Taylor Scott
In late 2023, Brooklyn-based comedian William Banks was arrested in Westport, Connecticut, for stealing five Israeli lawn flags. He was charged with five counts of larceny in the sixth degree, a misdemeanour, and placed in a holding cell before being released on a $500 bond. Banks initially claimed he was going to jail and posted videos pretending to be incarcerated, but he did not serve jail time for the offence. However, he was arrested on a separate occasion for possession of an imitation pistol and spent a night in Central Booking. Banks' bizarre performance art and comedy videos blur the line between reality and fiction, attracting both criticism and a cult following.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Arrest | William Banks was arrested for stealing Israeli flags and possession of an imitation pistol |
| Jailbreak | Banks escaped from jail during a riot |
| Crypto stunt | Banks rugged $50,000 from a meme coin and donated it to Palestine |
| Sentence | Banks was sentenced to eight months in jail but served only four months |
| Charges | Five counts of larceny in the sixth degree, a misdemeanour that can carry a one-year prison sentence |
| Plea deal | Banks agreed to a plea deal that included community service, probation, a psychiatric evaluation, and a hate-crime class |
| Online presence | Banks gained a cult following for his bizarre online content, including videos shot inside the prison |
| Criticism | Banks received criticism for potentially making light of incarceration, being cruel to Jews, and mocking Gaza |
| Escape | Banks escaped from jail and is currently a fugitive |
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What You'll Learn
William Banks' arrest was real
William Banks, a New York-based artist and comedian, gained notoriety for his arrest, incarceration, and subsequent prison escape, which was later revealed to be a hoax. However, the inciting incident that led to his arrest was indeed real.
Banks was arrested in late 2023 in Westport, Connecticut, for stealing Israeli lawn flags from the yards of residents who had displayed them to show support for Israel following the October 7 attacks. Banks, who had been visiting his fiancée's parents in the area, felt compelled to act after witnessing the ensuing attacks on Gaza. He was charged with five counts of larceny in the sixth degree, a misdemeanor offense that rarely results in jail time in Connecticut.
Following his arrest, Banks was released on a $500 bond and agreed to a plan that included community service, probation, a psychiatric evaluation, and a hate-crime class to have the charges wiped from his record. However, he then began spreading the story that he was going to jail, even posting about it on social media, which sparked the idea for his roommate passion project.
Together with his roommates, Banks concocted a fake narrative of his incarceration, which he posted about on social media, gaining a following for his unusual content. The hoax culminated in a viral video of a prison break, which was later exposed as fake. While the prison break and much of his incarceration were indeed fictional, William Banks' arrest was very real, marking the beginning of his controversial and creative project.
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He was charged with larceny
William Banks, a comedian and artist from New York, was charged with larceny for stealing pro-Israel yard signs in Connecticut. Banks allegedly stole five Israeli flags from the lawns of residents in Westport, Connecticut, who had put them up to show their support for Israel following the October 7 attacks. Banks was visiting his fiancée’s parents in the area and felt compelled to act after witnessing the ensuing attacks on Gaza.
Banks was arrested in late 2023 and charged with five counts of larceny in the sixth degree, which is a misdemeanour that can carry a one-year prison sentence. He was initially placed in a holding cell and had to post bail of $500. However, Administrative Lieutenant Eric Woods commented that it was unlikely that Banks would serve jail time for the offence, as it was only a misdemeanour and Connecticut typically does not impose jail time for larceny six charges.
Despite this, Banks was sentenced to eight months in jail in October 2024. He began his incarceration on November 15, 2024, but escaped from jail on February 20, 2025, serving only four months of his sentence. Banks' arrest and incarceration gained attention due to his online presence and the controversial nature of his actions, with some criticising his behaviour as insensitive or inappropriate.
Banks' actions and the subsequent legal consequences became a "roommate passion project" that he and his friends turned into a narrative arc, blurring the lines between performance art and comedy. They incorporated his real arrest into the fictional plot, with Banks posting about his experience and even reenacting his escape from prison, gaining a significant online following.
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He did not go to jail for stealing Israeli flags
William Banks, a New York-based artist and comedian, gained notoriety for his unusual performances and online content. In one such incident, he allegedly stole five Israeli lawn flags or yard signs from residents' properties in Westport, Connecticut. This incident occurred after the October 7 attacks, with Banks stating that he wanted to revoke Israel's right to use the Star of David on their flag to justify genocide. While his actions led to a warrant for his arrest and he was charged with larceny in the sixth degree, he did not go to jail specifically for stealing Israeli flags.
Banks was arrested and spent a night in a holding cell before being released on a $500 bond. Administrative Lieutenant Eric Woods of the Westport Police Department commented that it was unlikely anyone would serve jail time for such a misdemeanour in Connecticut. Instead, Banks agreed to a plan that included community service, probation, a psychiatric evaluation, and a hate-crime class to have the charge wiped from his record.
However, Banks' story didn't end there. He embarked on a unique "roommate passion project," where he pretended to be incarcerated and posted videos from inside a prison. This fictional narrative took an unexpected turn when he was arrested again, this time for possession of an imitation pistol. He spent a night in Central Booking, which he described as "worse than I ever imagined." This real arrest was incorporated into his fake plot, blurring the lines between performance art and reality.
Banks' online activities extended beyond his jail saga. He created a Solana-based meme coin called White Moses (MOSES) on Pump.fun, which raised tens of thousands of dollars. He then donated approximately $50,000 from this crypto venture to various Palestinian charities, sparking both acclaim and accusations of fraud.
In February 2025, Banks made headlines again with a viral video purportedly showing him escaping from jail during a riot. This prison break video was later exposed as a hoax. Despite being a fugitive, Banks remained active online, posting content with his girlfriend and continuing to generate attention and controversy.
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He escaped from jail
While it is true that William Banks was arrested and sentenced to jail, reports of his escape from prison are false. Banks is a Brooklyn-based comedian known for his eccentric online videos, blurring the lines between performance art and comedy.
In late 2023, Banks was arrested in Westport, Connecticut, for stealing five Israeli lawn flags from the yards of residents who had placed them there to show support for Israel following the October 7 attacks. Banks, who was visiting his fiancée's parents, felt compelled to act after witnessing the ensuing attacks on Gaza. He was charged with five counts of larceny in the sixth degree and began his incarceration on November 15, 2024.
On February 20, 2025, Banks allegedly escaped from jail during a riot. He posted a video reenactment, showing himself crawling under a fence, which garnered over 20 million views. However, authorities confirmed that there was no jailbreak, and the viral video was a hoax.
Banks' stunt gained him significant attention, and he leveraged this newfound fame to embark on a crypto scheme. He created a Solana-based meme coin called White Moses (MOSES) on Pump.fun, which saw its market cap skyrocket to $257,000 in under an hour. He then "rugged" $50,000 from the coin, donating the funds to various Palestinian charities.
While opinions on Banks' actions are divided, with some accusing him of fraud and others praising his donations, his escapades have undoubtedly left a lasting impact on both the entertainment and crypto communities.
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He donated $50,000 to Palestine
William Banks, a New York-based artist and comedian, gained notoriety for his chaotic crypto stunt, where he "rugged" $50,000 from a meme coin and donated the funds to Palestine. Banks created a Solana-based meme coin called White Moses (MOSES) on Pump.fun, attracting investors and causing its market cap to skyrocket to $257,000 within an hour.
After his release from prison, where he was incarcerated for stealing Israeli flags, Banks launched this crypto scheme. He then deleted all posts promoting the coin and shared his intentions on X (formerly Twitter), stating, "William Banks is Robin Hood. Thank you to the crypto community for buying my pretend memecoin and helping me raise $50,000 for the crisis in Gaza. Free Palestine."
Banks shared receipts of five $10,000 donations to various Palestinian charities, with some organizations confirming receipt. His actions sparked mixed reactions, with some accusing him of fraud, while others hailed him as a hero or a Robin Hood-like figure. Political commentator Eden Riley's tweet reflected this sentiment: "He escaped from jail only to immediately rug-pull a bunch of crypto bros to donate the money to Palestine… he might be the greatest to ever do it."
Banks himself had previously expressed negative views about crypto and meme coins, stating, "I think crypto is full of scammers, and it's ultimately a bad thing in society." His stunt, therefore, attracted criticism from those who considered it fraudulent and those concerned about potential damage to the Palestinian movement. Nonetheless, Banks's crypto scheme and subsequent donation to Palestine added another layer to his already controversial image.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, William Banks was arrested and jailed in Connecticut for stealing pro-Israel yard signs.
William Banks was sentenced to jail for 5 counts of larceny in the sixth degree.
While in jail, William Banks posted bizarre content online and gained a cult following. A riot broke out in the jail, and he escaped during the chaos.
After his escape, William Banks turned to crypto and rugged $50,000 from a meme coin, donating it to Palestine.
No, the viral video of William Banks's prison break was a hoax. He faked his prison break as part of a "roommate passion project" that blurred the line between performance art and comedy.
