Canadian TikToker was arrested after "simulating crimes" to attract law enforcement for content

Anthony Gagne, a 27-year-old TikToker and social media influencer, was recently arrested by the police in Gatineau, Canada, after he was caught driving a truck with "Free Candy" inscribed on the side to "attract children" in May 2023. A press release from the SPVG notes this isn't the first time this influencer has faked crimes to attract the attention of law enforcement. After a preliminary investigation, he was arrested earlier this month.

The issue with TikToker's using problematic and sometimes illegal means to make content that goes viral has become quite a predicament in recent months. As per the police reports, authorities found some videos on various social media platforms that feature Gagne simulating crimes.

As such, the free candy truck video that put him on the radar of the police is still up on his YouTube channel and has been titled Riding around in a white van! (FREE CANDY EDITION).

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TikToker gagnepower was arrested earlier this month for faking crimes

His main account on TikTok was gagnepower, which has since been removed from the platform following the intervention from law enforcement. However, he still has a number of his backup accounts live, as well as his YouTube. According to the official statement, his combined following on social media was well above 500K at the time of his arrest.

As noted by the press release, this is not even his first attempt at making up a crime to get the police involved for content. His mission appears to get the FBI to call on him as the bio of his alternate account, gagnepower2, reads:

"I'm trying to get the FBI at my door."

Considering he has a video on YouTube that was uploaded over a year ago titled Trying to get the FBI at my door: We did it!, he appears to have been successful in his attempt to get the attention of the special branch of law enforcement. Gagne was finally arrested on July 5 and has been released on the condition that he won't be able to upload any more content to social media for the time being.

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Readers might be interested in other troublemakers who have gotten in trouble with the police due to their antics on social media. Here is an overview of a British TikToker Mizzy, who recently went viral after being arrested for illegally entering strangers' homes to film.