Photo: Maricopa County Sheriff's Office
An influencer is facing federal charges after making big money online by pranking several Arizona businesses.
Hestor Cobb, who is known on TikTok as 'Hestor James,' was charged with five counts of disorderly conduct, five counts of criminal trespass, two counts of criminal impersonation, and one count of burglary, according to a City of Tempe news release. Cobb and a group of pranksters walked into several businesses -- including Pep Boys, Hyland Auto Repair, Big Brand Tire & Service, Jiffy Lube and Chipotle -- dressed as employees, gained access to staff-only areas and played out fake work scenes during incidents that took place between March and July 2025, according to the Tempe Police Department.
"These men began seriously disrupting their businesses by entering employee-only areas and refusing to leave when asked," the news release states. “The videos garnered millions of views and potentially generated large amounts of money.”
Cobb, who was identified as the "leader" of the group, posted the acts on his TikTok account, which has more than 1.6 million followers. One incident showed Cobb dressed as a mechanic at Hyland Auto Repair claiming to be "from corporate" before a van arrived and showed the other pranksters exit and crawl under customers' cars.
“These videos are definitely not pranks. They are crossing the line from something that’s fun and playful into criminal territory. They’re breaking laws,” Tempe Police Officer Jessica Ells said via AZ Family. “They are going into these businesses and impersonating the employees. That actually is a felony charge.”
An investigation into the incidents is ongoing.