TikTok prankster arrested after claiming to have bomb at Charleston Airport

CHARLESTON COUNTY, S.C. (WCBD) – An online prankster is facing serious charges after he approached officers at Charleston International Airport and claimed to have a “bomb and a strap.”

The Charleston County Aviation Authority officers were in the ticketing area on Saturday when 20-year-old Thomas Brienza, of New York, walked up and said he “didn’t want any problems” and that he had a bomb on him and fentanyl in a car parked outside, according to a report.

Officers said Brienza was wearing black Ray Ban sunglasses with a camera that appeared to be recording. The report states he admitted to recording the interaction for his YouTube channel and said he “didn’t really have a bomb.”

He was detained and no weapons were found during a search. While being questioned, Brienza told officers that he goes around to different locations and pranks police, gas station attendants, and other people he encounters.

Two friends waiting in a vehicle outside the airport terminal told officers that Brienza did have an online persona where he instigates various employees, especially the police, but noted that he “has never done anything this stupid.”

No drugs or weapons were found in the vehicle during a search.

Brienza was taken to the Al Cannon Detention Center on a charge of possession/threat to use weapon of mass destruction. He was released Sunday on a $100,000 bond.

A search of the man’s YouTube channel shows he has about 1.7K followers and 288K followers on TikTok.