A popular French TikToker has admitted to faking his dog’s kidnapping, saying the stunt was meant to “create entertainment” as social media revenue declined.
Cyril Schreiner revealed on February 9 that the viral disappearance of his pug, Albert, had been staged. The story had circulated widely across French social media after he posted surveillance-style footage showing two individuals allegedly abducting the dog from a rented property.
Stolen pets had been a concerning trend across social media prior to the faked kidnapping, with two stories about Amazon delivery drivers taking cats going viral in the weeks before.
However, in this case, it was all a ruse orchestrated by the TikToker with 8.5M followers.
TikToker admits he faked dognapping because he wasn’t getting paid enough
On February 5, Schreiner shared an emotional Instagram post showing what appeared to be a tearful reunion with Albert. Days later, he admitted the entire situation was fabricated.
“The last year has been really difficult for me,” he said in his confession video, explaining that he had fallen out of love with his own content.
“I had less taste for everything I did. I wanted to rediscover the joy of the stories I used to tell you, like in 2016.”
Schreiner claimed the original kidnapping video was “obviously comedic” and insisted his dog was never involved in filming. Instead, he used a sack of potatoes in place of Albert during production.
“I wanted to create entertainment,” he said, before acknowledging he crossed a line.
“There are things you shouldn’t joke about. I acted stupidly, and I apologize publicly. Whether you accept my apology or not, I never meant to disrespect people who have actually lost pets.”
French TikToker faces financial fallout over fake dognapping
The backlash has also cost him more than just goodwill. Schreiner denied staging the stunt for followers or subscribers, saying he actually lost brand deals and credibility as a result.
“I actually lost partnerships, credibility, and a lot of money in this situation,” he said. “Creating all of this cost me a lot of money and brought in almost nothing. Social media doesn’t pay like it used to.”
In the caption of his apology video, Schreiner reportedly said any revenue generated from the stunt would be donated to animal welfare organizations.
Schreiner is not the first creator to face consequences over staged content.
In 2023, YouTuber Trevor Jacob was sentenced to six months in federal prison after deliberately crashing his plane for views.
Two years prior, Taiwan police demanded a public apology from Twitch streamer Kiaraakitty after she faked a viral incident where a stranger allegedly threw eggs at her for “seducing” their husband.
As backlash continues to grow over manufactured drama online, Schreiner says his only goal moving forward is simple: “I just want to apologize again to anyone I hurt. My only goal has always been to share joy and positivity.”
