This is why the FBI raided YouTuber Jake Paul’s California mansion

Thursday, 6th August 2020, 12:33 pm
Updated Thursday, 6th August 2020, 12:33 pm
The FBI entered Paul's home on Wednesday morning (Photo: Michael Reaves/Getty Images)

On Wednesday, FBI agents, including a SWAT team, searched YouTube star Jake Paul's California mansion.

This is everything you need to know about the situation.

Why did the FBI search Jake Paul’s home?

On Wednesday, a search warrant was served which granted the FBI access to search the mansion belonging to Paul, which is in the city of Calabasas just outside of Los Angeles.

In a statement, FBI spokeswoman Laura Eimiller said that the search was conducted in connection with an ongoing investigation.

The search warrant affidavit has been sealed by a judge, meaning that Eimiller could not initially reveal the nature of the investigation or the person it was served on.

The FBI later revealed that “the FBI is investigating allegations of criminal act surrounding the incident at Scottsdale Fashion Square in May 2020”, adding that a search warrant was also executed in Las Vegas - but that no arrests are planned at the moment.

What happened at Scottsdale Fashion Square?

In Scottsdale, there had been reports that Paul had taken part in a riot in a shopping mall.

The riot took place during the same time as marches that were being carried out to protest the death of George Floyd.

At the time of the riot, the 23-year-old YouTuber denied taking part in any looting or criminal activity and claimed he was trying to find other protesters.

On Twitter, Paul wrote: “To be absolutely clear, neither I nor anyone in our group was engaged with any looting or vandalism.”

This garnered backlash as many responded saying that Paul was lying.

One person wrote: “He literally tried to break a window of a car inside the mall and it’s on video - he’s just straight lying.”

Others also pointed out that Paul could be seen holding a bottle of vodka, which they claimed had been stolen from a shop called PF Chang’s.

Paul had originally been charged with criminal trespassing and unlawful assembly, however Scottsdale police have announced that local charges against Paul are being dismissed to allow for a federal criminal investigation to be carried out.

Did the FBI find anything?

Eimiller said that a SWAT team initially entered the property, but that no arrests were made.

Footage from local television stations showed agents gathering rifles from the mansion that Paul uses as the setting for many of his YouTube videos.

According to footage, one of the firearms being confiscated included a long gun which was reportedly found leaning on a hot tub in his garden.

Paul’s attorney said that Paul was not home during the search.

What other controversies has Jake Paul been involved in?

Paul and his older brother, Logan Paul, who also has a YouTube channel, have often found themselves at the centre of controversy.

Most recently, Jake Paul garnered backlash after a video surfaced of the YouTuber throwing a massive party at his mansion amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Footage showed dozens of people flouting social distancing guidelines and not wearing face masks.

In regards to the footage of the party, the mayor of Calabasas, Alicia Weintraub, said: “It’s just a big huge disregard for everything that everybody is trying to do to get things back to functioning.

“It’s really just a party acting like Covid does not exist; it’s acting that businesses aren’t closed.”