CNN
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A popular Los Angeles YouTuber faces an explosives charge. Federal prosecutors accuse him of performing a video stunt in which fireworks were shot from a flying helicopter and into a speeding Lamborghini.
Suk Min Choi, 24, who also goes by Alex Choi, 24, was arrested Wednesday and charged with one count of placing an explosive or incendiary device on an aircraft, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said of the Central District of California in a statement. press release Thursday.
Choi, who has 923,000 subscribers on YouTube and 1.2 million followers on Instagram, posted a video titled “Destroying a Lamborghini with Fireworks” on July 4, 2023, according to an affidavit filed with the criminal complaint.
The nearly 11-minute video, which is no longer posted on Choi’s social media, shows two women shooting fireworks from the helicopter and toward the sports car, according to the affidavit.
“After shooting what appears to be a live-action version of a fictional video game scene, the video cuts to a behind-the-scenes look at how Choi shot the first third of the video. During this portion of the video, Choi allegedly made various references to himself coordinating the shooting,” the U.S. Attorney’s Office said.
Authorities believe the footage was filmed in June 2023 on a federal area of the El Mirage Dry Lake bed in San Bernardino County, California. The Bureau of Land Management provided photos of the tire tracks left by the sports car, according to prosecutors.
Choi is also accused of not having the necessary permits to film in the area, including approval from the Federal Aviation Administration for planned filming activities involving the helicopter, according to the affidavit.
Additionally, prosecutors said Choi traveled to Las Vegas to buy the fireworks because they were illegal in California.
CNN is attempting to identify Choi’s legal representation.
No other people involved in the video were named in the affidavit. No injuries were reported as a result of the stunt, Ciaran McEvoy, a spokesperson for the U.S. attorney’s office, told CNN.
Dozens of videos on Choi’s YouTube channel feature flashy luxury sports cars, although the most recent video was posted in December.
Choi made his first court appearance Thursday and was released on $50,000 bail, McEvoy said. Choi did not enter a plea. His arraignment is scheduled for July 2.
He faces up to 10 years in prison if convicted as charged, according to prosecutors.
