"According to a public SEC filing, Lame has sold his company Step Distinctive Limited-which manages his brand and commercial activities-to Rich Sparkle Holdings, a Hong Kong-based holding company, in an all-stock deal worth $975 million. That includes access to Lame's livestream and short-video commerce, TikTok Shop, brand endorsements, and ad productions-and the commercial development of an AI digital twin, which authorizes use of the creator's image, voice, and behavior to generate multilingual and original, multi-version content. Rich Sparkle expects the partnership to net $4 billion in annual sales."
"The deal comes just seven months after U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement detained the Senegalese-Italian influencer at Harry Reid International Airport. Lame was allowed to leave the country without a deportation order after arriving in the U.S. last April. Lame "overstayed the terms of his visa," according to an ICE spokesperson. But that hasn't dampened the TikToker's hot streak. Born in Senegal, Khaby Lame-whose legal name is Seringe Khabane Lame-has skyrocketed to fame for his witty visual humor and sarcast"
Khaby Lame began posting silent, deadpan TikTok videos in 2020 after losing his factory job, gaining fame as the "Gen Z Charlie Chaplin" and amassing over 160 million followers. He sold Step Distinctive Limited, which manages his brand and commercial activities, to Hong Kong-based Rich Sparkle Holdings in an all-stock deal valued at $975 million. The sale grants Rich Sparkle access to his livestream and short-video commerce, TikTok Shop, endorsements, ad productions, and commercial development of an AI digital twin authorized to use his image, voice, and behavior. Rich Sparkle projects $4 billion in annual sales despite recent U.S. immigration issues that led to his detention and departure.
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