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In the viral clips, Vitaly and his team are seen surrounding a man in a residential neighbourhood, accusing him of inviting a 16-year-old girl on a date. The girl, who was with the group, claimed the man had sent her messages on Snapchat.
Screengrab from the viral video. A Russian YouTuber is receiving massive flak on social media after wrongly accusing an Indian man of being a child predator. The incident, captured on video and shared online, has triggered outrage over false allegations.
In the viral clips, Vitaly and his team are seen surrounding a man in a residential neighbourhood, accusing him of inviting a 16-year-old girl on a date. The girl, who was with the group, claimed the man had sent her messages on Snapchat.
However, the man, later identified as Akash Singhania, said the person he had planned to meet was 18. He immediately called the police and repeatedly asked the group to check his messages.
Despite this, the group continued to accuse him. "You are one of those tech Indians, smart ones huh," Vitaly said, alleging that Singhania had multiple Snapchat accounts. Another member claimed, "He either deleted the snaps or he has a burner snap that he uses," suggesting he may have had a second phone.
"I am not trying to fight this, I am not a violent person," Singhania said while attempting to explain his side.
Social media backlash
The incident triggered strong reactions online, with many criticising the YouTuber for making false claims and targeting the man unfairly.
"Predator hunting is low-tier content. If you get it wrong, you completely ruin somebody’s life," one user wrote on X. Another added, "Not only falsely accused an innocent man but also was racist during it." A third comment read, “You are a criminal and the way your team was threatening that dude and the way you were using racial slurs and were making fun of his accent…I hope he sues.”
Apology after police intervention
Police later arrived at the scene and helped clarify the situation. Vitaly subsequently issued a public apology on social media platforms, including Instagram and X.
"We wrongly identified and accused Akash Singhania. We were completely wrong and made a terrible mistake," he said. "Our team and I messed up and we are deeply sorry to Akash. Whoever has those videos, delete it. The Snapchat messages got messed up, it was the wrong time, wrong place," he added.
Singhania responds, thanks police
Singhania later shared his own statement on X, describing the incident as deeply distressing.
"My world was turned upside down this weekend. As some of you may have seen, I was featured on a recent episode of Vitaly Zdorovetskiy’s live series, where I was wrongfully portrayed as someone attempting to engage in inappropriate conduct. This accusation is completely false."
He said that Vitaly had since acknowledged the mistake publicly. He also thanked officers from the Santa Ana Police Department for their professionalism.
"I am sincerely grateful to Officers Renald Galstian, Lorenzo Sanchez, and Joanna Hatziefstratiou for their professionalism and for taking the time to carefully evaluate the situation and establish the truth," he wrote.
Singhania added that the incident led to harassment, judgment, and damage to his personal and professional relationships. He stressed the importance of due process and proper verification, noting that "mistakes, when made publicly, can have serious consequences on innocent lives."
About the Author
Kanishka Singharia
Kanishka Singharia is a Senior Content Producer at Mint with a passion for news, trends, and the stories shaping the digital world. She specialises in spotting viral narratives by constantly tracking social media platforms and turning them into engaging, reader-friendly stories. Her work ranges from fast-paced breaking updates to sensitive human-interest features, blending speed with clarity. <br><br> With over four years of experience in news and trend reporting, Kanishka has worked with leading organisations such as Hindustan Times and Times Now. She moves seamlessly between profiling business leaders and telling the stories of everyday people, covering national developments just as effortlessly as the memes and conversations that dominate online culture. <br><br> She also reports on real estate developments and civic challenges in major urban hubs like Bengaluru, Delhi, and Gurugram. Her coverage frequently explores the struggles of startup founders, inspiring journeys of CEOs, and the experiences of candidates dealing with the complexities of visa processes. <br><br> Kanishka holds an undergraduate degree in Journalism from Delhi University and a diploma from the Indian Institute of Mass Communication. Rarely offline, she spends much of her time scrolling through X, LinkedIn, Reddit, Instagram, and Facebook in search of the next big story. When she finally logs off, she enjoys binge-watching shows and exploring cafes in pursuit of good food and better conversations.
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