Russian YouTuber Vitaly arrested in Pasay City
Russian YouTuber Vitaly Zdorovetskiy has been arrested in Pasay City after going viral for harassing Filipinos for prank videos in Taguig.
Citing Criminal Investigation and Detection Group director Maj. Gen. Nicolas Torre III, The Philippine STAR reported late Wednesday, April 2 that the vlogger was caught by authorities in front of a Pasay City hotel "based on a mission order from the Bureau of Immigration."
According to the Bureau of Immigration, BI commissioner Joel Anthony Viado emphasized that foreign tourists in the country must respect local customs and follow the law.
"The Philippines welcomes visitors from all over the world, but those who abuse our hospitality and violate our laws will be held accountable," he said, noting that harassment and disruptive behavior "have no place in our society" and that they "will take swift action against offenders."
The BI conducted the arrest in coordination with PNP Makati and the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group.
"A police blotter was reportedly filed before the PNP Southern Police District by a security guard stationed in BGC, citing harassment. The CIDG immediately coordinated the matter with BI intelligence operatives, who effected the arrest based on a mission order issued by Viado," per the BI.
The vlogger is now at the BI’s detention facility inside Camp Bagong Diwa in Bicutan, Taguig. He is awaiting deportation proceedings.
This comes after content creator was seen messing around with Pinoys at Bonifacio Global City by riding a patrol motorcycle, stealing a security guard’s cap multiple times, and playing petty pranks with passersby in his Kick video titled "Vitaly disturbing the peace in the Philippines" with a devil emoji.
He also forcibly filmed a security guard who called him out for it. Vitaly then mocked the latter by singing some lines from Lady Gaga’s Paparazzi.
Among other stunts he pulled was stealing a heavy-duty electric fan from a restaurant and bringing it inside a hotel. Vitaly also drove a tricycle but eventually sideswiped a passenger and slightly crashed into a parked jeepney.
Vitaly has been arrested multiple times for his publicity stunts. In 2016, he was nabbed for illegally climbing the Hollywood sign in Los Angeles. In 2020, he was jailed for climbing one of the Pyramids of Giza, and in April of the same year, he was charged with aggravated battery for assaulting a woman who was jogging in Miami.
He has so far garnered over 10 million subscribers on YouTube.
