YouTuber Omi in a Hellcat is facing 514 years in prison after federal prosecutors say he and two of his associates were involved in a scheme where they illegally sold copyrighted video content to thousands of subscribers on Omi's online service, which has gone by several names, including Reboot, Gears TV, Reloaded and Gears Reloaded. Prosecutors allege that the scheme netted Omi and his associates $30 million from March 2016 until at least November 2019.
Omi, real name Bill Omar Carrasquillo, has been charged with conspiracy, violating the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, reproduction of a protected work, access device fraud, making false statements to a bank and money laundering.
Prosecutors say Omi and his two associates, Jesse Gonzales, 42, of Pico Rivera, Calif., and Michael Barone, 36, of Richmond Hill, N.Y., must forfeit nearly $35 million in assets, including over 50 cars and motorcycles, as well as dozens of properties in Philadelphia.
Omi's lawyer, Donte Mills, addressed the charges, stating that his client is being falsely accused, "Mr. Carrasquillo tapped into a brand-new, unregulated industry and was very successful. Most people are called pioneers when they do that; Omar is called a criminal. The government assumes my client was not smart enough to do this legally because of his background. He is and we will prove that."
