Russian vlogger arrested over spreading HIV scare
The Bureau of Immigration has arrested a Russian vlogger who went viral for threatening to spread HIV in the Philippines.
In a clip that made the rounds on social media, 21-year-old Nikita Chekhov was seen walking in BGC, cursing.
“Let’s spread HIV. P******a mo,” he said.
Chekhov, who hails from Taganrog, Rostov Oblast, Russia, was nabbed by the BI Fugitive Search Unit from his condominium unit in Quezon City.
According to the BI, the vlogger arrived in the country as a tourist on Jan. 15 after traveling from Shanghai, China. He’s believed to be making rage bait content, designed to provoke users online.
“These so-called rage-bait videos irresponsibly cause fear and panic among the public,” BI Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado said in a statement. “Foreign nationals who come to the Philippines to spread alarm, disrespect our people, or abuse our hospitality are not welcome and will face deportation.”
The agency has also coordinated with the Department of Health.
Chekhov is currently in BI custody pending deportation proceedings.
The 21-year-old's arrest comes after fellow Russian YouTuber Vitaly Zdorovetskiy was deported on Jan. 17. Vitaly was arrested in Pasay City in June 2025 for harassing and disrespecting Filipinos in BGC. In a viral vlog, he was seen harassing a security guard, cursing at a masked woman, stealing an electric fan, and stowing away on a tricycle that soon crashed.
Earlier in the week, on Jan. 18, the BI also apprehended 34-year-old Estonian vlogger Siim Roosipuu, who is accused by residents of harassment through offensive remarks and unauthorized filming.
He has been declared persona non grata in Negros Oriental.
"The Philippines is not a content playground. We welcome tourists and legitimate creators, but anyone who exploits our people for views, clicks, or profit will face arrest, deportation, and blacklisting," Viado previously said.
