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Crime

23rd Mar 2021

Companies cut ties with YouTuber David Dobrik after he is accused of orchestrating sexual assault

Several companies have reportedly cut ties with YouTuber David Dobrik, after he allegedly planned a sexual assault against then-friend Seth Francois

Claudia McInerney

Seth Francois described the prank set up by Dobrik as “legitimately traumatising”

Several companies have reportedly cut ties with US YouTuber David Dobrik, after allegations emerged that Dobrik planned a sexual assault against his then friend Seth Francois.

Dobrik’s Youtube videos are viewed all across the world, with a total of 18.7 million subscribers to his channel.

Brands that have disassociated themselves with the 24-year-old Youtuber include HelloFresh, EA Sports, Shave Club and DoorDash.

Francois, a former member of Dobrik’s Vlog team, was told that he would receive a kiss from the 25-year-old blogger Corinna Kopf, only to find that he was part of a prank, and received a kiss from 45-year-old comedian Jason Nash, who was dressed in disguise.

Francois claimed that he was “touched by someone [he] did not consent to”.

In a H3H3 podcast, Francois said that, after the video with Jason Nash, “millions and billions of people are now misconstruing my own sexuality and how I feel about participating in something that he didn’t have my consent for.”

He said that he was supposed to do a “make out scene with Corinna.”

“So I end up moving to a different state to kind of get away from it.”

Francois described the whole the situation as “legitimately traumatising”, before admitting that he moved from Los Angeles to Atlanta for that reason.

https://twitter.com/defnoodles/status/1360372018420436992

 

After Francois made an accusation against the famous YouTuber, another alleged victim claimed that she had not only been forced to drink by the Vlog Squad, but that she was also pressurised into taking part in a threesome without giving consent.

She also alleged she was sexually assaulted by Dom Zeglitis, a member of the Vlog Squad.

Following the allegations, the YouTuber announced on 21 March that he had made the decision to step down from his position at Dispo, a photograph app that he helped to set up.

Topics:

David Dobrik