US social media star Ray Diaz arrested after alleged sexual assault of minor

Ray Diaz is a YouTuber and Instagram influencer.
Ray Diaz is a YouTuber and Instagram influencer. Photo credit: Getty

A popular US social media personality has been arrested for allegedly sexually assaulting a minor.

Ray Diaz was arrested in San Diego by the Robbery-Homicide Division Special Assault Section on Friday (local time), police confirmed in a statement. The 33-year-old is being held on US$500,000 (NZ$746,800) bail. 

The social media star and actor faced online backlash over the last week after a leaked video surfaced on social media. The audio allegedly captures Diaz violently threatening his rumoured girlfriend Angelica Salek, 17, yelling at her to kill herself and "die". No faces can be seen.

The suspected evidence was aired in a video uploaded by the YouTube show 'DramaAlert' on Friday (local time). The teenager was also interviewed by the show's host, claiming she was kidnapped and abused.

Salek originally posted the clip on Instagram a week earlier, but the video was later removed.

Authorities have yet to confirm the authenticity of the video.

The teen claims she had been in a sexual relationship with the 33-year-old since she was 16, despite California's legal age for consent being 18.

"The LAPD is aware of several social media posts related to a social media personality, alleging physical abuse and sexual relations with a minor," the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) wrote on Twitter following the release of the allegations.

"We take these allegations seriously. Currently, the Department has directed a group of investigators to look into these allegations."

On Friday, the LAPD HQ confirmed Diaz had been arrested.

"After a thorough investigation, LAPD Detectives... arrested 33 yr old social media personality 'Ray Diaz' for sexual assault in San Diego, CA... Raymundo Diaz bail is set at $500,000."

Diaz, who has 3.1 million Instagram followers and more than 300,000 YouTube subscribers, denied the allegations in a phone interview with The Hollywood Fix. He claimed the leaked audio was an example of "acting lessons".

Salek, who has amassed over 70,000 followers on Instagram, reportedly claimed in a social media video on Friday that she was "manipulated" and "brainwashed" by the actor. 

This is the second time Diaz has faced accusations surrounding domestic violence, after a woman claiming to be his ex-girlfriend, Landi Hicks, spoke out in an interview with DramaAlert last June.

Newshub.