YouTube star Jake Paul's home was raided by FBI agents in tactical gear on Wednesday. AP
YouTube star Jake Paul's home was raided by FBI agents in tactical gear on Wednesday. AP
YouTube star Jake Paul's home was raided by FBI agents in tactical gear on Wednesday. AP
YouTube star Jake Paul's home was raided by FBI agents in tactical gear on Wednesday. AP

Jake Paul: YouTube star's Los Angeles home raided by FBI

Officers removed 'several rifles' from the social media influencer's California home

Reuters

August 06, 2020

  • English
  • Arabic

FBI agents in tactical gear raided the Los Angeles mansion of YouTube star and social media influencer Jake Paul on Wednesday, in an investigation stemming from a looting spree at an upscale shopping mall in Scottsdale, Arizona, officials said.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation also searched two locations in Las Vegas, but no one was taken into custody during the raids and no arrest warrant has been issued for Paul, the agency said.

Paul, 23, was not present when his home was searched, according to FBI spokeswoman Laura Eimiller.

Paul's lawyer, Richard Schonfeld, in a statement acknowledged that his client's home was searched and promised co-operation with the investigation.

Paul, whose viral YouTube video postings of provocative pranks have won him millions of followers, had no comment on his Twitter and Instagram accounts.

An FBI spokeswoman in Phoenix, Brooke Brennan, said agents were "investigating allegations of criminal acts surrounding the incident at Scottsdale Fashion Square in May". She declined further comment because the search warrant was under court seal.

Local news video footage from the raid showed officers removing several rifles from Paul's mansion in Calabasas, about 30 miles north-west of Los Angeles.

Scottsdale police said separately that misdemeanour charges filed in June accusing Paul of criminal trespass and unlawful assembly in connection with the Fashion Square "riots" were dismissed on Wednesday in conjunction with the federal probe.

Misdemeanour charges from that incident were likewise dropped against two men police described as Paul's associates, one of them a Las Vegas nightclub promoter.

Police said dismissal of those charges was tied to completing the federal investigation, adding that prosecutors could refile the case if warranted.

Civil disturbances in Scottsdale on May 30 grew out of demonstrations triggered by death of George Floyd in police custody that week. Police said Paul took part in the unrest and was present after the protest was declared an unlawful assembly. He also was accused of illegally entering the shopping mall and remaining inside after it was closed.

Paul denied that he or anyone with him took part in looting or vandalism, and said he was "documenting, not engaging" in lawlessness.

Towering concerns
Background
Draw

Quarter-finals

Real Madrid (ESP) or Manchester City (ENG) v Juventus (ITA) or Lyon (FRA)

RB Leipzig (GER) v Atletico Madrid (ESP)

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Atalanta (ITA) v Paris Saint-Germain (FRA)

Ties to be played August 12-15 in Lisbon

THE BIO

Bio Box

Role Model: Sheikh Zayed, God bless his soul

Favorite book: Zayed Biography of the leader

Favorite quote: To be or not to be, that is the question, from William Shakespeare's Hamlet

Favorite food: seafood

Favorite place to travel: Lebanon

Favorite movie: Braveheart

While you're here
Ferrari 12Cilindri specs

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Power: 819hp

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Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026

1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years

If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.

2. E-invoicing in the UAE

Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption. 

3. More tax audits

Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks. 

4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime

Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.

5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit

There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.

6. Further transfer pricing enforcement

Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes. 

7. Limited time periods for audits

Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion. 

8. Pillar 2 implementation 

Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.

9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services

Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations. 

10. Substance and CbC reporting focus

Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity. 

Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer

Dhadak

Director: Shashank Khaitan

Starring: Janhvi Kapoor, Ishaan Khattar, Ashutosh Rana

Stars: 3

Desert Warrior

Starring: Anthony Mackie, Aiysha Hart, Ben Kingsley

Director: Rupert Wyatt

Rating: 3/5

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2pm: Handicap (PA) Dh40,000 (Dirt) 1,000m
Winner: AF Mozhell, Saif Al Balushi (jockey), Khalifa Al Neyadi (trainer)

2.30pm: Maiden (PA) Dh40,000 (D) 2,000m
Winner: Majdi, Szczepan Mazur, Abdallah Al Hammadi.

3pm: Handicap (PA) Dh40,000 (D) 1,700m
Winner: AF Athabeh, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel.

3.30pm: Handicap (PA) Dh40,000 (D) 1,700m
Winner: AF Eshaar, Bernardo Pinheiro, Khalifa Al Neyadi

4pm: Gulf Cup presented by Longines Prestige (PA) Dh150,000 (D) 1,700m
Winner: Al Roba’a Al Khali, Al Moatasem Al Balushi, Younis Al Kalbani

4.30pm: Handicap (TB) Dh40,000 (D) 1,200m
Winner: Apolo Kid, Antonio Fresu, Musabah Al Muahiri

The specs
  • Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
  • Power: 640hp
  • Torque: 760nm
  • On sale: 2026
  • Price: Not announced yet