A Ukrainian businessman threw a rock at an endangered monk seal named Lani in Hawaii, got beat up by a local, and a state senator gave the guy who beat him up an award

A Ukrainian businessman named Igor Lytvynchuk threw a “coconut-sized” rock at one of the rarest marine mammals on earth while visiting Maui last week. The seal’s name is Lani. She’s a Hawaiian monk seal, an endangered species with roughly 1,400 left on the planet. Lani is well known in the area. Locals love her. Igor threw a boulder at her head.

Igor Lytvynchuk throws rock at endangered monk seal

🇺🇸🇺🇦 A Ukrainian businessman living in the U.S. threw a “coconut-sized” rock at one of the rarest marine mammals on earth.

Igor Lytvynchuk was visiting Hawaii last week, when he was captured on video throwing stones at an endangered Hawaiian monk seal named Lani, who is… pic.twitter.com/KZ40l7LBuZ

— Mario Nawfal (@MarioNawfal) May 11, 2026

When concerned bystanders confronted him about it, Lytvynchuk reportedly told them “I don’t care, I’m rich. Fine me. I can pay for it.” A local heard that, saw what happened, and beat the shit out of him on the beach.

Lytvynchuk is now facing up to $50,000 in fines and possible jail time. The guy who beat him up received a letter of recognition from Republican state Senator Brenton Awa, who referred to him as “Mr. Ambassador of Aloha.” The senator’s attorney made sure to clarify that they “don’t condone violence” before handing out the award for violence.

Every single person in this story is somehow both right and wrong at the same time.

Igor Is One of the Worst People I’ve Ever Read About

Throwing a coconut-sized rock at an endangered seal is already bottom-of-the-barrel human behavior. But saying “I don’t care, I’m rich. Fine me. I can pay for it” to the people watching you do it elevates this to a completely different level of scumbag. That’s not just animal cruelty. That’s a guy who genuinely believes his money makes him untouchable and that the rules of civilized society don’t apply to him because he has a bank account.

You traveled from wherever you live in the United States to one of the most beautiful places on earth and your contribution was assaulting a beloved endangered animal that locals have named and protected for years.

Then when people told you to stop, you flexed your wallet like a villain from a bad movie. “I’m rich. Fine me.” Cool, Igor. You’re rich and you still got your ass kicked on a beach by a nature guy in flip-flops.

Money didn’t help you there. All those rubles or dollars or whatever you’ve got couldn’t stop you from getting pummeled in the sand in front of tourists while the seal you threw a rock at watched from 20 feet away.

The $50,000 fine is nothing to a guy who brags about being rich. The jail time would be a more appropriate consequence.

Let Igor sit in a Hawaiian jail cell and think about what kind of man throws rocks at endangered monk seals and then brags about being able to afford the punishment.

The Local Who Beat Him Up

I understand the impulse. I genuinely do. You’re standing on a beach watching some rich tourist throw rocks at a defenseless animal that your community has protected for years and then he tells everyone around him that he doesn’t care because he’s wealthy. The rage that would produce in a normal human being is understandable.

That said, the guy still committed assault on a beach. I also don’t like animal activists. I would have just said you beat Igor up because he’s an asshole. No disrespect to Lani the monk seal, I just don’t like activists.

Lani the monk seal didn’t ask for a bodyguard. I’m also not going to pretend I have any sympathy for Igor getting his face rearranged after what he did and what he said. Sometimes the consequences of being a terrible person arrive faster than the legal system can deliver them.

The Senator Is the Funniest Part, I Guess…

State Senator Brenton Awa handed out a letter of recognition to the man who beat up Igor and called him “Mr. Ambassador of Aloha.” His attorney clarified that they “don’t condone violence” before presenting the award for violence. The hypocrisy is so brazen it almost circles back around to being respectable.

Igor got beat up for throwing a rock at Lani the monk seal

NEW: Seattle man gets beaten up by a local in Hawaii after he threw a massive rock at a monk seal.

The man was seen getting pummelled by a local after throwing a rock at the seal on Maui.

The man who took matters into his own hands has been awarded a letter of… pic.twitter.com/WLtSeIbdhn

— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) May 11, 2026

You cannot be anti-rock-throwing and pro-face-punching.

Those are both violence. One is against an endangered monk seal and one is against a Ukrainian businessman who had it coming, but they’re both violence. Pick a lane, Senator. Still, “Mr. Ambassador of Aloha” is the funniest title ever given to a man who committed assault.

My Final Assessment

Igor sucks for throwing a rock at Lani the monk seal and then bragging about being rich enough to afford the consequences.

The local sucks slightly less for beating up Igor but still committed a crime. The senator sucks for the hypocrisy of handing out awards for assault while claiming to be against violence.

Lani the monk seal is the only innocent party in this entire situation and deserves to be left alone by every human being for the rest of her life.

“I’m rich. Fine me.” Famous last words before getting your ass kicked on a beach in Maui while a state senator watches and starts drafting your attacker’s certificate of achievement.

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