In 2025, Karl Jobst, an Australian YouTuber and investigative content creator renowned for his work in exposing cheating and fraud in the competitive gaming world, found himself at the center of a major legal storm.
Karl Jobst began his journey in the gaming world at a young age. Starting to play video games at two and a half, with his first experience being the PC game Ultima V and later getting a Nintendo 64 in 1997, he soon delved into speedrunning. He was ranked fifth by the number of Goldeneye 007 world records by the game's speedrunning authority and was recognized as the "Perfect Dark champion" during several periods. His biggest speedrunning achievement was setting the world record for the first level of Goldeneye 007 on 2 December 2017, completing the run in 52 seconds on the agent difficulty, a feat highly praised in the gaming community.
However, his path took a significant turn when he became involved in exposing controversial figures in gaming. He gained massive popularity for his detailed documentary-style videos, which often involved deep research, public records, interviews, and data analysis. Among the figures he targeted was Billy Mitchell, a well-known American gamer.
The Legal Battle with Billy Mitchell
Billy Mitchell, the donkey kong champion, filed a defamation lawsuit against Karl Jobst in September 2024. The lawsuit was a result of a video Jobst posted on YouTube titled 'The Biggest Conmen in Video Game History Strike Again.' In this video, Jobst made statements that implied Mitchell had a connection with the death of YouTuber Benjamin Smith, also known as Apollo Legend, who died by suicide in December 2020. Jobst claimed that Mitchell had 'expressed joy' over Apollo Legend's death and that Smith had to pay Mitchell a large sum as part of a settlement related to a previous lawsuit between them, which was false as revealed by the judge.
The root of this complex situation traces back to 2020 when Mitchell filed a lawsuit against Smith after Smith accused Mitchell of cheating in his Donkey Kong high scores. Smith had posted multiple videos making these accusations, and as a result, Twin Galaxies and Guinness World Records removed Mitchell's achievements. The case between Mitchell and Smith was settled out of court in October 2020.
On April 1, 2025, Judge Ken Barlowe passed a judgment in favor of Mitchell. The court found Jobst's statements in those videos to be reckless, leading to both personal and professional damage to Mitchell. Judge Barlowe criticized Jobst's video, stating that it had caused Mitchell distress and reputational damage. He pointed out that Jobst was reckless in making the allegations, which were based on a fallacy. The court then awarded Billy Mitchell \(300,000 in non-economic damages and \)50,000 in aggravated damages. In addition, Jobst had to pay $40,000 in interest for the damages since the video was posted and also cover Mitchell's legal costs.
Impact on Karl Jobst's Career
Despite this significant legal setback, Karl Jobst remains active on YouTube and within the gaming community. In a brief response following the verdict, he expressed disappointment and warned that the ruling could have a chilling effect on investigative creators. He has not indicated any intention to shut down his channel. However, the case has indeed sparked wider discussions about free speech, fair use, and legal risk in online journalism, especially within the gaming and YouTube communities. Many in these communities have rallied behind Jobst, viewing the case as a potential overreach that could threaten independent reporting.
Before this lawsuit, Jobst's income mainly came from YouTube ad revenue, Patreon supporters, and sponsorships. His long-form investigative videos regularly received hundreds of thousands to millions of views, providing a steady monetization stream. His estimated net worth in 2025 was around $500,000. But the outcome of this lawsuit and the potential damages he has to pay may significantly impact his financial future, depending on whether he decides to appeal or if there are any additional claims against him.
As of now, the situation surrounding Karl Jobst continues to evolve. The gaming community and those interested in online journalism will be closely watching to see how he navigates this challenging period and what it means for the future of investigative content creation within the gaming sphere.