BLOOMINGTON, Minn., Dec. 1 (UPI) -- A Minnesota man who says he sent 1,000 $1 bills fluttering down inside the Mall of America rotunda to spread some holiday cheer wound up ticketed by police.

Serge Vorobyov, 29, of Apple Valley said he's had a "really tough year" and so he decided to "make it snow money" -- his last $1,000 -- to "spread some holiday cheer" Friday afternoon at the huge mall in Bloomington, the Minneapolis Star Tribune reported.


Vorobyov let loose with the cash over a third-floor railing onto the crowd below that was listening to a trio of singers that coincidentally was performing "Let it Snow."

The shoppers loved it, but city police didn't care for it and issued him a disorderly conduct ticket, saying he was just pulling a publicity stunt in an attempt to win back his estranged girlfriend, the newspaper said.

"I don't see how holiday cheer is disorderly conduct," he said.

Mall of America spokeswoman Sarah Schmidt said it's the first time anyone has ever done something like that in the mall, but added it was disruptive and could have caused a serious situation.