YouTube star Jake Paul talks last week about an FBI robbery at his home in Calabasas, California.
Paul, 23, took to YouTube on Wednesday in a video that has since been deleted to “set the record straight,” according to Entertainment Tonight.
“Just to clarify things and set the record straight, the FBI raid is completely related to the situation of looting in Arizona that happened,” the internet personality said in the video, which was obtained by TMZ.
He went on to say: “It’s an investigation. There are rumors that it has to do with so many other things that have nothing to do with me but my character and the s – t that people make up is absolutely absurd. “
JAKE PAUL RAID A TIN INSERT WITH SCOTTSDALE INVESTIGATION, SEE FEDS, AS FIREARMS REPORTS FROM HOME
Paul went on to say that at the moment his “goal at the moment is to continue focusing on myself, boxing, music.” “Thanks to all the fans who have been stuck by my side through all these crazy times,” he added.
When news of the robbery first broke on August 5, the reason for it was unclear, but an FBI spokesman in Phoenix confirmed hours later to Fox News that the robbery was in connection with their investigation into the “criminal acts to the incident at Scottsdale Fashion Square in May 2020, “of which Paul is thought to be a part.
Jake Paul.
(Eric Espada / Getty Images)
A SWAT team was used during the robbery but no arrests were made.
“The FBI is investigating allegations of criminal activity in connection with the May 2020 incident at Scottsdale Fashion Square,” a Fox spokesman said at the time. “This morning, the FBI conducted federal searches in California and Las Vegas, Nevada in connection with this investigation. The search warnings have been closed and we are therefore prohibited from commenting further.”
Paul’s lawyer Richard Schonfeld previously confirmed that the house belonged to him.
YOUTUBE STAR JAKE PAUL’S CALIFORNIA HOME RAIDED FBI in connection with ongoing federal investigation
“We understand that one morning a search was conducted at Jake’s Calabasas home while Jake was out of state,” Schonfeld said in an email. “We are still gathering information and will cooperate with the investigation.”
Back in May, Paul was allegedly involved in what local authorities called a ‘riot’ in Scottsdale Fashion Square in Arizona, and was charged with criminal misconduct and law enforcement after allegedly joining a group of looters at the mall. of many protests across the country sparked by the death of George Floyd while he was in police custody.
However, the Scottsdale, Ariz.
In May, Paul addressed the incident and tweeted: ‘To be absolutely clear, neither I nor any of our group was engaged in looting or vandalism. For context, we spent the day in peaceful protest against one of the most horrific injustices our country has ever seen, which led to us being trained to film the events and brutality that arose in Arizona. “
‘We were scared and forced to walk. We filmed everything we saw in an effort to share our experience and bring more attention to the anger felt in every neighborhood we traveled through; we were strictly documented, not participating. I do not condone violence, loot or break the law, “he added.
Following the incident in Arizona, police have issued a statement to Fox News.
“After the rioting and looting that took place on the evening of May 30, 2020 at the Scottsdale Fashion Square shopping center, the Scottsdale Police Department received hundreds of tips and videos identifying social media, Jake Joseph Paul (23) identified, as participants in the riot, ‘they said at the time.
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“Our investigation revealed that Paul was present after the protest was declared an illegal gathering and the assailants were forced to leave the area by the police. Paul also went in irregularly and stayed inside the mall when it closed. As a result, Paul has been charged with criminal misconduct and Unlawful Assembly (both prosecutors for crime), “the statement went on to say.
Fox News’ Nate Day and The Associated Press contributed to this report
