Singapore: French teen faces jail for licking vending machine straw
27 Apr 2026

An 18-year-old French student, identified as Didier Gaspard Owen Maximilien, is facing legal trouble in Singapore after he posted a video of himself licking a straw from an orange juice vending machine and putting it back.

The incident happened on March 12 at a shopping center and was shared on Instagram with the caption "city is not safe."

The video was widely circulated and sparked public outrage, even being picked up by local news outlets.

Vending machine company has replaced all 500 straws
Company response

The vending machine company, iJooz, has since replaced all 500 straws in the dispenser and filed a police report. They have also implemented sanitation protocols and inspections at their machines.

If convicted of mischief and public nuisance, Maximilien could face over two years in jail and hefty fines.

His next court appearance is scheduled for May 22.

Maximilien is a student at Essec Business School
Legal proceedings

Maximilien is a student at the Singapore campus of ESSEC Business School. The school is aware of the incident and has launched an internal investigation.

Earlier, his lawyers had told CNA that Maximilien's parents had flown over to Singapore and that a representative from his school would be his bailor.