Background and career
Vitaly Zdorovetskiy ( vih-TAL-ee zə-DORR-ə-VYET-skee; Russian: Вита́лий Здорове́цкий, IPA: [vʲɪˈtalʲɪj zdərɐˈvʲetskʲɪj]; born March 8, 1992), better known by his YouTube username VitalyzdTv, is a Russian YouTuber, nuisance streamer, and internet content creator. He immigrated to the United States with his mother in 2006 when he was 14 years of age, and shortly after became known for his YouTube pranks and publicity stunts, some of which have culminated in him being arrested and imprisoned. From April 2025 to January 2026, Zdorovetskiy was detained by the Philippine government over criminal charges of unjust vexation (three counts), theft, and public harassment that were broadcast on his Kick livestreams in Metro Manila. In January 2026, he was deported to Russia and subsequently blacklisted from the Philippines.
Zdorovetskiy was born on March 8, 1992, in Murmansk, Russia. Zdorovetskiy moved to the United States as a teenager. Shortly after turning 18, Zdorovetskiy took part in an adult film scene with pornographic actress Diamond Kitty for the adult entertainment company Bang Bros in 2011.
In 2012, Zdorovetskiy received his first significant success, with the video "Miami Zombie Attack Prank!". Inspired by the cannibal attack of a homeless man in Miami in May 2012, he dressed up as a zombie and traveled to some of the poorest neighborhoods in Miami to scare random bystanders. The video, in which Zdorovetskiy chased mostly Black people, was described by some viewers as a racist attempt to humiliate the local black community. Zdorovetskiy had been previously accused of humiliating black people in his videos after he published a prank video in which he approached 3 black males as a police officer, accusing one of being involved in a robbery, "and told all three they were getting a ticket for wearing their pants too low" but "that he would believe their innocence if they walked around a pole and said 'I didn't do it.'" After the video was recorded, Zdorovetskiy was arrested on two counts of impersonating a police officer. On June 16, 2012, Zdorovetskiy and cameraman Jonathan Vanegas filmed the "Russian Hitman Prank". As part of the prank, Zdorovetskiy approached a Boca Raton Resort man and informed him they had 60 seconds to get away from a briefcase he placed on the ground. After Zdorovetskiy revealed the whole thing to be a prank and that there was a hidden camera nearby, the man started attacking him and his partner and called the police. Zdorovetskiy was arrested by Boca Raton police department, facing a maximum of 15 years in prison on charges related to bomb threats. The charges were eventually dismissed. On July 20, 2013, Zdorovetskiy released the video "Extreme Homeless Man Makeover", in which he befriends a homeless man named Martin and provides him with new clothes and a hotel room. The video posting resulted in a job offer that Martin accepted. He was also reunited with his wife. The project also included an attempt to raise money to have Martin's teeth fixed, for which Zdorovetskiy was able to raise about $10,000 online. The fundraising campaign was canceled before it was completed, because of Zdorovetskiy's criminal history. However, Zdorovetskiy received several offers from surgeons to do the dental work for free. The surgery and the video story was featured on television news casts including the Good Day LA Fox morning show. His 2013 "Gold Digger Prank", featuring a woman who rejects his advances until she believes he drives a Lamborghini Gallardo sports car, generated more than 18 million views in its first week of posting. On October 15, 2014, Zdorovetskiy pulled a prank which involved himself dressing up as Leatherface from The Texas Chainsaw Massacre franchise, pretending to saw off the legs of Hanhart syndrome patient Nick Santonastasso with a chainsaw in front of unsuspecting witnesses. While being in Croatia in 2015, he harassed former Croatian prime minister Ivo Sanader, while Sanader was leaving Remetinec prison where he was serving his sentence for corruption charges by jumping on Sanader's car while he and his lawyers were inside. Zdorovetskiy has been accused of staging his YouTube pranks. In November 2015, Lionsgate officially acquired worldwide distribution rights for a film in which Zdorovetskiy starred, Natural Born Pranksters. After facing censorship and demonetization from YouTube due to their strict guidelines against explicit content, Zdorovetskiy launched Vitaly Uncensored in 2015 as an independent platform where he could share uncensored versions of his pranks and other NSFW videos without any limitations or restrictions. During the 2019 Champions League final his then girlfriend Kinsey Wolanski ran onto the pitch wearing a black swimsuit that had printed Vitaly Uncensored in white. The advertising value of the stunt was measured in couple of millions of dollars. In 2020 he launched the platform Vitaly Girls.
In July 2014, Zdorovetskiy attracted major media attention after invading the field during the 2014 FIFA World Cup Final between Germany and Argentina in Brazil. On May 25, 2016, he was arrested for trespassing after climbing the Hollywood Sign, as part of a video stunt. On June 10, 2016, he was again arrested for streaking during Game 4 of the NBA Finals between the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Golden State Warriors. On October 29, 2017, during the bottom of the 7th inning in Game 5 of the 2017 World Series, he was arrested for running onto the field at Minute Maid Park shortly after Carlos Correa of the Houston Astros hit a home run. In January 2020, Zdorovetskiy was arrested and spent five days in an Egyptian jail after climbing the Pyramids of Giza. On April 12, 2020, he was arrested and later charged for aggravated battery by Miami Beach Police. According to law-enforcement, Zdorovetskiy allegedly tackled a female jogger and struck her multiple times in the head and chest, leaving her with a 2-inch cut above her right eye that required stitches. The woman stated that she did not know who he was. Zdorovetskiy was released from custody after posting a $7,500 bond.
On April 2, 2025, Zdorovetskiy was arrested by Philippine authorities after livestreaming on Kick a series of incidents in which he harassed people in public at Bonifacio Global City and other parts of Metro Manila. During his livestreams, he was seen stealing a patrol motorcycle from a security guard, repeatedly taking a security guard's cap, stealing an electric fan from a restaurant and bringing it into a hotel, and threatening to rob a woman in public. Additionally, he also recorded himself jumping onto the roof of a moving jeepney, harassing motorcycle riders, and driving a tricycle recklessly in Manila that resulted in the injury of one rider as well as trespassing into a McDonald's kitchen and stealing from it. Zdorovetskiy was also accused of making derogatory comments and gestures toward a surfing instructor in Boracay and encouraging viewers to review bomb their local business. His deportation was put on hold after being labeled by the Bureau of Immigration (BI) as an "undesirable alien" and by the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) as a "flight risk". Following his arrest, he was detained at the Bureau of Immigration Bicutan Detention Center in Camp Bagong Diwa, Taguig, pending several cases filed against him under Philippine law. In May 2025, Zdorovetskiy's legal team pleaded with Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla to drop the charges filed against him, citing "mental health reasons". The request was declined by Remulla. In June 2025, Zdorovetskiy was reportedly facing three counts of unjust vexation, for which he could serve a prison sentence of up to 18 months. Remulla also stated at the time that Zdorovetskiy would no longer be deported, as both the Russian and United States governments have declined to accept him. Following his deportation being put on hold, Zdorovetskiy was transferred to the custody of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) in June 2025.
In January 2026, the Bureau of Immigration announced that Zdorovetskiy had his criminal cases resolved and the process for his deportation was resumed. He was deported to Russia on January 17, 2026, aboard an IrAero flight to Irkutsk. Despite holding permanent resident status in the United States, he was deported to Russia on the basis of his Russian citizenship and was subsequently placed on an immigration blacklist, barring him from legally reentering the Philippines. On January 21, 2026, Zdorovetskiy posted photos and videos of himself that he claimed were taken during his detention at Camp Bagong Diwa. In a livestream appearance with online personality Adin Ross, he alleged that he had been held in isolation for three months and subjected to inhumane conditions. He further claimed that he was able to record video footage inside the detention facility by bribing guards, stating that he had "vlogged the whole experience" and intended to "expose the corruption" he witnessed. Following the circulation of his posts, the BI announced that a warden has submitted a courtesy resignation, which was accepted, while two deputy wardens and three other BI officials have been relieved from their posts in connection with the incident. Palace Press Officer Claire Castro stated that the use of mobile phones by detainees is only for communicating with family members and that using one to make videos was not authorized by the facility personnel. Castro confirmed that Philippine president Bongbong Marcos had ordered an investigation into the reported lapses. The BI later stated that it had already investigated the smuggling of electronic devices into the detention facility in June or July 2025, resulting in the confiscation of smuggled items and the relief of negligent personnel in November 2025. After the livestream gained attention, the BI rejected Zdorovetskiy's allegations of inhumane conditions in detention as "rage-bait". Interior Secretary Remulla also warned that the government could pursue charges and seek Zdorovetskiy's extradition if proven that he had bribed personnel inside the detention facility.
