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 influencer, actor, and professional boxer. He gained initial fame through Vine, amassing a large following before transitioning to YouTube in 2014. His YouTube career proved lucrative, earning him recognition as one of the highest-paid creators on the platform in multiple years according to Forbes.

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Full Timeline Career & Achievements Success & Recognition Controversies & Scandals

May 30, 2017: Release of "It's Everyday Bro"

On May 30, 2017, Jake Paul released the single "It's Everyday Bro", featuring Team 10. It became YouTube's third most disliked video and peaked at number 91 on the Billboard Hot 100.

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July 22, 2017: Departure from Bizaardvark

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

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August 1, 2017: Paul makes insensitive comment about Kazakhstan

On August 1, 2017, Jake Paul uploaded a video where he made an insensitive comment about Kazakhstan. Paul was accused of perpetuating stereotypes of Arabs and Muslims, due to Kazakhstan's history with nuclear weapons.

November 2017: Martínez twins leave Team 10

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

January 3, 2018: Paul uploads controversial "I lost my virginity" video

On January 3, 2018, Jake Paul uploaded a video to his YouTube channel entitled "I lost my virginity", using a thumbnail of himself and Erika Costell posing semi-nude. The video was age-restricted by YouTube due to the inappropriate thumbnail, which was later changed.

January 5, 2018: Paul uses racial slur in freestyle rap

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: Paul launches Edfluence website

In January 2018, Jake Paul started the website Edfluence, a program claiming to teach younger people how to be successful and earn money online. The course cost $7 per user, but the $7 did not unlock the entire program, leading to accusations of scamming young followers.

April 24, 2018: Paul sued for $2.5 million by Cobra Acquisitions

On April 24, 2018, it was reported that Jake Paul was being sued by Cobra Acquisitions for $2.5 million, after neighbors filed a class-action public nuisance lawsuit against Paul, because he made his home address public.

August 15, 2018: Release of "Champion"

On August 15, 2018, Jake Paul released the single "Champion", a diss track towards his boxing opponent Deji Olatunji.

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January 3, 2019: Paul promotes MysteryBrand

On January 3, 2019, Jake Paul, along with RiceGum, came under fire for promoting MysteryBrand, a website that offers the chance to open a digital mystery box with a promise to win one in real life at random. Many users have said they have not received prizes they won through the site.

2019: Alleged Sexual Assault Incident

In 2019, Justine Paradise alleged that Jake Paul forced her into oral sex and touched her without her consent at the Team 10 House.

January 31, 2020: Edfluence shuts down

On January 31, 2020, Jake Paul's Edfluence website was shut down, stopping the online course permanently.

February 23, 2020: Paul involved in altercation with Zayn Malik

On February 23, 2020, Jake Paul was involved in an altercation with Zayn Malik at a hotel in Las Vegas. The incident started after Paul believed Malik used a rude tone, and Paul later tweeted about it, drawing attention from Malik's girlfriend, Gigi Hadid. Paul later deleted the tweets.

May 30, 2020: George Floyd Protest Involvement

On May 30, 2020, Jake Paul and his friends were present at the George Floyd protests outside Scottsdale Fashion Square in Arizona. He documented the looting and riots, which led to criticism on social media. Paul later apologized and claimed he was filming for a future video, denying any involvement in the looting.

June 4, 2020: Charged with Criminal Trespass

On June 4, 2020, Jake Paul was charged with criminal trespass and unlawful assembly for being present at the Scottsdale mall during the riot.

July 11, 2020: Paul throws large party during COVID-19 pandemic

On July 11, 2020, Jake Paul threw a large party at his home in Calabasas, California, despite the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Dozens of people attended without wearing masks or maintaining social distancing, leading to complaints from neighbors and outrage from the mayor.

July 24, 2020: Release of "Fresh Outta London"

On July 24, 2020, Jake Paul released the single "Fresh Outta London". For the video shoot, he threw a party at his home in Calabasas, California on July 11 and garnered national attention after being criticized by the Calabasas mayor.

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August 5, 2020: FBI Raids Calabasas Mansion

On August 5, 2020, the FBI raided Jake Paul's Calabasas mansion as part of an ongoing investigation, which Paul later said was related to the looting controversy. The charges from the mall incident were dismissed that same day.

November 25, 2020: COVID-19 "hoax" claims

On November 25, 2020, Jake Paul stated in an interview that COVID-19 was a "hoax" and that most news about it was fake. He also claimed that measures against COVID-19 were detrimental and incorrectly compared COVID-19 deaths to flu deaths. He asserted that medical professionals said masks were ineffective, leading to widespread condemnation.

November 29, 2020: Paul claims to have paved the way for content houses and celebrity boxing

On November 29, 2020, Jake Paul sparked criticism after stating he paved the way for content house creation and boxing matches between high-profile social media stars, a claim many disputed.

April 9, 2021: Sexual Assault Allegations

On April 9, 2021, Justine Paradise accused Jake Paul of sexual assault in 2019. Paul denied the accusations, stating they were "100% false."

April 17, 2021: Boxing Bout Against Ben Askren

On April 17, 2021, Jake Paul faced former Bellator MMA and ONE Welterweight Champion Ben Askren at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia, defeating him via technical knockout in the 1st round. The event reportedly generated 1.45 million pay-per-view buys.

April 22, 2021: Second Sexual Assault Accusation

On April 22, 2021, The New York Times featured an article about Jake Paul which included a second accusation by Railey Lollie, who alleged that Paul had groped her and called her "jailbait" when she started working for him at 17.

August 2021: No Federal Charges Filed

In August 2021, it was reported that Jake Paul would not face federal charges related to the looting incident.

February 18, 2022: Paul named in 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 the token with misleading information as part of a pump and dump scheme.

March 2022: Paul accused of cryptocurrency scam

In March 2022, YouTuber Coffeezilla accused 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 SEC for violating investor protection laws by promoting cryptocurrencies without disclosing sponsorship. He settled the charges for over $400,000.