PROBLEM CHILD
Jake Paul’s rise from ‘world’s most hated man’ who terrorised neighbours with ‘warzone’ parties to $80m Mike Tyson rival
The controversial YouTube star opened up on his alleged abusive childhood in a new Netflix doc
HE'S the motormouth YouTube sensation who has carved out a lucrative career in boxing - despite starting out as a star on the Disney channel.
Few could have predicted Jake Paul's meteoric rise and much of it is thanks to his infamous "problem child" persona that's netted him a cool $80million (£63m).
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Now the 27-year-old, from Ohio, US, is facing his biggest and most unexpected challenge to date - a boxing bout with legendary fighter Mike Tyson.
Reaching this point has been no easy thing for Paul, who once branded himself the "world's most hated man" due to his controversial posts online and wild partying antics.
During that time he's weathered a number of scandals from alleged cryptocurrency scams that defrauded fans out of millions and his notorious "warzone parties" that featured bonfires as tall as houses.
Those notorious moments led to him being fired from the Disney programme but his outrageous misconduct didn't stop there.
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There have been “roadmap” scams, mystery boxes with no prizes, a Tommy Fury fight 'script leak', as well as an FBI raid for firearms.
Paul's controversial stunts are endless have led him to be considered the ultimate scandal magnet - and it's unlikely to stop now as he prepares to clash with Tyson.
Childhood abuse
The 27-year-old opened up in Netflix's Untold: Jake Paul The Problem Child about alleged childhood abuse by his “intense” father, Greg, in Ohio.
Jake claimed his dad would “slap the s*** out of him” and would regularly tell him as a child: “Life’s not fair, get the f*** over it.”
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Even in the documentary, Greg, a real estate worker, was evasive when it came to shouldering any blame.
He denied physical abuse, despite facing allegations from both of his sons, insisting he only ever “threw them on the couch a couple times.”
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In one section, Greg defiantly said: “That’s what the f*** dads are supposed to do. Welcome to life, get the f*** over it.”
Older brother Logan weighed in, saying Jake remains “traumatised” by their father’s tough parenting style, calling it “not quite legal.”
FBI firearm raids
In August 2020, Paul’s Los Angeles mansion was raided by the FBI in a highly publicised investigation.
In dramatic scenes, SWAT teams descended upon his lavish Calabasas home to allegedly collect firearms, although no federal charges were ultimately filed.
This wasn’t Jake's first run-in with the law.
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He faced looting charges during the Arizona riots in May 2020 following the controversial death of George Floyd, which were later dropped.
He previously made headlines for hosting a massive party during COVID where revellers drank, played beer pong, and swung from construction equipment despite local health restrictions.
Sex assault charges
Paul has faced significant backlash following allegations of sexual misconduct from two women.
TikTok star Justine Paradise accused him of sexually assaulting her in his Los Angeles home in 2019, alleging he forced her into sexual acts without her consent.
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In a 20-minute video posted on YouTube, the 30-year-old alleged Paul grabbed her face and forced her to perform oral sex on him, and touched her inappropriately without consent.
Paradise claimed she felt silenced by an NDA she had signed at his residence. Paul denied the accusations, stating they were “100% false”.
Shortly after, model Railey Lollie claimed Paul groped her in 2017 when she was underage and often made inappropriate remarks calling her “jailbait” during their time filming.
Paul’s legal team hit back, saying Paul “has every intention of aggressively disproving it and pursuing legal action against those responsible for the defamation of his character."
'Warzone parties'
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Jake's infamous antics have turned his LA neighbourhood into what locals call a “living hell.”
Posting his address online led his fans dubbed “Paulers” to swarm the area, sparking noise complaints, non-stop parties, and setting furniture on fire in his pool - flames reportedly reaching the height of his home.
Paul openly laughed at his neighbours’ frustrations, even taunting them with laughing emojis online.
Jake Paul embraced his “world’s worst neighbour” reputation with pride. His chaotic behaviour, including wild parties and disruptive antics, eventually led to his firing from the Disney show Bizaardvark.
Meanwhile, his brother, Logan, praised their devoted fans, dubbing them "the strongest army out there."
Scam sites
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Paul has amassed his $80 million (£62 million) net worth by capitalising on his controversial “problem child” persona both online and in the boxing ring.
Along the way, he’s been accused of multiple schemes, including a $7 (£5.50) “roadmap” to becoming an influencer, which allegedly left teens shortchanged because they didn't have complete access to the site.
His “MysteryBrand” campaign also stirred backlash, as users reportedly won no prizes despite paying to open digital “mystery boxes.” He was also criticised for promoting gambling to kids.
Most notably, Paul was named in a crypto “pump-and-dump” case that allegedly cost fans $2.2 million (£1.7 million) in losses.
The rise & falls of YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul
JAKE Paul is about to have the fight of his life against legendary boxer Mike Tyson.
In a career like few others, he's risen from Disney star to YouTube sensation before carving out a path as a high-profile sportsman.
Here are some of the highlights from his boxing career:
- Paul debuted in boxing by defeating fellow YouTuber AnEsonGib in 2020.
- Later that year, he scored a knockout win against ex-NBA player Nate Robinson.
- In 2021, he turned his focus to MMA stars, stopping Ben Askren in a single round.
- He narrowly beat Tyron Woodley on points, then knocked him out in a rematch that December.
- Paul earned a decision win over Anderson Silva before facing his first loss to Tommy Fury by split decision in February 2023.
- He then outpointed Nate Diaz, followed by low-key knockout wins over Andre August and Ryan Bourland.
- Since then, he's scored three knockout victories in the ring. His next fight is tomorrow vs. Mike Tyson
Like many celebrities tied to crypto scandals, Jake Paul allegedly promoted questionable cryptocurrencies - Safemoon, Yummy Coin, Milf Token, and others - without disclosing he was being paid for the role.
He reportedly promoted these tokens, transferring them to a wallet linked to him before cashing out as their values dropped.
This led to accusations of a "pump-and-dump" scheme - where a cryptocurrency's value is inflated through celebrity endorsements or false claims about its value - causing fans to lose significant sums while Paul pocketed profits.
Tommy Fury leaked 'script'
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Paul also faced accusations of fixing his rematch fight with British boxer Tommy Fury after a "script" was leaked online.
The document, posted by UFC's Mike Perry, claimed to outline the entire bout, including a dramatic TKO victory for Paul in the eighth round.
But promoters quickly dismissed the document as a fake, calling it nothing more than a rumour. Despite the claims, the supposed "script" included outlandish details such as Paul walking out in a baby costume and Fury suffering a severe eye injury.
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The celebrity boxing rivals spent two years feuding before finally squaring up in Saudi Arabia in February 2023.
Paul fought Tommy in an eight-round cruiser-weight fight. The bout resulted in a split decision victory in favour of Tommy.
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