Teen faces legal trouble in Singapore after licking straw, putting in back in machine
Babushahi Bureau
Singapore, May 2, 2026: An 18-year-old French student, Didier Gaspard Owen Maximilien, has been charged in Singapore for alleged mischief and causing public nuisance after a video surfaced showing him tampering with a straw at a juice vending machine.
According to reports, the incident occurred on March 12 at a shopping centre, where the teen allegedly licked a straw from an orange juice vending machine and placed it back into the dispenser. The act was recorded and shared on Instagram, later going viral and drawing widespread criticism online.
The vending machine operator, iJooz, said it took immediate action by replacing all 500 straws in the dispenser and initiating sanitation checks. The company also filed a police complaint following the incident.
Authorities have charged the teenager with mischief and public nuisance. If convicted, he could face over two years in jail along with substantial fines.
Maximilien, a student at ESSEC Business School, is currently out on bail. The institution has acknowledged the incident and said it is conducting an internal review. His parents have reportedly travelled to Singapore, and a representative from the school is acting as his bailor.
The case is scheduled for its next hearing on May 22.