USC Sues YouTubers For Posing As Russian Mafia During "Classroom Takeover" Prank Video

Eric Kanevsky and Yuguo Bai were arrested at gunpoint in a university parking lot.

BYHayley Hynes
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The latest YouTube content creators to land themselves in hot water are Eric Kanevsky and Yuguo Bai who, according to a lawsuit obtained by TMZ, are being sued by the University of Southern California for bursting into classrooms and stopping instructors as they film videos in hopes of going viral.

The lawsuit alleges that the two men – who are not enrolled at the school – performed a series of pranks in classrooms located throughout the campus, their ultimate goal being to create "takeover prank videos."

USC Sues YouTubers For Posing As Russian Mafia During "Classroom Takeover" Prank Video
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The most recent incident took place a few weeks ago, when the pair dressed up in disguise as a Russian Mafia member and Hugo Boss, who manufactured Nazi uniforms during World War II while interrupting a lecture on the Holocaust.

As per the lawsuit, some of the students were so panicked that they fled the room, leaving their belongings behind. It's been said that the YouTubers presented "a credible threat of imminent classroom violence" with their antics.

Kanevsky and Bai were eventually arrested at gunpoint by officers in a parking lot near the classroom that they invaded. At this time, it remains unclear whether prosecutors will be moving forward with pressing criminal charges, but USC is attempting to get monetary compensation.

The university is seeking a "permanent injunction to stop Eric and Yuguo from ever doing this kind of stunt again, as well as financial damages," TMZ notes.

Check out similar antics from Eric Kanevsky in the video above, and let us know what you think of his "prank" in the comments below.

[Via]


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About The Author
Hayley Hynes is the former Weekend Managing Editor of HotNewHipHop, she stepped down after two years in 2024 to pursue other creative opportunities but remains on staff part-time to cover music, gossip, and pop culture news. Currently, she contributes similar content on Blavity and 21Ninety, as well as on her personal blog where she also offers tarot/astrology services. Hayley resides on the western side of Canada, previously spending a year in Vancouver to study Fashion Marketing at Blanche Macdonald Centre and Journalism at Mount Royal University in Calgary before that. She's passionate about helping others heal through storytelling, and shares much more about her life on Instagram @hayleyhynes.