Controversial influencer Jake Paul's home raided by FBI

Updated

YouTuber Jake Paul’s Los Angeles area mansion was raided by federal agents on Wednesday morning. Several apparent firearms were seized.

“The FBI has executed a federal search warrant in connection with an ongoing investigation,” a spokesman confirmed to Yahoo Entertainment. The affidavit in support of the search warrant has been sealed by a judge, so the official is prohibited from commenting on the nature of the investigation. No arrests are planned.

TMZ obtained video of a “small army” of at least 20 agents in tactical gear entering Paul’s gated residence in armored trucks. It’s unknown if the 23-year-old was home.

Paul is a controversial figure in the digital influencing world and is known for his pranks and stunts. His YouTube channel has over 20 million subscribers.

In June, he was charged with criminal trespassing and unlawful assembly after he was identified among a crowd of looters at a mall in Scottsdale, Ariz. Paul faced backlash as videos posted to social media showed him walking through the mall as looters smashed the glass of a Sephora and Swarovski crystal store. In one video, Paul appeared to be handling a stolen bottle of vodka from P.F. Chang's.

“Our investigation has revealed that Paul was present after the protest was declared an unlawful assembly and the rioters were ordered to leave the area by the police,” the Scottsdale Police Department said in a statement. “Paul also unlawfully entered and remained inside the mall when it was closed. As a result, Paul has been charged with criminal trespass and unlawful assembly.”

Paul maintained his innocence and said he and his videographer, Andrew Blue, were at the mall to capture Black Lives Matter protests.

Both misdemeanors were dropped on Wednesday “so that a federal criminal investigation can be completed,” Scottsdale police confirmed to Yahoo Entertainment. It’s unclear if that’s connected to the FBI raid.

“Scottsdale retains the option to refile charges depending on the outcome of the federal investigation,” a spokesperson added.

Paul launched to fame in 2013 thanks to the now-defunct platform Vine. He starred on the Disney Channel show Bizaardvark, but parted ways after his Beverly Hills neighbors accused him of turning the area into a “war zone.” He has recently drawn outrage for throwing big house parties at his mansion in Calabasas, Calif. amid the coronavirus pandemic. He told Insider last week, “Our leadership is failing us, and everyone kind of just doesn't know what to do. But I personally am not the type of person who's gonna sit around and not live my life.”

Paul is the younger brother of Logan Paul, another polarizing YouTube figure known for the infamous “suicide forest” controversy.

[Editor’s note: This post was originally published on Aug. 5, 2020, at 2:44 p.m. ET and has been updated to include that firearms were seized.]

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