Prominent YouTuber Faces Kidnapping Charges

Summary

• Popular YouTuber Corey Pritchett faces aggravated kidnapping charges and is a fugitive from US justice.
• Pritchett, currently believed to be in Dubai, posted a video taunting authorities and the allegations.
• His potential return to the US and the ultimate resolution of the case remain unknown.

Corey Pritchett, a prominent US-based YouTube personality, is facing serious legal trouble. He's been charged with two counts of aggravated kidnapping following an incident on November 24, 2024, in southwest Houston. The allegations, which have shocked his substantial online following, detail a disturbing turn of events after a seemingly normal day of activities with two young women.

Pritchett, known for his family vlogs, challenges, and pranks on his channels "CoreySSG" (approximately 4 million subscribers) and "CoreySSG Live" (over 1 million subscribers), allegedly held the 19 and 20-year-old women against their will at gunpoint. According to reports from ABC13, the ordeal involved high-speed driving and the confiscation of their phones. The women escaped after Pritchett, reportedly anxious and fearing persecution for a separate alleged arson incident, allowed them to flee. They subsequently contacted authorities.

Pritchett's Evasion and Defiance

Charged on December 26, 2024, Pritchett had already left the country. He reportedly flew to Doha, Qatar, on December 9th on a one-way ticket and is now believed to be in Dubai. Adding insult to injury, he posted a video online mocking the warrants for his arrest, openly admitting to being "on the run" and making light of the situation. This contrasts with the serious nature of the charges and the trauma experienced by the alleged victims. The case draws parallels to other high-profile cases involving online personalities, such as the unrelated legal issues facing former streamer Johnny Somali in South Korea.

The future of this case is uncertain. Whether Pritchett will voluntarily return to the US to face justice remains to be seen. The incident also serves as a stark reminder of the unpredictable nature of online fame and the potential for serious consequences, as highlighted by the 2023 kidnapping of YouTuber YourFellowArab in Haiti, an experience he later documented in harrowing detail.