Most Talked-About Controversies Linked to Jake Paul

Controversies are a part of history. Explore the biggest scandals linked to Jake Paul.

Jake Paul is an American boxer, influencer, and actor who rose to prominence through social media. He initially gained popularity on Vine, accumulating millions of followers before transitioning to YouTube in 2014. Paul has been recognized as one of the highest-paid YouTube creators, leveraging his online presence to launch a professional boxing career. His boxing matches and social media antics have made him a controversial yet highly visible figure in the entertainment and sports worlds.

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Full Timeline Career & Achievements Success & Recognition Controversies & Scandals

July 22, 2017: Departure from Bizaardvark

On July 22, 2017, the Disney Channel announced that Jake Paul would be leaving the series Bizaardvark, due to controversy. Paul stated he would focus on his personal brand, YouTube channel and business ventures.

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August 1, 2017: "SELF DRIVING TESLA IN DRIVE THRU PRANK (FREAKOUTS)" Video Controversy

On August 1, 2017, Jake Paul uploaded a video titled "SELF DRIVING TESLA IN DRIVE THRU PRANK (FREAKOUTS)" where he made a joke perpetuating stereotypes of Arabs and Muslims as suicide bombers, leading to accusations of racism.

November 2017: Martínez Twins Leave Team 10

In November 2017, twin brothers Ivan and Emilio Martínez left Team 10, accusing Jake Paul and other members of anti-Mexican sentiment, using Hispanic stereotypes, invading privacy, destroying property, and withholding payment.

January 3, 2018: "I lost my virginity" Video Upload

On January 3, 2018, Jake Paul uploaded a video to his YouTube channel entitled "I lost my virginity" that used a thumbnail of himself and his then-girlfriend Erika Costell posing semi-nude on top of each other. The video was age-restricted by YouTube and criticized as inappropriate.

January 5, 2018: Racial Slur Controversy

On January 5, 2018, TMZ revealed a video in which Jake Paul used the racial slur nigger multiple times while freestyle rapping to "Throw Sum Mo".

January 2018: Launch of Edfluence

In January 2018, Jake Paul launched Edfluence, a program claiming to teach younger people how to be successful and earn money online. He was later accused of scamming his young followers. Paul promised his audience that if they joined the course, they would get to join "Team 1000", which did not happen.

April 24, 2018: Lawsuit by Cobra Acquisitions

On April 24, 2018, it was reported that Jake Paul was being sued by Cobra Acquisitions, the company that owns his house, for $2.5 million due to public nuisance caused by fans gathering outside his residence.

August 15, 2018: Released Diss Track "Champion"

On August 15, 2018, Jake Paul released the single "Champion", a diss track towards Deji Olatunji, with a music video.

January 3, 2019: Promotion of MysteryBrand Controversy

On January 3, 2019, Jake Paul, along with fellow YouTuber RiceGum, came under fire for promoting MysteryBrand, a website accused of not delivering prizes won through the site.

2019: Alleged assault of Justine Paradise

In 2019, an incident occurred at the Team 10 House where TikTok personality Justine Paradise alleged that Jake Paul forced her into oral sex and touched her without her consent. This information resurfaced on April 9, 2021 when Paradise released a video detailing the incident.

January 31, 2020: Shutdown of Edfluence

On January 31, 2020, Edfluence, a program created by Jake Paul, was shut down permanently after accusations of scamming young followers and stealing their money.

February 23, 2020: Altercation with Zayn Malik

On February 23, 2020, in Las Vegas, Nevada, Jake Paul was involved in an altercation with British singer Zayn Malik at the Westgate hotel. The argument started due to Paul's belief that Malik was using a rude tone. Paul then tweeted about the incident, later deleting the tweets and acknowledging he was drunk when he posted about it.

May 30, 2020: Involvement in George Floyd protests

On May 30, 2020, Jake Paul and his friends were present at P. F. Chang's outside Scottsdale Fashion Square in Scottsdale, Arizona, during the George Floyd protests, where looting began. He was criticized for entering the mall and documenting the looting. Paul apologized and claimed he was filming as a public service, not participating in the looting.

June 4, 2020: Charged with criminal trespass and unlawful assembly

On June 4, 2020, Jake Paul was charged with criminal trespass and unlawful assembly for being in the mall during the riot as part of the George Floyd protests.

July 11, 2020: Large party during COVID-19 pandemic

On July 11, 2020, Jake Paul threw a large party at his home in Calabasas, California, during the COVID-19 pandemic. Dozens of people attended without masks or social distancing, drawing criticism from neighbors and the mayor, Alicia Weintraub, who expressed outrage over the disregard for public health guidelines and threatened penalties.

August 5, 2020: FBI raids Calabasas mansion

On August 5, 2020, the FBI raided Jake Paul's Calabasas mansion in connection with an ongoing investigation. On the same day, the charges from the June 4 incident were dismissed without prejudice to allow the federal criminal investigation to be completed.

November 25, 2020: COVID-19 "hoax" statements in interview

On November 25, 2020, Jake Paul stated in an interview with The Daily Beast that COVID-19 was a "hoax" and that "98 percent of news [about COVID-19] is fake". He also incorrectly stated that the flu killed as many people in the United States in 2020 as COVID-19 did. These statements sparked widespread condemnation from various individuals and media outlets.

November 29, 2020: Frustration Sparked by Paul's Claims

On November 29, 2020, Jake Paul sparked frustration after stating he paved the way for content house creation and boxing matches between high-profile social media stars. Many objected to Paul's claim, observing that he did not create the first content house, nor was he the first YouTube star to fight in a boxing match.

April 9, 2021: Justine Paradise's accusations

On April 9, 2021, Justine Paradise released a video alleging that Jake Paul forced her into oral sex and touched her without her consent in 2019. Paul denied the accusations.

April 22, 2021: Railey Lollie's accusation

On April 22, 2021, The New York Times published an article featuring a second accusation against Jake Paul by model and actress Railey Lollie. Lollie alleged that Paul called her "jailbait" and groped her at one point when she started working for him at 17.

February 18, 2022: SafeMoon Lawsuit

On February 18, 2022, Jake Paul was named as a defendant in a class-action lawsuit against the cryptocurrency company SafeMoon, accused of promoting it with misleading information.

March 2022: Accusations of Scamming Fans with Cryptocurrency

In March 2022, YouTuber Coffeezilla uploaded a video accusing Jake Paul of using cryptocurrency and non-fungible tokens to scam his fans out of $2.2 million.

March 2023: SEC charges for cryptocurrency promotion

In March 2023, Jake Paul was among eight celebrities charged by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) with violating investor protection laws by promoting cryptocurrencies without disclosing that they had been sponsored to do so. He settled the charges for over $400,000 without admitting or denying the claims.

2025: Cancellation of the Jake Paul vs. Gervonta Davis fight

In 2025, the planned Jake Paul vs. Gervonta Davis fight card was cancelled due to a civil lawsuit accusing Davis of violent behavior. Netflix withdrew as the broadcaster, and despite plans for Paul to headline a Netflix event in 2025, the fight was ultimately called off.