Philly looter ‘Meatball’ is now selling $45 mugshot hoodies and begging for cash from her Instagram followers despite claiming she regretted her live-streamed crime spree
Philadelphia influencer ‘Meatball’ has launched a line of merchandise showing off her tearful mugshot as she tries to cash in on her arrest amid the city’s mass looting.
The huge social media star, real name Dayjia Blackwell, 21, begged her 200,000 Instagram followers to buy her merchandise days after also asking for cash donations.
In its latest cash grab, ‘Meatball’ has released hoodies and t-shirts under the hashtag #FreeMeatball, in black, pink and red, retailing for $45 and $35 respectively.
It comes as the looter has seen her social media following skyrocket after joining 60 others arrested during the looting in Philadelphia this week, after live-streaming herself looting stores along with countless others before crying upon her arrest.
She is charged with burglary, conspiracy, criminal trespass, riot, criminal mischief, criminal use of communications facilities, receiving stolen property and disorderly conduct.
Dayjia Blackwell, 21, who livestreamed a looting campaign in Philadelphia and encouraged others to join in, appeared distraught as police took her mugshot
‘Meatball’ has released hoodies and t-shirts in black, pink and red, retailing for $45 and $35
The social media influencer shared an image of one of her supporters in the merchandise
Blackwell confidently streamed the crime wave in downtown Philadelphia on Tuesday night, unaware that she would end up in handcuffs just four hours later.
The enterprising 21-year-old, who also plugs her OnlyFans and another clothing line called ‘Aint Nuffin’ on social media, received mixed reviews after posting about her latest business venture as some questioned her choice to flaunt her lawlessness .
βWait, you stole from others, but you want people to pay for your stuff?β said one commenter.
Another branded her a ‘laughing stock’ and added that she was ‘messing around and committing crimes’.
The day before she announced the mugshot merchandise, Blackwell also begged her followers for cash, telling her followers, “All I wanna do is treat myself” as she plugged into her Cash App handle.
Blackwell also posted on her Instagram asking users to “go bless her” and frequently said she wanted to get her “toes done.”
Meatball has seen her social media following rise to more than 200,000 users on Instagram following her arrest
While some have seen the funny side of Blackwell flaunting her freedom online, critics have pointed out that she may be so aggressively raising money to help pay her legal fees.
After her arrest on the streets of Philadelphia, her bail was set at $25,000, according to court documents. She is expected back in court on October 17.
Although she has shared a number of posts since posting bail, including one in which she happily sang about being a “distraction,” she also added to her Instagram “story” on Thursday that she was “scared.”
βI don’t know what’s going on, man, I’m leaving social media. βI’d rather deal with this and get it over with man, I don’t know,β she said.
‘I’m actually overwhelmed. I’m young, I don’t know what’s happening, I love you all.β
An hour after claiming she was leaving social media, Blackwell followed up with a story post promoting her new merchandise line.
Meatball posted to her Instagram Story after being released from prison. She told viewers about her time in prison and asked them to send her money
Blackwell’s clothing line comes four days after she told her then 180,000 followers to join her as she ran through the streets of Philadelphia as it was looted by looters.
“Tell the police that if they lock me up tonight, a movie will be made!” Everyone has to eat!’ she said to the camera.
She filmed looters at an Apple Store, Lululemon and Footlocker, before heading to a liquor store where she bragged about grabbing a bottle of Hennessy.
Police eventually found Meatball in her friend’s car and arrested her just after midnight, which she livestreamed while pleading that she had “nothing to do with this.”
The violence, which reached a second time on Wednesday, saw a large group of about a hundred youths moving from shop to shop and looting them.
Blackwell was put in handcuffs in front of her friends after protesting that she had done nothing wrong
At least 61 people have been arrested after widespread looting broke out in Philadelphia this week
Images shared on social media show a large group storming the Apple Store and stealing items
Terrifying footage on social media showed officers trying to snatch the thieves from stores, some of whom wore Halloween masks, as they plundered the shelves.
Several firearms were also seized by police as they struggled to control the violent scenes, with piles of bicycles and stolen goods also seen on the streets as officers rushed to make arrests.
Many have pointed to social media as fuel for the looting, which may have led to Blackwell’s arrest as police monitored online activity to track down the looters.
βWe were able to connect some things together on social media,β said interim Police Chief John Stanford.
βWe had a group that worked its way through the city. Of course you’re going to have followers who are going to see this and come out and think they have a chance to get something.β
This photo shows groups of people running toward the Lululemon store during the first night of looting
Shocking footage from the City of Brotherly Love shows Fine Wine And Good Spirits being smashed apart in latest flash robbery crime
In a second night of looting, brazen thieves targeted a Fine Wine And Good Spirits store in a flash robbery mob, making off with a safe while looting a lottery machine.
Liquor stores were also closed by authorities as they were considered likely targets for the thieves after at least 18 state-run liquor stores were broken into the night before.
Fox29’s Steve Keeley, who initially reported on the thefts on Wednesday night, later posted videos showing the aftermath of a looting at a sneaker warehouse in the city.
The video Keely posted on X showed piles of boxes that had been torn. A source told the reporter, βIt could be a Snipes warehouse. It looks like they took everything and left a lot behind.β