Logan Paul has accused the BBC of ‘platforming predators over the last 50 years’ after a fake interview between the YouTuber turned wrestler and the company went south.
A BBC reporter left the scheduled interview after a lookalike arrived in Paul’s place for inclusion in a recent documentary, accusing the star of misleading followers about crypto investments by promoting coins without disclosing his own financial interests .
According to the BBC, Paul promoted crypto investments to his followers without disclosing his own financial interests in them, which allegedly caused the prices of the investments to skyrocket. He has denied any wrongdoing.
The broadcaster also claimed that after the part-time boxer posted about crypto coins on social media in 2021, an anonymous crypto wallet – which stores keys for cryptocurrency transactions and allows owners to manage their money – was connected to his public wallet . to make a profit of $120,000 (£95,000).
In a BBC documentary, titled Logan Paul: Bad Influence, reporter Matt Shea attempted to interview the social media personality about the allegations.
But when he arrived at the venue he was met by a look-alike and eventually clocked in, and Paul has now taken aim at the organization in a video shared with his 23.6 million subscribers on YouTube.
Logan Paul (left) has accused the BBC of ‘platforming predators for the past 50 years’
Paul used a lookalike (right) to trick reporter Matt Shea into what he thought was an interview
A number of other people stormed the interview late to slam the BBC in Shea’s direction
Paul could be seen calling Shea a “dumb a**” early in the video as he watched from backstage.
Paul also highlighted how Shea was once told he could interview Andrew Tate if he delivered a box of chocolates, which the reporter said would happen. Paul added that his dignity was “out the window” after the deal.
An original piece about Tate by Shea was “torn apart over unverified and one-sided allegations that are right in line with an organization as credible as the BBC and Vice,” Paul said.
He went on to suggest that the BBC has been ‘organizing predators for the last fifty years’ and said he had ‘a list’ that included Jimmy Saville, Chris Denning, Chris Langham, Jonathan King and Rolf Harris.
Paul added that Shea “reports for organizations with a proven, known history of sexual misconduct.”
He added: “I wonder what Matt knows. I won’t say anything.’
Later in the video, he explained how the BBC had become interested in his work because they “couldn’t stop hiring Category A sexual predators” and wanted to make a “regurgitated hit piece about a wrestler” to “divert attention ‘.
Paul added that he maintains he “didn’t scam anyone” and made “zero dollars from the crypto zoo allegations.”
Paul said Shea “reports for organizations with a proven, known history of sexual misconduct.”
He was backstage in a video on his YouTube channel showing him performing the prank
Shea is tired of talking to Paul about accusations of misleading followers about crypto investments
He went on to explain that the lookalike arrived a day early to prepare for questions, and Paul could be seen suggesting, “Do you only work for sexual predators?” and, ‘Has Huw Edwards ever touched your pee?’
As Paul prepared backstage, he said that Shea had already been in his seat for five minutes and that he had “never seen anyone so nervous in my life.”
Once the fake Logan Paul, real name Rodney Petersen, was seated, Shea’s first question surrounded Paul’s fame and responsibility, to which Petersen replied, “I’m 205 pounds and I feel like the s***, this is a great life.’
The interview continued and Shea looked nervous as the fake Logan pointed to his notes. Shea then seemed to realize he wasn’t talking to the real Logan and asked, “Why do you look different from me?”
He then appeared to be talking to a producer and asked, “Jamie, is it just me, or does he look different?” with the answer: ‘Completely different.’
As the real Logan laughed backstage, Shea asked, looking somber, “Is Logan coming?”
“Jamie” then said, “You’re kidding, right? Is this a joke?’
The fake Paul continued to claim he was a “serious person” before Shea finally realized he wasn’t making progress and was sad: “Let’s just get out of here, I’m not doing this.”
The interview lasted a few minutes until Shea got wind of what was happening and asked Logan to intervene
Actor Rodney Petersen – the lookalike sent to speak to the BBC – was pictured next to Paul
But before he could move, Paul opened a door and said “Go, go, go” and told his doppelgänger through the earpiece that he was “sending them in.”
Groups of people then stormed the set, shouting: ‘BBC is mean, they hire pedophiles.’
They carried cards on sticks and also said: ‘Neiner, neiner, neiner, stop touching children’s sausage.’
Petersen then grabbed a microphone himself and asked Shea why his personal email account was supposedly “registered with PornHub,” to which Shea responded by getting out of his chair and leaving with a grin on his face.
“That’s what upset him most,” Paul said.
When Shea and his crew left, the group went to the roof of the building to continue singing, and Paul taped a photo of Shea and Edwards together – apparently fake – on the roof of the reporter’s car.
Shea then ripped it off and kicked it to the ground, with Paul saying they “couldn’t get away fast enough.”
The video ended with a round of applause for the lookalike and Paul and Petersen shaking hands. Paul added that he has donated $50,000 (£39,700) to “a children’s organization that focuses on children who are suffering and abused, something we haven’t seen the BBC do yet, even though they have the worst people in the world on the for the past 50 years’.
Paul placed a poster of Shea next to Huw Edwards – apparently a fake image – on his car
The BBC claims Paul’s team ‘insisted’ on flying to the Caribbean island via Storm Ernesto before the incidents took place.
“So instead of defending himself against the allegations we investigated, Logan decided to troll us,” Shea said via voiceover in his own documentary.
“Minutes after leaving the gym, we receive a letter from lawyers on behalf of Logan Paul, warning us not to publicize our allegations.
“But these accusations against him are not going away. In fact, they have been building since 2021.”
The BBC also claims that the YouTuber shared a social media post about a particular cryptocurrency in 2021, and that “an anonymous crypto wallet with close ties to his public wallet had traded in the coin.” It is claimed that the anonymous wallet has made $121,000 (£92,000) in profits.
Paul is currently facing a multi-million dollar lawsuit over the failed crypto project CryptoZoo, amid fraud allegations.
The influencer launched the project in 2021, but faced controversy a year later when YouTube channel Coffeezilla produced a three-part docuseries accusing Paul and his company of scamming users.
The game was supposed to allow users to purchase basic egg NFTs that would watch and grow into animal NFTs, which could then be a bread and butter with other NFTs.
The group took to the roof to protest as Shea and his crew drove away from the site
To earn $ZOO tokens, the game’s currency, users must hatch eggs.
Unfortunately, the game did not work as intended and later became the subject of a class action lawsuit.
Paul, who has denied cheating anyone, has pointed the finger at the game’s makers.
But despite insisting he is not at fault, he has offered a $2.3 million (£1.8 million) buyback program to resolve the issue.
“I’m going to take care of the people who gave me the impression that this was a scam perpetrated by me,” Paul said. “I didn’t make any damn money, mate. I lost half a million dollars because of this.”
Paul’s team made no comment when contacted by DailyMail.com. The BBC was also contacted for comment.