Khaby Lame

Rich Sparkle Holdings announced the acquisition of Step Distinctive, a company linked to Khaby Lame, in an all-share transaction valued at approximately $975 million and including exploitation rights to an AI 'digital twin'. The share price initially soared before losing over 90%, while several brokers restricted trading and questions emerged about the effective transfer of shares and completion of the transaction.

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Directly implicated

Khaby Lame was detained by US immigration authorities at Las Vegas airport after ICE stated that he had overstayed the conditions of his visa, having entered the United States on 30 April 2025.

State of the evidence

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Attribution

Directly implicated

A Saudia advertisement showed Khaby Lame explaining to a Saudi passenger in traditional clothing how to use a very simple function of the in-flight screen. Saudi internet users and commentators considered that the scene portrayed a local citizen as incompetent compared with a foreigner.

After becoming TikTok's most-followed personality, Khaby Lame said he found it unfair that someone raised in Italy since early childhood did not automatically have citizenship. Interior Undersecretary Carlo Sibilia responded that the decree granting him nationality had already been issued earlier that month.

State of the evidence

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