Russian YouTuber and controversial prankster Vitaly Zdorovetskiy was apprehended by authorities on Wednesday, April 3, in front of a hotel along Seaside Boulevard in Pasay City following a mission order from the Bureau of Immigration (BI).
His arrest was confirmed by CIDG Director Maj. Gen. Nicolas Torre III, after days of backlash over his disturbing behavior in Bonifacio Global City (BGC), Taguig.
Vitaly drew widespread outrage after uploading a video titled “Vitaly disturbing the peace in the Philippines ” on streaming platform Kick. The video shows the 33-year-old content creator committing multiple acts of harassment and disrespect toward unsuspecting Filipinos in BGC—behavior that many netizens and establishments have condemned as abusive and criminal.
Among the incidents caught on video:
- Riding a patrol motorcycle without permission and offering a mocking hug to the reacting security guard.
- Repeatedly stealing the cap of another security guard, mocking him while filming.
- Threatening to rob a woman as a “prank,” reaching into his bag before hurling expletives about her wearing a COVID mask.
- Stealing a heavy-duty electric fan from a restaurant and bringing it into a hotel.
- Driving a tricycle and sideswiping a pedestrian before lightly crashing into a parked jeepney.
- He also made ableist slurs, telling a Filipino companion to tell the security guard that he had “retardation” and was “autistic.”
His actions were not limited to BGC. A Boracay business owner also reported being harassed by Vitaly in March, claiming the vlogger disrespected local staff, refused safety protocols, and incited his followers to leave fake one-star reviews as revenge—actions labeled by many as cyberbullying and abuse of influence.
A Change.org petition calling for Vitaly’s ban from all major social media platforms and a Philippine travel blacklist has already garnered thousands of signatures. The petition describes his behavior as “a pattern of abuse masquerading as content creation.”
“This is not free speech. This is a crime,” the petition reads. “Zdorovetskiy has built a career on disrespect, chaos, and provoking harm. What happened in the Philippines is not an isolated incident—it must stop now.”
Bonifacio Global City released a statement on April 2 confirming that they are “actively coordinating with the appropriate authorities and pursuing legal measures” against Vitaly.
“Ensuring the safety and well-being of everyone in BGC remains our top priority. We continue to work closely with the authorities to uphold safety and security within the estate,” BGC said.
Vitaly, who has over 10 million subscribers on YouTube, has a history of controversial stunts. He was arrested in 2016 for illegally climbing the Hollywood sign, jailed in 2020 for scaling the Pyramids of Giza, and charged with aggravated battery that same year for assaulting a woman in Miami.
As of writing, Vitaly has yet to release a statement in response to the growing backlash and the legal actions now being taken against him in the Philippines.
