LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: With the spotlight on Jake Paul, netizens take the time to discuss his long list of controversies every time he competes. Given his controversial personality, this comes as no surprise. He was controversial even before he began boxing. Paul is expected to return to action on Saturday, August 5, against Nate Diaz. It will be Paul's first ten-round boxing battle, headlined by a DAZN and ESPN co-promoted event. Nonetheless, the battle is widely regarded as the most important of his career.
'The Problem Child' has been the subject of debate since 2018. He was caught rhyming the 'n-word' while listening to music. It's also worth recalling that 'The Problem Child' received a lot of flak when his brother Logan Paul made his infamous 'suicide forest' video.
Jake Paul's 5 biggest controversies
1. Jake Paul's fake marriage
Paul, a YouTuber-turned-boxer, staged a false wedding with social media influencer Erika Costell and later with Tana Mongeau. Tana later admitted that the situation with Paul was "hell." Because of his relationship problems, an 8-episode documentary titled 'Inside the Mind of Jake Paul' was released by Shane Dawson.
2. An FBI encounter
The FBI raided The Problem Child's residence in August 2020. Federal agents seized firearms from the home. However, he was not prosecuted Paul for any felony in connection with the incident. Federal prosecutors indicated at the time that the raid was in connection with the May 2020 incident, where he was videographed with vandals during a Black Lives Matter protest. However, Paul was not charged for this or any of the other faults for which he has been accused.
A Twitter user shared a clip of the incident, writing, "NEW: The FBI searches YouTuber Jake Paul's Calabasas, California home under a federal search warrant."
3. Jake Paul called COVID-19 a 'hoax'
To add to his issues, Paul called COVID-19 a "hoax," which drew massive criticism online. Paul said that the coronavirus epidemic was a "hoax" and that the US should return to normalcy rather than covid-induced norms. Paul eventually clarified his position but was spotted holding large parties without masks or social distancing. Marlow Stern, then senior editor of The Daily Beast, shared an audio clip in which Paul compares COVID-19 to the illness. Stern shared the audio on his Twitter handle, saying, "Here's the audio of @JakePaul telling me COVID is "a hoax," that America should open back up, and comparing it to the flu"
4. Jake Paul caught vandalizing public property
On June 5, 2020, Paul was charged with criminal trespass and unlawful assembly. During a Black Lives Matter protest rally in Arizona, the recently turned professional boxer was captured on camera apparently stealing and vandalizing an Arizona mall. Paul seemed to be stealing a bottle of alcohol and engaging in public property vandalism in and around the mall. He categorically denied any involvement in such crimes, claiming that he was only present to videotape the occurrences. Despite his efforts to avert more damage to his reputation by rejecting the allegations, Paul was charged by the Scottsdale Police Department.
Needless to say, his supporters were really upset at his wild behavior and chastised him for it. One shared a video stating, "Jake Paul looting a mall last year in the name of social justice.'
5. Teenage fans scammed
In 2018, Paul launched Edfluence, an online school aimed at teaching people how to become social media influencers. It was promoted that for $7, users could gain access to a series of videos by Paul detailing how to become social media influencers. However, after paying $7, you'd be directed to a page where you'd have to spend an extra $57 to gain access to the actual content.
Paul was heavily chastised for luring his teenage followers with a low-cost $7 offer and then demanding that they pay eight times that much to gain access to the videos. The website was quickly shut down, and those who paid $64 for access to the educational films did not get their money's worth. Paul also claimed that anyone who paid for Edfluence would be able to join 'Team 1000', which was meant to be a larger version of his popular Team 10, but he broke his word.
