A Bronx resident is under investigation for allegedly making thousands of false 911 calls, some of which contained racially charged accusations, according to police sources. Yuri Kharlamov, 54, is accused of placing 4,543 calls to 911 in the Bronx's 46 Precinct between March 9, 2023, and July 18.
According to case documents, Kharlamov repeatedly "knowingly and falsely reported the occurrence of serious crimes and emergency incidents." These reports included allegations of kidnappings, assaults, violent rapes, and children being shot. Police sources indicated that many of the calls were also racially charged.
Examples cited by police sources include claims such as "A white man is setting a black man on fire" on the subway and "three large black men were raping a woman." Other calls alleged that the Proud Boys had placed a bomb at the 46th Precinct stationhouse, that six Jewish males were assaulting a black male, and that five white males had shot a 5-year-old child. Some days, Kharlamov allegedly made more than 30 calls.
Operators frequently noted racial slurs or rants from the caller, according to sources. The sheer volume of calls is reported to have diverted significant police resources, including activating lights and sirens for false emergencies. This diverted response time could have impacted the ability to assist actual victims.
When police officers responded to one false report and found nothing, an officer called Kharlamov to inquire. According to sources, Kharlamov responded with racial slurs directed at the officer, referring to white men as "monkeys" and the officer as a "dumb n—-r." He also demanded to speak to a supervisor.
The calls were reportedly made from three different phone numbers and have "diverted thousands of police officer hours and substantial public resources," delaying responses to "actual victims," according to documents. The Bronx District Attorney's Office is reviewing the case, with Kharlamov's conduct described as a "continuous and deliberate course of criminal conduct."
Kharlamov has 19 prior arrests, though most are sealed. He was arrested in December 2022 for allegedly throwing an egg at police officers at the 46th Precinct stationhouse and making terroristic threats related to the alleged Proud Boys bomb threat. He was also arrested in 2019 for misdemeanor harassment and second-degree physical contact in Manhattan, for which he pleaded guilty to forcible touching and was ordered to complete a program.
Potential charges Kharlamov could face include falsely reporting an incident, reckless endangerment, aggravated harassment, and disorderly conduct. An NYPD spokeswoman stated the case is under investigation and no arrest has been made yet. Messages left for Kharlamov were not returned.