Uber Sued After Illegal Immigrant Driver Attacks CEO in Charleston Parking Lot

A biotech executive is suing Uber after he was violently attacked by one of its drivers, a Russian national in the U.S. illegally, in a downtown Charleston, South Carolina parking lot, as reported by Fox News.

The lawsuit, filed Monday in Charleston County, alleges TC BioPharm CEO Bryan Kobel, 45, suffered a concussion in April when Uber driver Uliumdzhiev Vadim Nikolaevich, 42, attacked him after a dispute involving Kobel’s service dog.

Another #DemocratParty hero #Illegal arrested after seriously injuring a CEO who was caring for his service #Dog. @Uber failed to do due diligence on this illegal driver & now an American has severe brain injuries.https://t.co/bk4ByRpFll

— KittyTrouble (@CatSaavy) August 21, 2025

Surveillance footage shows the driver grabbing Kobel by the throat, headbutting him, and punching him before fleeing the scene. The incident also sent Kobel’s dog crashing to the ground.

Nikolaevich was arrested and charged with second-degree assault and battery, according to Charleston County Sheriff’s Office records. He was released on a $10,000 bond before Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) placed him on an immigration hold in Georgia.

Authorities later confirmed that Nikolaevich had been using a fake driver’s license and was in the country illegally.

Footage from the April attack shows bystanders rushing to help the unconscious Kobel while calling 911. One caller said:

“He’s bleeding very badly in the back of the head. We’re going to need an ambulance. Send the police. … There’s a gazillion witnesses.”

Kobel was transported to MUSC Health University Medical Center, where he received seven staples for a head laceration and was treated for a severe concussion. He later said that doctors and nurses on the scene ensured the best possible outcome.

Kobel also told Fox News Digital that Nikolaevich continued to pick up passengers within minutes of the assault. “This man violently assaults me, leaves me effectively bleeding out from my head in a parking lot, speeds off and picks somebody up two minutes later,” he said.

The dude he knocked out is the CEO of Biotech & he’s now suing Uber. The driver didn’t want to take his dog, so Brian Kobel said he wanted the ride cancelled. Driver gave him a bad concussion & 7 staples. CEO even lost his ability to speak for a while. https://t.co/Fx77eYqGLV

— glorybe! (@mebeglory) August 22, 2025

The lawsuit accuses Uber and its subsidiary Raiser of negligence in screening, hiring, and monitoring drivers. “Riders rely on Uber to know who is behind the wheel,” Kobel’s attorney Kenneth Berger said in a statement.

“We’re seeking answers and accountability for how an undocumented individual using a fraudulent ID was able to access Uber’s platform, assault a passenger and flee.”

According to the complaint, Kobel has suffered lasting effects, including loss of vocabulary, vision issues, and the inability to focus, leaving him unable to fully return to normal life for more than two months.

“You wonder, will I ever be whole again? Am I ever going to be the person I was?” Kobel said.

The lawsuit alleges that as a direct result of Nikolaevich’s conduct, Kobel endured medical expenses, mental anguish, and a loss of enjoyment of life.

“Uber let a wolf into the henhouse,” Kobel said. “They allowed a man who was in a country illegally, a Russian national with a fake license, go through their background check and snake his way in and then have what was nothing more than a violent outburst for no reason.”

The Department of Homeland Security and ICE did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The Charleston Police Department cited pending litigation in declining comment, while the Charleston County Sheriff’s Office did not provide a response.