Brother Of Kind Hearted Homeless Man Who Became Viral Star For Spending $100 Donation On Food For His Friends Says His Brother Is A FAKE - Who's Set To Inherit $150k

The brother of an apparent street beggar who became an internet star for spending $100 on food for other people claims his 'mentally unstable' sibling chose to be homeless and is awaiting a $150,000 inheritance.

Kevin Nickel also said the man the internet knows as Thomas - whose online donation kitty has received more than $135,000 from members of the public - is actually named Kenny, and that he wants people to know 'it's all a scam' so that the donated money can go to those who actually need it.

'He's sitting on money - he's sitting on an estate,' Mr Nickel told CBS Los Angeles.

'He chose this way of life.

'This money needs to go to real people - people who have fallen down.'

Mr Nickel says his brother is an alcoholic who lived with their parents up until their death recently, and that he is waiting on $150,000 from their estate.

He suggested his sibling chose to live on the streets as he waits for the money.
Mr Nickel also said his brother recently spent some time in jail after being arrested for public intoxication.

However he believes that his sibling may have been 'manipulated' into filming the video.

The claims come after a witness spoke out about seeing the filming of the video by YouTube prankster Josh Paler Lin, who claims to have given 'Thomas' $100 cash and then secretly followed him to a liquor store, where he bought food and gave it to homeless people in a park.

Nursing student Taugan Tan Kadalim, 26, said he was outside the liquor store on the day in question and he saw Paler Lin - who he recognized from his previous videos - in the driver's seat of a car.

In the passenger seat, he claims, was Thomas.

'I was there, they didn’t ‘follow’ him,' Kadalim told CBS.

'They drove him there (to the liquor store).

'I think the manner in how they portrayed the entire video is deceitful and dishonest.'

The Daily Mail contacted Paler Lin for comment on the new claims on Friday but did not hear back.


Thomas gave an interview to Fox LA insisting that to him it was 'all a surprise' and he had never met Josh before he was handed the $100.