It’s common sense to keep your face as far as away from an alligator‘s mouth as possible. After all, you only get one face that has to last your entire life, and alligators are notorious for their ferocious biting abilities.
Enter South Florida man Edil Kasenov, who in June 2025 visited Airboat Rides at Midway in Christmas and participated in their “Alligator Encounter” experience. Unfortunately for Kasenov, according to him, it ended with him reportedly suffering an alligator bite to the face.
Kasenow has now launched legal proceedings against Airboat Rides, with his filed papers alleging that he was handed an alligator by an employee, which proceeded to bite him in the face, resulting in him suffering (as per the lawsuit):
“Serious bodily injuries and resulting pain and suffering, disability, physical impairment, disfigurement, inconvenience, mental anguish, loss of capacity for the enjoyment of life, loss of wages and expense of hospitalization, medical and nursing care and treatment, loss of the ability to perform household services and/or aggravation of a previously existing condition.”
His claim argues that the company failed to “properly train and/or supervise” its employees and that there was no warning indicating “the vicious nature of the subject alligator”. Kasenov demands at least $50,000 for the bite, plus his legal fees, and that the case be decided by a jury rather than a single judge.
The other side of the story
Airboat Rides has responded, asserting to Fox 35 Orlando that the “bite” didn’t occur, that the alligator merely slapped Kasenov’s cheek, that he only suffered minor scratches, and that he’d ignored the employee’s explicit verbal instructions on how to handle it. They said:
“Every participant is told to hold the alligator with two hands under the front armpits and the other at the base of the tail. We instruct them to hold the alligator flat and waist to chest level and DO NOT PUT THE ALLIGATOR BY YOUR FACE OR TO PRETEND TO KISS THE ALLIGATOR as they can get startled and swing their head, which is solid bone, hit you in the mouth or face and hurt you.”
They insist that Kasenov “did exactly what he was told not to do and stuck his face next to the alligator for a family picture that they requested to be taken.”
They say this resulted in the startled gator swinging its head and “slapping Mr Kasenov”, saying their staff then provided ointment, checked that he was fine, and that Kasenov said he was okay.
Airboat rides also allege:
“While here, he posted on his social media, “having a good time with it” calling himself Scarface and even posted “They probably think I’m going to sue them but I’m not going to because it was my fault”. I have the posts saved on my phone for proof that this is a frivolous suit for money as Mr. Kasenov goes around suing regularly as I believe this is the third attorney he has hired for this suit.”
They have dubbed Kasenov as a “social media influencer that does things for clicks.” The case continues.
Published: Jun 8, 2026 12:45 pm