Antonio Ginestri, widely recognized online as “Squeeze Benz,” the teenager who gained notoriety for his audacious driving stunts and taunts directed at law enforcement, finds himself in legal trouble once again. This time, the charges are significantly more serious, stemming from alleged involvement in a series of ATM and luxury handbag thefts across New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut. Law enforcement officials have identified a stolen BMW X7, purportedly driven by Ginestri, as being linked to several of these heists.
For months, Squeeze Benz cultivated an image of brazen defiance, even daring to mock the police in online interviews, showcasing a “catch me if you can” attitude. However, the law seems to have finally caught up. In May, authorities from the NYPD and the New Jersey Public Safety Commission publicly identified 19-year-old Antonio Ginestri as the individual behind the Squeeze Benz persona. Now, Ginestri faces a second arrest, this time for crimes entirely separate from his previous reckless driving offenses, including the theft of designer handbags valued at approximately $38,000, in addition to the ATM robberies.
The Squeeze Benz online presence was built on a foundation of provocative behavior, frequently involving dangerous driving antics and a penchant for fleeing the scene after crashes. This persona, characterized by reckless abandon and open disdain for authority, became his online brand.
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Following his initial arrest related to his driving stunts, the stream of content typically associated with Squeeze Benz noticeably decreased. However, this recent arrest is connected to alleged criminal activities that predate his first apprehension. Reports from NJ.com indicate that Ginestri was initially arrested on May 16th, several days before the NYPD and other agencies connected him to the Squeeze Benz online accounts.
According to the affidavit related to the May 16th arrest, police allege that Ginestri stole $38,950 worth of high-end handbags, purportedly while using a stolen BMW X7. Furthermore, authorities believe Ginestri was a key figure in robberies dating back to January 25th and 26th, and is a primary suspect in ATM thefts that occurred on February 6th and 9th. A 16-year-old has also been arrested as an alleged accomplice in these crimes.
The young man who seemingly treated public roads as his personal racetrack now faces serious felony charges. These include employing a juvenile in the commission of a crime, theft by unlawful taking, and conspiracy. Currently, bail has been revoked in his case, and a new court date is pending. If Antonio Ginestri is indeed Squeeze Benz, as evidence strongly suggests, the online world is unlikely to see any new videos from this particular influencer anytime soon.
