THEY were internet sensations and household names with content attracting millions of views around the world.
But beneath the social media gloss of their online lives, a handful of viral influencers and bloggers were able to hide dark secrets in plain view.
Fans were sickened to find out about the crimes committed by mummy blogger Ruby Francke[/caption]
Mahek Bhukari was living the ultimate influencer dream before her arrest[/caption]
From a mother who gave parenting tips while abusing her own kids to a rapist who fooled thousands of TikTok fans into sending him cash, their dark crimes shocked their devoted followers.
Here we reveal the viral social media stars whose fame masked the evil truth.
Double murder duo
Mahek Bukhari was living the ultimate dream as a TikTok star. She had over 129,000 followers and a mother, Ansreen, who supported her and even appeared in her content.
Their carefully crafted image came crashing down when Mahek, 24, and Ansreen, 46, were jailed for life after they were both found guilty of two counts of murder.
It all began when Ansreen started an affair with toyboy Saqib Hussain, 21.
During their relationship, they regularly met up for sex in hotels in London and Birmingham.
He took her on expensive date nights and gave her lavish gifts. But things went awry when the relationship hit the rocks and Ansreen attempted to break it off in January 2022.
Struggling to come to terms with the split, Saqib reportedly threatened to blackmail Ansreen by sending her nude pictures to her husband.
He demanded she return the money he’d spent on her.
Ansreen and Mahek then hatched a deadly plot to silence Saqib, which involved Mahek’s friend Rekan Karwan and several others.
Saqib, driven by his friend Hashim Ijazuddin, 21, was lured to a Tesco car park, where Ansreen had promised to hand over the £3,000 he said had been spent on her.
They have now been jailed for life for masterminding the murders[/caption]
When the pair arrived, they quickly sensed something was wrong and left. But their Skoda was followed by two cars – Ansreen and Mahedk were passengers in one of the cars.
Saqib and Hashim’s car was then rammed off the road in a 100mph chase. The pair’s car burst into flames. Their bodies were so badly burnt that it was unrecognisable by the families.
The mother and daughter duo were shortly picked up by cops and put on trial, where they were jailed for life.
Mahek’s TikTok videos are still available on the platform, meaning she could be racking up income from behind bars.
Hatchet-wielding hitchhiker
Caleb was sentenced to 57 years in prison for murdering a lawyer after sex[/caption]
He became a viral sensation, thanks to his interview after saving a woman from a violent assault[/caption]
In February 2013, Caleb ‘Kai’ McGillvary, 35, became one of the earliest viral sensations when he was filmed describing how he saved a woman from a violent assault with a hatchet while hitchhiking.
After the incident, he described hitting the attacker with a hatchet in a comical and over-exaggerated manner.
He said the hatchet blows were like “smash, smash, SUH-MASH” in a news interview with KMPH in California.
Kai also recounted how he was interrogated by police but allowed to go free. The video got millions of views, and Kai was hailed for his bravery and quick thinking.
But his life would turn upside down when, just three years after the video, he was arrested on murder charges for the death of New Jersey lawyer Joseph Galfy.
Police said that he had sex with Galfy and murdered him afterwards.
As part of Kai’s defence, he infamously pointed to the fallout of his viral moment. He said: “Do you know how many hot chicks… never mind.
“Even if I was gay, do you know how many hot guys wanted to f*** me after that s*** in California? I’m not even being vain.
“It’s just a fact, like – no offence, but he [Galfy] was not a looker.”
He also claimed he killed the victim in self-defence after the lawyer drugged and raped him. He was eventually sentenced to 57 years in prison and will have to serve 85 per cent of his sentence.
Child abuse mum blogger
Ruby Franke tortured and abused her children while providing parenting tips[/caption]
Her business partner, Jodi Hildebrandt was also convicted of the sick crimes[/caption]
Ruby Franke, 42, became a viral sensation for her controversial parenting advice, but nobody predicted the horrors that would be discovered about her in 2023.
In August of that year, a neighbour discovered a 12-year-old boy at their door begging for food and water. He was covered in open wounds and had duct tape on his ankles.
He explained he had escaped from the window of a house nearby and was later taken to hospital, where he was found to be suffering from malnourishment and “deep lacerations from being tied up with rope”, according to cops.
The boy was Ruby’s son, who had been subjected to various modes of torture. Ruby even dressed his wounds with cayenne pepper and honey.
After storming the home of Ruby’s business partner, Jodi Hildebrandt, in Utah, cops discovered that the vlogger’s daughter was also severely malnourished.
Additionally, they uncovered evidence that proved that the children had been victims of torture and abuse, including holding the boy’s head underwater and pushing him into a cactus.
Ruby also admitted kicking her son while wearing boots and “cutting off oxygen by placing her hands over his mouth and nose.”
Four children were taken into care.
In court, Ruby apologised, saying, “I was so disoriented that I believed dark was light and right was wrong.” A Utah district court sentenced her and Jodi to four terms of one to 15 years each.
Rapist’s appeal
TikTok musician Anthony Q Lion asked for donations from his 337,000 TikTok followers[/caption]
They had no idea he was a convicted rapist and was about to spend seven years in jail[/caption]
Last year, fans of Anthony Q Lion, who had amassed 337,000 followers on TikTok, were livid to learn that he had kept his dark past hidden when he asked for donations for his final performance on the app.
To his fans, the singer, whose real name is Anthony Ekpenyong was a talented singer and a dedicated father and husband.
Little did they know that he had been found guilty of raping a woman who begged him to stop 107 times.
Before serving his prison sentence, his loyal fans gave him 134,800 TikTok gifts, which, according to MyLondon, ranged from 1p to £400.
One incensed fan said: “He had a big following on TikTok and was sent a lot of gifts the night he said he was leaving. But he did not tell anyone why. He is a sick person.”
He had been released on bail before his sentencing, which allowed him to ask his followers for donations.
In a video, he told fans: “I really, really, really do appreciate everything you’ve done, and your support is priceless. There’s no doubt I will always remember you… Thank you for all you have done.”
In court documents, it was revealed that Anthony’s victim had met him at his home for consensual sex but changed her mind when he went to grab a sex toy and she saw women’s clothes.
He appealed for donations from his fans before going to prison[/caption]
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