American YouTuber Mykhailo Polyakov has been denied bail and faces up to five years in prison after attempting to make contact with the highly isolated Sentinelese tribe on North Sentinel Island.
The 24-year-old content creator, known online as Neo-Orientalist, has built a small following by posting videos of himself exploring high-risk locations, including Taliban-controlled regions in Afghanistan.
In March 2025, Polyakov reportedly landed on the restricted island with offerings of Diet Coke and a coconut, hoping to interact with the uncontacted tribe, which has long resisted any outside interference. Despite his efforts — including blowing a whistle and waiting on the beach — no members of the tribe appeared, and he left the area shortly afterward.
However, Indian authorities quickly apprehended him, citing violations of the Andaman & Nicobar Islands Protection of Aboriginal Tribes Regulation, 1956, which prohibits all unauthorized access to North Sentinel Island to preserve the tribe’s way of life.
A senior police official, Hargobinder Singh Dhaliwal, stated that Polyakov’s actions posed “a serious threat” to the safety of the Sentinelese, who have had virtually no contact with the outside world for over 60,000 years. Polyakov was officially charged with entering a prohibited tribal reserve and appeared in court on April 15, where his bail was denied.
This case adds to a growing list of influencers facing legal consequences for reckless behavior abroad, following similar incidents involving content creators like Johnny Somali and Vitaly.
