Logan Paul CryptoZoo (NFT influencer scheme)
2021 NFT play-to-earn project marketed by YouTuber Logan Paul. Exposed by Coffeezilla's investigative video series in 2022 as a failed 'rug pull'-adjacent scheme. 2023 class-action lawsuit and settlement followed.
CLCI radar
BITE breakdown
0 — 2021–22 NFT scheme exposed by YouTuber Coffeezilla; 2023 class-action settlement.
Profile facts
In context
CryptoZoo was Logan Paul's flagship 2021 NFT 'play-to-earn' game where users would buy 'eggs' that hatched into breedable animals. The game never delivered functional gameplay. Coffeezilla's three-part investigation (December 2022) documented investor losses. A 2023 class-action settlement provided partial refunds. Included as a 2020s 'modern cult' financial-extraction case study.
Key control doctrines
- Influencer-parasocial loyalty
- Crypto-wealth manifestation
Recovery resources
- Coffeezilla YouTube channel
See the full curated list at /resources.
Notable public ex-members
- Various ex-buyers featured in Coffeezilla series
Legal cases & controversies
- Holland v. Paul (2023 class-action settlement)
Evidence by BITE axis
- Buyers spent substantial sums on NFT eggs
- Parasocial defence of Paul against critics
- In-group community on Discord
- Influencer-controlled marketing
- Critics framed as 'haters'
- Crypto-wealth framework
- Number Go Up theology
- Parasocial loyalty to Paul
- FOMO-driven purchasing
Timeline
- 2021CryptoZoo launched
- 2022-12Coffeezilla exposé
- 2023Class-action lawsuit and refund programme
Evidence matrix
Structured sources cross-linked to the claims they document. Tiered per the source hierarchy. For free-text citations see the Sources section below.
Sources
- Coffeezilla investigation series (Dec 2022) search ↗
- Holland v. Paul class-action settlement (2023) search ↗
- Warsh's Hawkish Turn Has Scrambled the Math on Rates — https://www.nytimes.com/2026/06/18/business/dealbook/warsh-fed-rates.html open ↗
- Ahead of fight with Tyson, is Jake Paul Jewish? — https://www.jpost.com/international/article-811174 open ↗
- Jake Paul has propelled to fame as a brash social media villain — https://www.cnn.com/2020/08/06/us/jake-paul-social-media-villain-trnd/index.html open ↗
- Why Disney Just Severed Ties with a Famously Obnoxious YouTuber — http://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2017/07/jake-paul-disney-bizaardvark-neighbors-controversy open ↗
- Jake Paul to Fight in Mixed Martial Arts in Deal With P.F.L. — https://www.nytimes.com/2023/01/05/sports/jake-paul-mma-boxing.html open ↗
- Jake Paul's W Brand Raises $11 Million to Compete With Axe, Old Spice — https://www.wsj.com/articles/jake-pauls-w-brand-raises-11-million-to-compete-with-axe-old-spice-eb79b947 open ↗
- Jake Paul vs Gib result: AnEsonGib stopped in first round to set up KSI fight — https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/boxing/jake-paul-vs-gib-result-fight-highlights-knockout-ksi-who-won-a9310586.html open ↗
- Anger after Paul's knockout of Robinson — https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/boxing/55118880 open ↗
- YouTube star Jake Paul wins latest boxing match in first round against Ben Askren — https://edition.cnn.com/2021/04/18/sport/jake-paul-defeats-ben-askren-spt-trnd/index.html open ↗
- Jake Paul vs Nate Diaz LIVE: Boxing fight result and reaction from Dallas — https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/boxing/jake-paul-nate-diaz-live-updates-tonight-b2386423.html open ↗
- Jake Paul's next opponent to be pro boxer Andre August on Dec. 15 — https://abcnews.go.com/Sports/jake-pauls-opponent-pro-boxer-andre-august-dec/story?id=104720152 open ↗
- Jake Paul eschews marquee matchup for fight against pro boxer Andre August — https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/boxing/2023/11/08/who-is-jake-paul-fighting-next-pro-boxer-andre-august/71503219007/ open ↗
- Jake Paul knocks out Andre August in return to ring — https://www.usatoday.com/picture-gallery/sports/boxing/2023/12/16/jake-paul-gets-ko-win-vs-andre-august/71941477007/ open ↗
- Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson rescheduled for Nov. 15 — https://mmajunkie.usatoday.com/2024/06/jake-paul-vs-mike-tyson-boxing-rescheduled-november-15-cowboys-stadium open ↗
- LIVE: Mike Tyson vs Jake Paul – heavyweight boxing fight — https://www.aljazeera.com/sports/liveblog/2024/11/16/live-mike-tyson-vs-jake-paul-heavyweight-boxing-fight?update=3328532 open ↗
- Jake Paul: YouTuber-turned-boxer placed at 14 in latest WBA cruiserweight rankings — https://www.bbc.com/sport/boxing/articles/cr5vvj3rmmmo open ↗
- Paul v Davis exhibition moved to Miami — https://www.bbc.com/sport/boxing/articles/c87y319wx7wo open ↗
- Anthony Joshua v Jake Paul fight scheduled for 19 December — https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/boxing/articles/cwyprrlww9do open ↗
- Anthony Joshua vs Jake Paul: Fight rules explained and will knockouts be allowed? — https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/boxing/joshua-paul-rules-knockouts-b2866676.html open ↗
- Anthony Joshua overwhelms Jake Paul in six to restore boxing sanity in Miami — https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2025/dec/20/anthony-joshua-jake-paul-fight-result-miami open ↗
- Jake Paul: American loses WBA cruiserweight ranking after Anthony Joshua loss — https://www.bbc.com/sport/boxing/articles/ceqzn89rwpyo open ↗
- Jake Paul to compete in MMA after signing multiyear deal with PFL — https://mmajunkie.usatoday.com/2023/01/mma-news-jake-paul-signs-with-pfl-compete-in-mma-contract-ufc open ↗
- Jake Paul causes 'second hand embarrassment' for claiming he made first YouTube content house — https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/news/jake-paul-youtube-content-house-logan-paul-ksi-boxing-match-b1723545.html open ↗
- Jake Paul, a Reality Villain for the YouTube Generation — https://www.nytimes.com/2017/07/20/arts/who-is-jake-paul.html open ↗
- YouTuber Jake Paul blasted by Calabasas mayor for throwing massive party 'acting like covid does not exist — https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2020/07/15/jake-paul-party-calabasas-coronavirus-covid-youtube/ open ↗
- Jake Paul Is in Trouble For Throwing a Huge Party — https://www.vanityfair.com/style/2020/07/jake-paul-house-party-coronavirus open ↗
- YouTube star Jake Paul slammed by mayor over 'outrageous' party during COVID rise — https://abcnews.go.com/US/youtube-star-jake-paul-slammed-mayor-outrageous-party/story?id=71817831 open ↗
- Jake Paul Believes COVID Is 'a Hoax' and '98% of News Is Fake — https://www.thedailybeast.com/youtuber-jake-paul-believes-covid-is-a-hoaxand-i-am-fake-news?ref=scroll open ↗
- YouTuber Jake Paul says he wasn't looting after viral video shows him at vandalized Arizona mall — https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/youtuber-jake-paul-says-he-wasn-t-looting-after-viral-n1220341 open ↗
- YouTuber Jake Paul charged with trespassing following Arizona looting — https://www.nbcnews.com/pop-culture/pop-culture-news/youtuber-jake-paul-charged-trespassing-following-arizona-looting-n1224906 open ↗
- F.B.I. Searches Jake Paul's California Home — https://www.nytimes.com/2020/08/05/us/jake-paul-fbi-raid.html?smid=tw-nytimes&smtyp=cur open ↗
- FBI serves search warrant at Jake Paul's Calabasas mansion — https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2020-08-05/fbi-serves-search-warrants-at-calabasas-mansion-of-controversial-social-media-influencer-jake-paul open ↗
- No charges for YouTuber Jake Paul in 2020 Arizona looting — https://www.reuters.com/lifestyle/no-charges-youtuber-jake-paul-2020-arizona-looting-2021-08-12/ open ↗
- YouTuber-boxer Jake Paul denies sexual assault allegation on eve of Askren bout — https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2021/apr/14/jake-paul-sexual-assault-ben-askren-triller-fight open ↗
- Jake Paul accused of sexual assault by Justine Paradise — https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-56731279 open ↗
- Logan Paul calls out brother Jake Paul for saying Bad Bunny is a 'fake American citizen — https://www.nbcnews.com/pop-culture/pop-culture-news/logan-paul-disagrees-brother-jake-paul-calling-bad-bunny-fake-american-rcna258173 open ↗
- Why People Don't Believe Anything Influencers Do Anymore — https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/laurenstrapagiel/tana-mongeau-jake-paul-engagement-influencer-fake open ↗
- I Went To Jake Paul And Tana Mongeau's Wedding And It Was Really Weird — https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/stephaniemcneal/youtube-jake-paul-tana-mongeaus-vegas-wedding open ↗
- Jake Paul reveals he is Jewish, celebrates bar mitzvah with Chabad rabbi — https://www.jpost.com/diaspora/article-841567 open ↗
- Trump endorses boxer Jake Paul for whatever office he wants to seek — https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2026/03/11/trump-endorses-jake-paul-political-office/89108352007/ open ↗
- How Jake Paul Set the Internet Ablaze — https://www.nytimes.com/2017/09/08/fashion/jake-paul-team-10-youtube.html open ↗
- Live updates as Jake Paul knocks out Nate Robinson in style — https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/live/jake-paul-nate-robinson-live-stream-fight-updates-b1762888.html open ↗
- Ben Askren: Beating up YouTube star Jake Paul 'sounds like a fun Friday night to me — https://mmajunkie.usatoday.com/2020/12/ben-askren-jake-paul-boxing-match-sounds-like-fun open ↗
- Mike Tyson volvió al ring a los 58 años: perdió por puntos ante Jake Paul en la anticipada pelea transmitida por Netflix — https://www.lanacion.com.ar/deportes/boxeo/mike-tyson-volvio-al-ring-a-los-58-anos-perdio-por-puntos-ante-jake-paul-en-la-anticipada-pelea-nid16112024/ open ↗
- lire en ligne — https://www.lemonde.fr/sport/article/2024/11/16/mike-tyson-legende-de-la-boxe-battu-par-le-youtubeur-jake-paul-a-arlington_6396572_3242.html open ↗
- Mike Tyson, légende de la boxe, vaincu par le youtubeur Jake Paul sur décision des juges — https://www.francetvinfo.fr/sports/boxe/mike-tyson/mike-tyson-legende-de-la-boxe-vaincu-par-le-youtubeur-jake-paul-sur-decision-des-juges_6900818.html open ↗
- “Jake Paul Promised Them Fame. Was It Worth the Price?” — https://www.nytimes.com/2021/04/22/style/jake-paul-team-10.html open ↗
- First-year student amasses more than 900,000 followers on Vine — https://www.ohio.edu/compass/stories/13-14/9/logan-paul-vine.cfm open ↗
- Jake Paul knocks out Nate Robinson but boxing names point to safety concerns — https://www.bbc.com/sport/boxing/55118880 open ↗
- Jake Paul vs Nate Robinson result: YouTube star wins via knockout — https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/boxing/jake-paul-nate-robinson-fight-result-knockout-b1763396.html open ↗
- Paul vs. Woodley salaries: Jake Paul, Tyron Woodley paid $2 million each — https://mmajunkie.usatoday.com/lists/paul-vs-woodley-salaries-purses-jake-paul-tyron-woodley-2-million-each open ↗
- Jake Paul Gets New Opponent After Tommy Fury’s Travel Troubles — https://www.nytimes.com/2022/07/06/sports/jake-paul-fight-tommy-fury.html open ↗
- Jake Paul Has Two Firsts in a Bout With Tommy Fury — https://www.nytimes.com/2023/02/26/sports/jake-paul-tommy-fury-fight-result.amp.html open ↗
- Jake Paul roasts 'chicken' Conor McGregor again, this time from inside a Raising Cane's — https://mmajunkie.usatoday.com/2021/01/jake-paul-calls-out-conor-mcgregor-raising-canes-chicken-ufc-video open ↗
- YouTube star Jake Paul finds a new place to party in Calabasas — http://www.latimes.com/business/realestate/hot-property/la-fi-hotprop-jake-paul-20171114-story.html open ↗
We cite sources by name and outlet rather than fabricating links. Where a source includes its own URL, the open ↗ link opens it directly; otherwise search ↗ runs a Google Scholar query for the cited title — useful for verifying academic sources. For news outlets, search the outlet's own archive.
Change history
Substantive edits logged per the score-updates policy.
- 2026-05-20Score band scheme migrated from 4 bands to 5 (Minimal 0–5 / Low 6–12 / Moderate 13–20 / High 21–30 / Extreme 31–40). No CLCI value changed; the new Minimal band was carved out of the bottom of the previous Low band.
Key terms in this profile
Relevant hubs
Curated entry points on CLCI Hub for situations connected to this group.
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Frequently asked questions
Q.Is Logan Paul CryptoZoo a cult?
CLCI Hub deliberately avoids the binary label "cult." Instead it places groups on a transparent 0–40 spectrum of documented control using Steven Hassan's BITE model (Behaviour, Information, Thought, Emotional). Logan Paul CryptoZoo scores 20 out of 40 — "Moderate Control", at high confidence. The score describes documented control patterns, not a judgement of members' sincerity or beliefs; many members do not personally experience the patterns listed.
Q.What is Logan Paul CryptoZoo's CLCI score?
Logan Paul CryptoZoo scores 20 out of 40 on the Cult-Like Control Index, which falls in the "Moderate" band. That total is the sum of four BITE axes — Behaviour 4, Information 6, Thought 5, Emotional 5 — plus a signed modifier of +0 for aggravating or mitigating factors.
Q.Why does Logan Paul CryptoZoo score 20 on the CLCI?
The score reflects publicly documented patterns including: Marketed as guaranteed wealth-generation; Influencer parasocial loyalty defended scheme; Refunds delayed by years; Class-action lawsuit required for refunds. These map onto the BITE axes of behaviour, information, thought, and emotional control, and a signed modifier of +0 is applied for factors such as financial demands, leadership accountability, and exit costs. Every claim is backed by the citations in the Sources section on this page.
Q.How reliable is the Logan Paul CryptoZoo rating?
This profile is rated High confidence. High confidence means the score is backed by court records, academic work, and/or sustained investigative journalism. CLCI scores are not fixed — they are revised whenever new public evidence appears, and groups that reform can score lower over time.
Q.Where can I get help regarding Logan Paul CryptoZoo?
If you or someone you care about is affected by Logan Paul CryptoZoo, start with the Recovery resources listed on this page. General cult-aware support is available from the International Cultic Studies Association (icsahome.com) and the Freedom of Mind Resource Center (freedomofmind.com). CLCI Hub is an educational resource, not a crisis service — if anyone is in immediate danger, contact local emergency services.
Found something wrong on this profile?
We accept correction requests from anyone — current and former members, researchers, journalists, family members, and the listed organisation. Submissions are reviewed by an editor; we do not auto-publish.