Influencer pleads guilty to criminal impersonation for viral pranks at Arizona businesses
PHOENIX (AP) — A social media influencer known for posting viral videos of pranks has pleaded guilty to criminal impersonation in Arizona for posing as an employee of businesses in a Phoenix suburb and orchestrating brief but chaotic takeover attempts. The…
Social media influencer Heston James Cobb pleaded guilty to criminal impersonation in Arizona for posing as an employee at businesses in a Phoenix suburb and orchestrating chaotic takeover attempts, according to prosecutors. Cobb, who goes by the name "Heston James," was arrested in July 2025 after police say he and others entered businesses, posing as workers, and going into restricted areas, refusing to leave when asked.
In one video, Cobb, wearing a Chipotle Mexican Grill shirt, told staff he was going to "clean house" as a group of men in dark shirts flooded the eatery and ignored requests to leave. Investigators claim the videos garnered millions of views and potentially generated significant income. Cobb's attorney, Vicki Lopez, declined to comment.
The Arizona Restaurant Association's president, Steve Chucri, hopes Cobb's punishment is "severe" to deter copycats, emphasizing there is "no place" for such behavior in the restaurant industry, which is already costly to operate.
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