReSet said, according to TechCrunch. "I think he hasn't cleaned them since he became poor."
The repackaged cookies caused the homeless man who was later identified as Gheorge L. to fall ill and vomit. Speaking to local media he said he had "never been treated so poorly while living on the street," according to Newsweek.
The video generated $2,475 and sent Ren back to Gheorge L. for a second visit.
"People exaggerate over jokes in the street (played) on a beggar, when surely if it's done to a normal person they wouldn't say anything," he quipped in a separate clip.
Ren has no prior criminal record and, although he was charged with a crime against moral integrity, his 15-month prison sentence likely will not be enforced. He will be required to pay $22,305 to his victim who ensured "physical suffering" after eating the cookies, a judge ruled.
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