10 YouTubers Who Went Broke

Top 10 YouTubers Who Went Broke

Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the Top 10 YouTubers Who Went Broke.

For this list, we’ll be looking at YouTubers who have encountered significant financial woes, either by losing large sums of money or facing channel demonetization and viewer decline as a result of controversy.

Do any of these creators deserve a second shot at stardom? Let us know in the comments.

#10: Esmée Denters

Contrary to popular belief, Justin Bieber wasn’t the first musician to go viral. In the mid-2000s, Dutch singer Esmée Denters got discovered after uploading covers to her YouTube channel. She was signed to Justin Timberlake’s label, Tennman Records, and he also appeared on her song “Love Dealer” and produced her debut album, “Outta Here”. Unfortunately, Denters was unable to keep up the momentum, getting dropped by the label in 2012. Although she continued to pursue music, seeing a brief stint on “The Voice UK” in 2015, she never quite managed to recapture the same magic. That said, Denters isn’t crying a river. In 2018, she took to Instagram with a cover of Timberlake’s song “Say Something” and expressed gratitude for the opportunity.

#9: OverboardHumor

This prankster’s downfall is definitely not a funny story. While his official net worth is unknown, Garrett Garcia was once considered a “YouTube millionaire” thanks to his seven-figure subscriber count. On his channel, OverboardHumor, he was known for making inappropriate comments to strangers in public, much to their chagrin and his viewers’ entertainment. But just a few years after his peak of reaching YouTube millionaire status, Garcia fell on tough times. At his lowest, the creator found himself homeless outside of Los Angeles after a volatile relationship. He was even forced to sell the Gold Play Button he earned for the subscriber milestone. However, Garcia has more recently featured in fellow YouTuber Danny Mullen’s videos, and appears to be doing much better.

#8: Thomas Halbert

From catfights with their fellow beauty gurus to caring for their actual cats, Thomas Halbert stayed embroiled in controversy. In 2018, they became entangled in the beauty community’s implosion, dubbed Dramageddon, after igniting a feud with Jeffree Star. But that wouldn’t be the last time Halbert courted scandal. The following year, they took to Twitter to ask viewers to donate to their cat Archie’s emergency vet fund. In the tweet, they claimed to “have less than $100 to their name” and preemptively defended themselves against scamming accusations. This didn’t sit well with some people, as Halbert was quite popular and publicly asking for money conflicted with the lifestyle they presented on their channel. Meanwhile, others defended them, given the outrageous cost of medical bills regardless.

#7: Count Dankula

When it comes to pranksters paying the price, this count’s was a pretty penny. Mark Meechan, also known as Count Dankula, found himself in serious trouble — and even got an innocent dog roped into the drama. In 2016, Meechan trained his girlfriend’s pug to make a Nazi salute and uploaded a video of the obscene command. In the couple’s native Scotland, this falls under “posting offensive material,” which is punishable by law. Meechan claimed the act was an inside joke with his girlfriend, and famous comedians and far-right figures alike supported his right to free speech. Nevertheless, he was fined £800, which he refused to pay and instead donated to charity. The money was seized from Meechan’s account anyway, ending the debate of the prejudiced pug.

#6: Olivia Cara

California vlogger Olivia Cara has made two videos spilling the worst financial decisions she made in her twenties. In the uploads, Cara was fully open about living beyond her means by leasing a Range Rover, renting an apartment she couldn’t afford, maxing out credit cards, and attending expensive attractions like Coachella and Disneyland. Even though these weren’t the best choices at the time, mad respect to Cara for admitting her mistakes, growing from them, and allowing her past to serve as a cautionary tale for impressionable viewers.

#5: David Dobrik

Far more than most creators, the Vlog Squad ringleader seemed primed to break out beyond YouTube. At the peak of David Dobrik’s channel, he was pulling in tens of millions of views thanks to A-list collabs with Kylie Jenner and Justin Bieber. Things came to a screeching halt in 2021, when news outlet Insider uncovered 2018 assault allegations towards his fellow Squad member Dom Zeglaitis, or Durte Dom. Although Dobrik addressed the claims in an apology video, fans were unsatisfied for several reasons: it was rather vague, posted on a smaller side channel, and the comments were turned off. Several brands dropped him, and his channel was demonetized following the scandal. While he later returned to the platform, Dobrik has yet to reclaim his relevance in the YouTube zeitgeist.

#4: Omi in a Hellcat

From reality TV to TikTok, flex culture is seemingly everywhere. But just because someone flaunts a certain lifestyle through the screen, it doesn’t mean you have the whole story. Bill Omar Carrasquillo, also known as Omi in a Hellcat, blew up on YouTube by showing off his luxury car collection. However, it all came crashing down. In 2023, Omi was convicted on counts of conspiracy, money laundering, fraud, tax evasion, and more in a cable piracy scheme. Some sources have estimated his net worth at $50 million — but following court orders, $30 million in assets will be forfeited, as well as $6 million in cash and several of his cars. If you’re ever feeling insecure about your used Honda, just be thankful for your clean conscience.

#3: James Charles

As far as his YouTube earnings go, this beauty guru has had to say “Bye, sister”. Since rising to fame in 2016 as CoverGirl’s first male spokesmodel, James Charles’ online career has been a rollercoaster of scandals and drama. And while his feuds with fellow creators Jeffree Star and Tati Westbrook were certainly intense, they were just the tip of the iceberg. In 2021, multiple young boys alleged that Charles had sent them explicit photos and groomed them via text. He responded in an apology video where he claimed not to know their ages, but the damage was already done — besides YouTube demonetizing Charles’ channel, cosmetics company Morphe parted ways with him. Considering Forbes reported he earned $5 million on ad revenue annually, Charles’ once-thriving brand took a major hit.

#2: Boogie2988

From gaming to boxing, this career YouTuber has worn many hats since his start on the platform in 2006. That being said, one he probably won’t be trying anytime soon is financial advisor. In 2022, Steven Jay Williams, also known as Boogie2988, uploaded a video titled “I Need Your Help” in which he admitted to struggling with money and asked followers for support. While even big creators can fall on hard times, viewers found it disingenuous as Boogie had previously bragged about how much money he made off his channel. Some criticized his past spending and saving habits, while others doubted he was even in financial ruin after all. Either way, the video was received as just another in a long line of Boogie blunders.

#1: Andrew Hales

Not every YouTuber’s financial sob story goes over like a lead balloon. In 2021, YouTuber Andrew Hales, or LAHWF, put it all out there with a video titled “how i became broke.” In the tell-all upload, Hales walked his viewers through all the money mistakes he made after hitting it big with his pranks and interviews. He admitted to finding himself $40,000 to 50,000 in debt by traveling and partying too much, paying for an apartment he couldn’t afford, taking out credit cards, and getting lazy with his uploads. Unlike other creators’ wallet woes, Hales’ confession went over considerably better: it felt authentic and straight from the heart, and he took responsibility for his position without making excuses.