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There are a lot of accusations flying around.
By Alice Kelly — Written on Apr 27, 2021
James Charles has been accused of sexual misconduct by at least 15 men and boys after it was alleged he had been grooming underage fans.
The YouTube beauty influencer has addressed some of the claims in statements and videos, but each new day appears to bring a new allegation, with the list growing so rapidly that not even Charles can seem to keep up.
James Charles is no stranger to controversy.
However, even though he's appeared to clear his name on several occasions, the growing list of accusations makes it increasingly difficult to believe Charles is innocent.
This list of past and present allegations will help contextualize why James Charles is being accused of a pattern of sexual misconduct and grooming underage boys.
List Of Sexual Misconduct and Grooming Allegations Against James Charles
James Charles was first accused of being sexually manipulative by Tati Westbrook in 2019.
Allegations about Charles’ creepy behavior date back to 2019 when YouTuber Tati Westbrook made a video titled “Bye Sister.”
The now-infamous video, later deleted, detailed several occasions during which Westbrook, a former friend of Charles, had seen the beauty guru pursue straight men and attempt to persuade them into engaging in intimate acts.
Westbrook, who makes gummy hair vitamins, had initially ignited a feud with Charles after he advertised supplements made by her competitor.
Westbrook had mentioned an incident in which Charles had made sexual comments about a waiter and used his power and fame to win him over.
The waiter in question, Sam Cooke, then came forward with a since-deleted video revealing that he had reached out to Charles after serving him in a restaurant and told him he was bicurious.
After meeting, Cooke then told Charles he had realized he was straight. He shared screenshots of messages in which Charles attempted to convince him he was not straight.
Cooke later made another now-deleted follow-up video in which he apologized to Charles and claimed not all of the allegations were true.
Charles appeared to clear his name after the Tati Westbrook scandal.
Charles eventually came forward with his first big apology video in which he apologized to Westbrook but also appeared to debunk some of her claims.
YouTuber Jeffree Star, who had supported Westbrook initially, also made a video apologizing to Charles.
In June 2020, as Star was facing backlash over his past behaviors and friendship with Shane Dawson, Westbrook made another video, this time apologizing to Charles.
She claimed Dawson and Star had gaslit her into believing Charles was a sexual predator and convinced her to make a video to expose him.
Charles appeared to be vindicated after the video, leading many to believe he was the one who had been victimized by veteran YouTubers.
In 2021, James Charles was accused of grooming underage boys.
In February 2021, a 16-year-old boy named Isaiyah came forward with allegations that Charles had groomed him by sending him nude images and asking for photos in return.
The teenager claimed he had told Charles his age. Charles quickly shared an apology on Twitter and claimed Isaiyah had initially told him he was 18 but later revealed his age, at which point Charles cut off contact.
He also said, “I will now ask to see the ID or passport of every guy I have a conversation with.”
After the apology, more minors came forward with their experiences.
One 17-year-old alleged Charles sent him flirty messages even after he revealed his age.
Another accused Charles of demanding nudes and being sexually aggressive towards him when he was 17 after the pair had begun messaging during the Tati Westbrook scandal.
Next, a 15-year-old shared screenshots of Charles getting mad at him for sharing their conversations before accusing the boy of lying about his age. He claims he never lied about being 15.
Then, a 16-year-old revealed sexually explicit messages allegedly sent by Charles.
Charles has apologized for messaging underage boys.
Charles soon released another lengthy apology video, titled "holding myself accountable," in which he addressed just two of the alleged victims. He did not reveal which two he was referring to.
Charles appeared to claim that he didn’t know the ages of the boys but acknowledged that the unfair power dynamic made the boys vulnerable.
He stated that the reason he was pursuing boys actively on social media without clarifying their ages or seeking informed consent was that he was “desperate.”
He revealed he would be taking time away from social media to reflect on his actions and learn from his mistakes.
More allegations of sexual misconduct surface about James Charles on a regular basis.
Even after his apology, more other videos have revealed what may be Charles’s true character.
One fan made a TikTok revealing that Charles had paid him to send nude images but insisted that the exchange was entirely consensual and admitted he was doing it for fame and money.
A former classmate of Charles also alleged that the beauty influencer had posed as a girl online to attempt to solicit nude images from students on the school’s soccer team.
As these accusations continued to garner attention, Charles released a follow-up statement denying the claims, other than the two he had already addressed.
“Since posting that video, many other people have come forward with a series of misleading stories and false allegations which have been reported on by many people, creators, and news outlets,” he wrote.
“My legal team has begun taking action against those that have spread misinformation and/or created completely fake stories, as this has gone too far.”
Brands are distancing themselves from Charles.
As allegations continue to mount, Morphe, a cosmetic company that has been collaborating with Charles since 2018, announced they would be cutting ties with the influencer.
YouTube also revealed that they would be temporarily demonetizing Charles’s channel as part of their creator responsibility policy.
They did not reveal how long the demonetization would be in place.
Alice Kelly is a writer living in Brooklyn, New York. Catch her covering all things social justice, news, and entertainment. Keep up with her Twitter for more.