This footage that appears to show a Russian influencer and cryptocurrency tycoon recklessly throwing his son into a deep snowdrift in search of online likes has prompted a court to issue an arrest warrant.
Sergei Kosenko, known as Mr Thank You, describes himself as an “actor, singer, influencer and entrepreneur” with 46.6 million followers on Instagram.
The harrowing footage of Mr Kosenko throwing the child, who the Moscow Times said was two months old at the time of the incident, into the air and apparently dropping him into a deep snowbank, was originally published in January 2024.
The clip quickly went viral, generating international headlines and massive backlash, at which point Kosenko deleted the post.
The influencer claims that he actually used a fictional child and clever editing and did not put his child in danger.
However, the video caught the attention of Russian authorities, who have issued an arrest warrant for Kosenko.
The arrest warrant was issued in his absence by the Basmanny District Court of the city of Moscow, which has also ordered the freezing of his assets in Russia.
Russian authorities said in a statement: “The accused threw the child away from himself and upward, allowing him to fall from a height.”
Russian millionaire influencer Sergei Kosenko, known as Mr Thank You, photographed on a plane with his son

Kosenko dangles her two-month-old son over the snowbank in preparation for the viral stunt.

Mr Kosenko’s son at the moment of impact, dressed in a panda costume, before disappearing under the deep snow.
“Criminal intent was not carried out because the layer of snow softened the child’s fall.”
Russian authorities have ordered the influencer’s extradition to Russia to face charges.
They also ordered that he be detained for two months from the moment he arrives on Russian soil.
Sergei Zhorin, the suspect’s lawyer, told local media that his client was willing to cooperate with authorities and provide the original video.
The lawyer stated that the child was not actually used for filming and that the “video was filmed using a doll and edited.”
But this has not stopped Russian authorities from placing him on a wanted list on charges of attempting to intentionally cause serious bodily injury to a minor and failing to fulfill his duties of raising a minor.
They also froze the influencer’s bank accounts in Russia, with local media saying authorities froze RUB206m (£1.6m) spread across 43 bank accounts.
If convicted, Kosenko, one of Russia’s top content creators, faces up to 10 years in prison.

Sergei Kosenk describes himself as an “actor, singer, influencer and entrepreneur” with 46.6 million followers on Instagram.

If convicted, Kosenko, one of Russia’s leading content creators, faces up to 10 years in prison.

The influencer currently lives abroad and reportedly splits his time between Los Angeles and Dubai.
The influencer currently lives abroad and reportedly splits his time between Los Angeles and Dubai.
Kosenko already sparked controversy in 2021 after a stunt in which he drove a car through Moscow with a woman taped to the roof.