Who are the Island Boys? Twins, guns, drugs explained
Booking photo of Franky Venegas. Courtesy: Collier County Sheriff's Office.
NEW YORK - Franky Venegas, a member of the twin duo "Island Boys," was arrested in Naples, Florida, on gun and drug charges, sparking questions and curiosity about their criminal history and background.
The arrest took place on Sunday, according to the Collier County Sheriff's Office, as reported by FOX 13.
SKIP TO: Who are the Island Boys?
Why was one of the Island Boys arrested?
Venegas, 23, faces charges of possessing a controlled substance without a prescription, as well as the possession of a firearm with an altered serial number, based on arrest records.
TMZ reports that Venegas also has a criminal history that includes domestic battery arrests, reckless driving and operating a motor vehicle without a license.
What we know:
Venegas was arrested after running a stop sign around 10 p.m., according to TMZ. He was a passenger in a yellow Corvette with expired tags, though it was later confirmed that the car’s registration was actually up-to-date.
A woman was driving, and both she and Venegas were asked to exit the vehicle.
A plastic bag containing pills was found on the passenger side floorboard, police said. The deputy identified the pills as seven suspected oxycodone 10mg pills and five oxycodone and acetaminophen pills.
Who are the Island Boys?
Alex and Franky Venegas, known as Flyysoulja and Kodiyakredd, gained fame on TikTok in 2021, amassing nearly 10 million followers with their viral song "I'm an Island Boy."
The Florida natives began their rap careers behind bars, drawing attention for their distinctive appearance, which includes vertical locked hair, tattoos and diamond grills. Their first video garnered nearly 9 million views before being deleted, even attracting the attention of rapper Kodak Black.
The song reflects their experiences of losing their father, being kicked out by their mother and facing legal troubles for robbery, burglary, automobile theft and drug possession.
Controversial kissing video
In 2023, the twins posted videos of themselves kissing, reportedly to promote their OnlyFans account. The videos went viral, raising questions about their sexuality. However, the twins say they only did that to gain attention.
The twins have also gotten a lot of eyes for their social media feuds with well-known names like Jake Paul, Snoop Dogg, Kevin Hart and rapper Blueface.
Venegas brothers' home raided by police
In 2022, the Venegas brothers' home was raided by police, and Andrew James Thomas, their childhood friend, was arrested in connection to a drive-by shooting that killed an 8-year-old girl just three days earlier, as reported by ABC2 25.
"If we knew anything like this was going on we wouldn’t have allowed him on the property," Alex reportedly said.
The Island Boys were not implicated in the investigation.