Mall of America Officials Show Grinch Spirit After Man Throws His Last $1K At Black Friday Shoppers

Serge Vorobyov

Vorobyov who tossed $1K at Black Friday shoppers was arrested and cited for causing a disturbance by police after Mall of America officials thought it was an act that could have ended with someone getting hurt.

By H. Nelson Goodson

December 3, 2013

Bloomington, Minnesota - On Friday, Serge Vorobyov was arrested and cited for disorderly conduct by Bloomington police for tossing his last one thousand dollars at Black Friday Mall of America shoppers. Vorobyov who says, that he is going through hard times and just went through a bad divorce decided to go into the mall on Friday and toss $1K from a fourth floor into the ground level rotunda where a choir was singing "Let it Snow."

Mall of America (MOA) officials are now being labeled holiday "Grinches" by mall shoppers for over reacting and allowing police to cite Vorobyov for disturbing the peace after tossing money in the mall. A statement released by MOA to media outlets says, Vorobyov's act "could have caused a major disturbance and ended in someone getting hurt." No one was reported injured, but many people received some extra shopping cash from Vorobyov, according to police.

Did MOA over react instead of thanking Vorobyov for the publicity the mall received over the weekend?

Vorobyov posted a YouTube video explaining his intent and is now facing a citation for tossing money over the railing from the fourth floor of the MOA. He says, he didn't deserve a citation for disorderly conduct, since no one was injured. Vorobyov says, he is going through a messy divorce and just wanted to spread some holiday cheer and just tossed his last $1K when a choir was singing "Let it Snow."

Vorobyov in his YouTube statement says, "I went through a horrible divorce and she even took the cat and won't tell me where it is. I thought I would just spread some holiday cheer...pay it forward."

Shame on MOA for acting like Grinches this holiday season.

Should Vorobyov been arrested and cited for disorderly conduct for throwing his own money away to Black Friday shoppers at the MOA?

Vorobyov explains his side of the story in following video link: http://alturl.com/s43d8

Video where Vorobyov throws cash to Black Friday MOA shoppers at link: http://alturl.com/qx79s