A Russian YouTube star who is facing up to 24 years in prison for his latest prank on a security guard has a surprising net worth.
The Russian-American content creator named Vitaly Zdorovetskiy often pushes his online pranks over the line of entertainment into controversial territory.
This has led to multiple arrests over the years and the YouTuber recently got himself into hot water in the Philippines where he was taken into custody last month.
Zdorovetskiy had been filming in Bonifacio Global City, Taguig, when he was arrested after an order had him declared as an ‘undesirable’ foreign national.
Advert
Since his arrest, the YouTuber has been charged with unjust vexation, attempted theft, alarm, and scandal as he is accused of harassing Filipino citizens on the street.
The Philippines’ Interior Secretary, Jonvic Remulla, said: “Zdorovetskiy will undergo a tactical interrogation so that we can get the identity of his cameramen.
“The cameraman, whom I think is Filipino, will also face charges because he is involved in the commission of a crime. We are still searching for the cameraman.”
With 10.2 million subscribers, Zdorovetskiy is no stranger to shocking his audience in order to gain views.
In the description of his channel, it reads: “Known for breaking the internet with my wildly original Pranks & Stunts, I rapidly gained fame and fortune, only to get lost in the sauce, eventually losing it ALL.
“There's nobody to blame but ME for my mistakes of the past, but now I am back baby. I am Happy, Healthy and Sober. Only God Can Judge Me. Your Life, Your Choice. #VillainsNeverDie.”
Despite his controversies, the YouTuber has been able to build a career out of his stunts which seems to be a lucrative endeavor.
As of this year, Zdorovetskiy reportedly has an estimated net worth of somewhere between $7 million to $91 million.
How does the YouTuber make his millions?
So, how does he make so much money from the social media platform? Zdorovetskiy has various avenues of income.
First off, the content creator makes money from the ads shown on his videos. At a peak, he claimed to be earning around $500,000 a month from ad revenue alone.
Another way Zdorovetskiy makes money is from the sales of merchandise after he launched a line of clothing and accessories.
And thirdly, the YouTuber has other investments in property, stocks and shares that he has the potential to make money from.