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If you were on YouTube during the 2010s, chances are you’ve watched a David Dobrik vlog—or at least heard of him. Starting his journey on Vine, David quickly became one of YouTube’s biggest creators, known for his fast-paced, chaotic 4-minute vlogs featuring his infamous “Vlog Squad.” But as his fame skyrocketed, so did the controversies. By 2020, he stepped back from posting his wildly popular videos, leaving fans wondering if he’d ever return. Now, as he begins a polarizing comeback in 2025, you might be asking: what went down? We broke it down for you below:
It all started with the incident that changed everything: Jeff Wittek’s accident. Back in 2020, a vlog stunt went disastrously wrong when Jeff was swung from a rope attached to an excavator controlled by David. The stunt left Jeff with severe facial injuries, prompting him to file a $10 million lawsuit against David for “general negligence and intentional tort.” Jeff also claimed David failed to cover his medical bills, despite allegedly promising to do so, leaving him with financial strain and an “infraction” on his credit. Jeff also said the accident cost him his role in the Vlog Squad.
David, for his part, has pushed back on taking full responsibility. He maintains that the stunt was Jeff’s idea, though he acknowledges his own role in the incident. On his podcast in 2022, he admitted, “He got hurt because I was driving. That’s it, and I f—king know that… That’ll be the biggest regret of my life.”
After he revived his “VIEWS” podcast in 2021, David reflected on the fallout. “The Jeff thing is the f—king worst,” he said during a 2021 episode. “That day is the worst thing that’s ever happened to me.” He also revealed that Jeff had shared a video of someone swinging from an excavator shortly before the accident, allegedly asking David to keep it private. “At the hospital, Jeff made me promise no one would ever know this was his idea,” he claimed.
While this controversy is the most notable, it’s far from the only one. David’s image has been repeatedly called into question, with allegations of creating unsafe environments for his content. Scroll through our gallery below to revisit every one of David’s controversies and scandals over the years.
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English (US) ·