Fitness influencer Goob’s apparent arrest sent social media into a frenzy after Joey Swoll posted footage of him being taken into custody, but Suffolk County police now say the entire scene was staged to promote a charity food giveaway.
Goob, whose real name is John Dorsey, is known for creating fitness content and elaborate holiday charity promotions. His latest Instagram reel told viewers to “Please watch until the end” while tagging the Suffolk County Police Department, HummusFit and GymKatie.
Joey Swoll, another prominent fitness influencer, initially presented the footage as a serious incident. His original Instagram post showed Dorsey apparently being escorted by police and was captioned, “Welcome to the show John.”
Video prompts Swoll to address Dorsey directly
“I’m not gonna say what it is that he did, because I don’t have all the facts yet,” Swoll said. He then told his friend to “do better.”
Goob later addressed the footage on Instagram, asking followers for “privacy and grace” while he dealt with the situation. He also shared what appeared to be a letter from an attorney warning him about possible criminal charges and advising him to remain silent.
Despite the growing speculation, Dorsey insisted, “It’s not a skit.”
The story changed after a Suffolk County Police Department spokesperson told TMZ that Dorsey was never actually arrested.
“It was part of filming social media posts advertising a charity food giveaway that is taking place later this month,” the spokesperson said.
Swoll later posted a follow-up reel captioned “UPDATE! 😳😳😳 @goob_u2,” while Goob’s own follow-up video asked viewers to watch until the end.
Goob has previously used elaborate holiday skits to promote charity food giveaways, making the staged arrest part of a familiar promotional style.
I’m Abhishek Sharma, an author at TigerJek.com. I enjoy exploring games, testing different strategies, and turning what I learn into clear, useful guides. My goal is to help players understand the game better and improve without the usual confusion.
