The descent into the fiery abyss of Simón Pérez: from acclaim for 'fixed mortgages' to self-destructive spectacle witnessed by thousands of people
In the summer of 2018, the career of Simón Pérez, a well-known Spanish economist who gained media popularity in 2017, took a dramatic turn. His rise to fame was abruptly halted by a viral video that would become one of Spain's first viral shaming phenomena.
The video, published by Periodista Digital, showcased Pérez and his co-host, Silvia Charro, recommending fixed-rate mortgages in an uninhibited and erratic manner. Their unconventional behaviour, along with their grotesque gestures and speech, quickly drew public attention.
The video's release marked the beginning of Pérez's downfall. His faces became synonymous with a loss of control, and the public's trust in him was shattered. As a result, he was relieved of his duties from his roles as a financial advisor and university professor.
Following bans from YouTube and Twitch, Pérez and Charro moved to Kick, a platform known for fewer content restrictions. However, their broadcasts on this new platform became sessions of digital self-destruction, filled with alcohol, drugs, fights, and humiliations.
Rumble, the platform where they eventually settled, is backed by conservative investors like Peter Thiel, who champion free speech. Yet, Pérez's behaviour continued to violate content norms, leading to his ban from the platform as well.
In the years following the scandal, there have been no publicly available or credible updates about Simón Pérez. A search for recent developments or news regarding him in August 2025 yielded no results, with the search results primarily focusing on federal economic researchers, legislation, and officials in other government agencies.
Despite the lack of recent news, the video's impact on Pérez's life remains significant. The video racked up views but took down both his career and his public image. It led to the loss of jobs, credibility, and emotional stability for both Pérez and Charro.
As of now, the whereabouts and current status of Simón Pérez remain unknown. His story serves as a cautionary tale about the power of the internet and the potential consequences of losing one's self-control in the public eye.
- Amidst the rise of social media platforms like Kick and Rumble, known for fewer content restrictions, Simón Pérez and his co-host, Silvia Charro, continued to disseminate their entertainment-filled broadcasts, marked by alcohol, drugs, fights, and humiliations, which revolved around pop-culture, crime-and-justice, and general-news discussions.
- Emulating a similar pattern of content, Pérez and Charro's actions on Rumble also violated the platform's content norms, leading to Pérez's eventual ban, following his prior bans on YouTube and Twitch.
- While some conservative investors, such as Peter Thiel, champion free speech on platforms like Rumble, the career trajectory and current whereabouts of the once well-known Spanish economist Simón Pérez remain a mystery, as recent searches in August 2025 for updates on him yielded no credible results, focusing instead on federal economic researchers, legislation, and officials within other government agencies.