Homeless Man in Heart-Tugging Viral Video Sitting on a $150,000 Estate, Alleged Brother Claims

The now-questioned viral video that depicted a homeless man named Thomas using $100 to buy food for the needy instead of alcohol has taken yet another hit.

A man who says he is Thomas' brother is claiming that the video — which has received almost 30 million YouTube views since its Dec. 22 posting — is "all a scam" and that his mentally unstable brother is actually sitting on a $150,000 estate from their parents who died last summer.

Homeless man Thomas talks to viral video creator Josh Paler Lin. (Image source: YouTube)

Kevin Nickel told KCAL-TV that Thomas' real name is Kenny Nickel and that he worked odd jobs and lived with their parents until their deaths.

Nickel shared with the station several photos of Kenny that closely resemble Thomas from the video.

Kenny Nickel (Image source: KCAL-TV)

Kevin Nickel said that he's unsure if his brother knows about the Indiegogo donation page set up by YouTube personality Josh Paler Lin, who created the video. The crowdfunding page has raised nearly $135,000 to "Help Thomas To Get A Fresh Start!" but Nickel wondered if Kenny — and others — are being manipulated.

Kenny Nickel (Image source: KCAL-TV)

"This isn't right," Kevin Nickel told KCAL. “This money needs to go to real people who need it. Real people who've actually fallen down.”

Nickel also said his brother is an alcoholic who has been arrested and jailed for public intoxication; the station reported that it was unable to confirm his arrest record.

Kevin Nickel (Image source: KCAL-TV)

Nickel's only connection to Kenny is a man who supposedly represents him and allegedly texted Kevin Nickel the day the video was released that "your brother is famous" and "we're going to make hundreds of thousands of dollars," KCAL reported.

TheBlaze previously reported that one apparent eyewitness to the video's filming said the entire thing was staged by Lin, declaring: “The whole thing is bulls**t.”

Taugan Tan Kadalim, a 26-year-old nursing student, told Vocativ he saw Thomas and Lin arrive at the liquor store together.

“Thomas knew he was being followed,” Kadalim said, adding that he recognized Lin from his previous work.

“Bro, he drove Thomas to the liquor store,” he added. “While I think the guy is homeless, it is clear that from what I saw every part of that scene was staged.”

Kadalim told KCAL that he thinks "the manner in how they portrayed the entire video is deceitful and dishonest.”

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With hits to his YouTube channel (he joined in 2009), it’s already estimated that Lin made $52,000, not counting the Indiegogo fundraising page he said he set up for Thomas. Lin’s channel also gained him nearly 15,000 new fans.

Critics have already pointed out that Thomas would have had to have walked for at least 34 minutes to the Liquor Mart, passing cheaper supermarkets along the way. They also point out that a homeless and begging Thomas had a rather blase reaction for someone who had just received $100 from a stranger.

Responding Dec. 30 to allegations that the video was a setup, Lin said in a statement to TheBlaze:

On December 20th, 2014, my videographer and I went out to film a social experiment to find out how a homeless man would spend $100. After driving around Fullerton we came upon Thomas on the side of the 91 highway around 1 o’clock. We then followed Thomas for about 10 minutes before he walked into the liquor store. And then my videographer and I proceeded to follow him for another 45 minutes where he began handing out food to the local homeless people in the park. I then revealed myself and apologized for misjudging him.

Once we had finished filming, my videographer and I wanted to get to know him more and took him out to eat at the local Thai food restaurant before we dropped him back off at the homeless shelter.

Another video showed Lin taking out Thomas for meals and giving him a hotel room along with a makeover, KCAL noted.

This isn't the first time the YouTuber has been accused of staging pranks. A man confessed in a Dec. 19 video that he once participated in a staged video produced by Lin.

Lin told Vocativ he planned to give the homeless man the donated money at a future event, but declined to provide the names of his team taking care of the legalities.