YouTube pranksters sued by USC for posing as the mafia

Sam Comrie
an image of ernest kanevsky

YouTubers Ernest Kanevsky and Yuguo Bai are facing a lawsuit after invading classrooms at the University of Southern California, with the intention of making prank videos documenting their antics. 

Building up a YouTube channel with unique content is a hard task by any means, with creators often resorting to wild tactics to gain subscribers. In the case of Ernest Kanevsky and Yuguo Bai, two YouTubers from Los Angeles, their antics went too far after they invaded classrooms at the University of Southern California.

However, it wasn’t just the classroom takeovers that earned them a lawsuit, the pair also posed as the Russian Mafia while students fled from the scene.

An image of Ernest Kanevsky
Ernest Kanevsky uploads videos that compile a multitude of pranks in different locations.

YouTubers Ernest Kanevsky and Yuguo Bai banned from USC

YouTube pranksters Ernest Kanevsky and Yuguo Bai abruptly interrupted students, as they pretended to be a member of the Russian Mafia and Hugo Boss respectively. Boss designed uniforms for the Nazis, causing further duress for students as the lecture in question was on the Holocaust, according to information obtained by The Guardian.

The takeover of the lecture hall prompted students to flee for safety, as the pair appeared intimidating amid students fearing “for their lives.”

This isn’t the first time that the YouTubers have caused chaos within classrooms, as they have pulled off similar pranks on the USC campus before, documenting their exploits on Kanevsky’s channel. Though, they are not students at the university.

USC student Avery Kotler said to USC Annenberg Media that “the entire building’s worth of kids” began to evacuate as the prank escalated. “Everyone just left in a really big panic” added Kotler.

In response to their continued harassment of USC students and faculty, the University has been granted a restraining order against Kanevsky and Bai. The YouTube duo were asked for their comments on the lawsuit but have yet to respond.

About The Author

Sam Comrie is a former Dexerto journalist based in South Yorkshire, UK. He has an MA in Multimedia Journalism and joined Dexerto in 2021 after producing content for NME and Red Bull Gaming.