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A controversial YouTuber and prankster has been jailed in a Filipino prison, and his sentence will be made an example of.
Vitaly Zdorovetskiy made a name for himself on social media for his chaotic public pranks under his YouTube channel, VitalyzdTv.
The Russian-American streamer first gained attention in 2012 for a prank where he posed as a homeless man scaring strangers, which later received accusations of racism.
Over time, his views began to drop and, in response, his stunts became all the more outrageous.
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One of which involved Vitaly invading the pitches at the 2014 FIFA World Cup and the 2019 Champions League final, leading to a ban from him attending the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
However, his most recent stunt may most likely be his last.
What led to Vitaly's arrest?
In his latest video, the streamer was accused of publicly harassing bystanders around Metro Manila while on his Kick livestreams. Major General Nicolas Torre III described Vitaly as causing 'disruptive and inappropriate behaviour toward unsuspecting and friendly Filipinos.' He stated: "We have read the online outrage and we coordinated with other authorities for proper actions against the subject. We cannot just let this incident pass."
According to the Philippine News Agency, Vitaly was detained by the Bureau of Immigration (BI) in Pasay City at the request of Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG).
Vitaly is now facing multiple criminal charges, including 'unjust vexation,' alarm and scandal, and attempted theft.
What happens next?
Unfortunately for Vitaly, the situation isn’t likely to resolve anytime soon.
According to legal YouTuber Legal Mindset, the slow-moving court system in the Philippines means that it could take two to three years before his case even goes to trial.
Even after it goes to trial, some are predicting a sentence of at least five more years, suggesting that he'll be detained in the Philippines for at least the next seven years.
Calling him an 'undesirable alien, Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla noted the charges are serious enough to warrant holding him in the country, so deportation isn't likely on the table yet. “He will remain there for now in the Bureau of Immigration detention facility in Muntinlupa while he awaits his trial here. We will not deport him. He will be held accountable under the law here in the Philippines,” Remulla stated during a press conference. "A Russian-American comes to the Philippines and belittles us—he belittled our laws," he added in a hearing.
Authorities are also reportedly trying to track down the person behind the camera during the livestream, who may also face legal consequences.
