1:15As a trio of singers performed "Let it Snow," at the Mall of America rotunda, a 29-year-old Apple Valley man made it "snow money" by flinging $1,000 in dollar bills over the third-floor railing onto the crowd below, saying he wanted to spread holiday cheer.
But the seemingly charitable act Friday afternoon landed Serge Vorobyov a disorderly conduct ticket from Bloomington police, who said it was just a publicity stunt that Vorobyov hoped would persuade his estranged girlfriend to get back together.
According to police, Vorobyov admitted throwing the money, which he had stamped with his YouTube address to direct people to it. He was cited for causing the disruption and released at the scene.
In a YouTube video that Vorobyov posted under the name "Serge The Car Hauler," he says he had a "really tough year." He says he decided to throw out his "last $1,000 … to spread some holiday cheer … to make it snow money" as the singers (not part of the stunt) performed.
Vorobyov acknowledges in the video that he was cited for disorderly conduct for the publicity stunt, even posting a photo of the citation on his Facebook page, but he argues that no one was hurt.
"I don't see how holiday cheer is disorderly conduct," he said.
Mall of America spokeswoman Sarah Schmidt said it's the first time anyone has ever done something like that in the mall, but added that Vorobyov disrupted the performance and could've caused a serious situation.
Kelly Smith
