Jake Paul is facing scrutiny once again following an investigation by the New York Times.
Several former members of Jake Paul‘s Team 10 have spoken out against the YouTuber-turned-boxer, claiming he exploited them for clout, stole profits from their brand deals, and manipulated both the group and audiences by determining who became famous.
Two female influencers also told the NYT he sexually assaulted them.
An incubator for aspiring social media talent, Team 10 was the brainchild of former Disney star Jake Paul. Creators lived together in a rented Beverly Grove mansion with Jake at the helm brokering their deals and managing their deliverables. Brands could collaborate with the group in an influencer marketing or creative agency capacity, while Team 10 creators could leverage each other’s followings to boost their respective careers. Though not an entirely unique concept (collaboration houses existed long before its 2017 inception), Team 10 quickly became the blueprint for some of the most famous content collectives we know today.
Former members allege they were required to produce consistent social media content together — usually involving pranks and dangerous stunts— and participate in brand deals in order to live rent-free in the house. Jake could also allegedly take a 10-20% cut of each creator’s YouTube Adsense for up to five years.
Despite monetising the content the house was producing, former member AJ Mitchell claims Jake did not pay creators for being part of Team 10.
Weeks after TikTok star Justine Paradise posted a YouTube video accusing Jake Paul of sexual assault— which Jake publicly denied on Twitter— model Railey Lollie has accused the influencer of groping her when she was only 17 years old.
“I was with Jake for months, and I saw what kind of person he was behind the scenes and what kind of person he put out to the rest of the world,” Railey told the NTY.
Justine now claims she plans to file charges against Jake.
With several outlets reporting on his deeply problematic behaviour and public outcry at an all-time high, could this be the beginning of the end for Jake Paul’s viral career?