Logan Paul has once again found himself at the centre of controversy, this time for trolling the BBC with a lookalike during an interview regarding an investigation into his cryptocurrency dealings. Oh boy…

The broadcaster has spent months probing allegations that Paul misled fans about his involvement in cryptocurrency ventures, including the disastrous CryptoZoo project. However, just as BBC reporter Matt Shea was on the verge of a breakthrough, his efforts were disrupted and bulldozed by Paul and his team. How? Well, let me explain.

For context, Paul, whose YouTube channel boasts over 23 million subscribers, is currently facing a class-action lawsuit related to his failed CryptoZoo project. The lawsuit alleges that Paul and his collaborators engaged in fraudulent practices by promoting CryptoZoo as a functional game, despite it being non-operational. Investors also claim they were misled by deceptive promotional tactics, causing them significant financial losses. Paul has denied any wrongdoing, with his legal team describing the allegations as baseless and designed to generate headlines rather than having legal merit.

So now, what exactly happened during the BBC’s investigation into the content creator and how did a Logan Paul impersonator get thrown into the mix?

As part of its investigation, the BBC released a documentary titled Logan Paul: Bad Influence? Within the hour-long exposé, Journalist Matt Shea spent months attempting to secure an interview with Paul to address the allegations. Paul eventually agreed to meet at his boxing gym in Puerto Rico, but when Shea arrived, he was met by viral lookalike Rodney Petersen instead.

Footage from the BBC shows Shea’s visible shock as Petersen appeared, pretending to be the controversial YouTuber: “I have to say the real Logan Paul looks very different,” Shea remarked. Petersen replied mockingly, “Did you come all the way over here to ask about how I look?”

When Shea pressed for Paul’s whereabouts, Petersen stuck to the act: “I’m right here, bud.”

As if the lookalike stunt wasn’t enough, things got even weirder. A group of people armed with megaphones stormed in, chanting: “BBC is vile. They hire paedophiles!” For anyone who isn’t aware, this attack is referencing scandals involving former BBC host Jimmy Savile and ex-news presenter Huw Edwards.

According to the BBC, shortly after leaving the gym, they received a legal letter from Paul’s lawyers warning them against publishing their findings.

The BBC’s investigation centres on CryptoZoo, a blockchain-based game that Paul heavily promoted to his millions of followers. Marketed as a “fun game that earns you money,” CryptoZoo encourages players to buy digital eggs, hatch them into hybrid animals, and trade them for cryptocurrency. However, the lawsuit claims the game was never functional, and thousands of consumers were left with worthless investments.

The complaint also alleges that Paul and other team members made a deliberate decision to skip the “expensive and time-consuming” process of building a working product, instead executing a scheme to defraud consumers. Plaintiffs claim that the defendants abandoned the project after profiting from initial investments, leaving holders of CryptoZoo tokens and NFTs in financial ruin.

Filed as a class action, the lawsuit could include thousands of victims if approved.

As reported by The Times, this isn’t Paul’s first run-in with cryptocurrency controversy. Over the past two years, the influencer has actively promoted various crypto projects, often rallying his fanbase to invest. In one instance, Paul endorsed the meme coin Dink Doink, hyping its potential without disclosing that he was directly involved in its creation. Blockchain evidence suggests Paul profited significantly from the token while fans were left holding the bag after its collapse.

Paul’s pattern of promoting crypto projects and subsequently abandoning them has drawn criticism for exploiting his followers’ trust.

Logan Paul has denied any wrongdoing in connection with CryptoZoo. His legal representative, Jeffrey Neiman, described the lawsuit as “a careless civil action, which is dramatically flawed and filed to generate headlines, not merit.” Neiman expressed confidence that the case would be dismissed in court.

In January, Paul attempted to defuse public outrage by pledging to reimburse $1.3 million to affected CryptoZoo holders and to relinquish his stake in the game. “To say I am disappointed in how this was handled internally is an understatement,” Paul said at the time, promising to finish the project.

Despite these assurances, CryptoZoo remains non-functional, and many victims remain sceptical about Paul’s intentions.

While Paul continues to evade tough questions, the CryptoZoo lawsuit moves forward, potentially offering victims a pathway to recover some of their losses.

At this point, how many crypto disasters does it take for fans to realise that glossy promises from internet stars often lead to empty wallets? Paul’s antics highlight the urgent need for consumers to prioritise due diligence over blind faith in fame. After all, a viral name doesn’t guarantee a trustworthy investment—it might just mean a bigger stage for a bigger scam.