A friend of the controversial prank blogger Edward Beale has been detained once again. The information comes from the Telegram channel operated by Moscow’s general jurisdiction courts, which provides regular updates on local rulings and legal actions.
The Nikulinsky District Court of Moscow found Yegor Viktorovich Chernov guilty of an administrative offense under Part 1 of Article 20.2.2 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation. The court’s public announcement specifies that Chernov’s actions were in violation of the cited statute, resulting in a formal conviction being issued for the offense described in the publication.
Similar to Edward Beale, Chernov received up to 14 days in detention as a consequence of the administrative offense. This sentence aligns with the typical penalties outlined in cases involving disruptive or provocative public acts that are carried out in a way deemed unlawful by local authorities.
On July 20, Edward Beale himself was sentenced to 13 days of administrative arrest. The day prior, the prankster and his associate donned a police uniform and inscribed the phrase “Scooter patrol service” on it. They then rode a scooter around Odintsovo, a town near Moscow, gathering attention for the stunt. Subsequently, authorities began verifying the legality of Beale’s actions and the broader implications of the prank-related activities.
Investigations and public commentary suggest that Beale has been connected to a history of deception and questionable schemes in the past, including attempts to portray himself as a high-ranking figure and to misappropriate funds from a prominent brand. While these claims circulate in media and social channels, officials emphasize that the recent legal actions were tied to specific violations of the administrative code rather than the broader reputational narrative surrounding the blogger.
In the context of the evolving media landscape, stories about Beale and Chernov illustrate how online content creators and their social experiments can collide with local laws governing public order, safety, and the conduct of individuals in uniform or impersonations of authority. Experts note that the consequences reflect the balance courts seek to maintain between free expression, entertainment value, and the protection of the public from potentially misleading or harmful actions. Attribution: Telegram channel of the Moscow courts and official court announcements.