Alan and Alex Stokes: YouTube stars guilty of bank robbery

Two American YouTube stars Alan and Alex Stokes have been sentenced suspended by a California court for an unsuccessful prank. The twins released a video about it on Wednesday (local time), blaming them for the bank robbery. Youtube-Display Channel This incident led to a police operation in which an unlicensed Uber driver was briefly arrested.

YouTubers, known to millions of viewers, disguised themselves as bank robbers in October 2019 and ordered transport service provider Uber’s car while being filmed by employees. The Uber driver, who was not privy to the prank, refused to take the two brothers with him. When a witness who believed he was witnessing an actual bank robbery and was trying to be held hostage, police briefly arrested the driver at gunpoint.

The police warned the YouTubers but let them go. Hours later, he committed a similar prank on the University of California campus, resulting in another police operation.

Prosecutor Todd Spitzer said, “A person could be seriously injured or killed because of these crimes.” A bank robbery is not a regular occurrence for the police. He said area officials “risked their lives to help people who are in danger,” he said. It is “irresponsible and inconsistent” that the Stokes brothers were more interested in increasing their fan base on the Internet than the security of police officers and “innocent Uber drivers.”

Originally, 23-year-old twins were charged with depriving them of freedom. It is considered a capital offense in the United States and carries a prison sentence of up to five years. After the court dismissed a misdemeanor charge, the brothers were convicted. The court sentenced him to a one-year suspended sentence. In addition, both must perform 160 hours of social service and be compensated.

The Stokes brothers have about 6.6 million fans on YouTube, and about 30 million users follow them on the TikTok platform. In their jokes, YouTubers usually target their own friends or relatives.