Ian Rylett, who runs SevenAwesomeKids, one of YouTube’s most popular tween channels, was reportedly arrested in August in Florida for “lewd and lascivious molestation” of a young girl who made videos for his brand, according to BuzzFeed News. BuzzFeed News obtained the arrest warrant, which alleges Rylett commanded the young girl, who is under 16, to undress. He allegedly verbally abused her and fondled her breasts, which he allegedly told her she should wrap to make them appear smaller in videos, according to the arrest warrant, as reported by BuzzFeed News. The girl claims he also attempted to remove her underwear against her will, according to the arrest report. He allegedly did all of this, according to the arrest report, while threatening to use her contract with his channel to fine her if she didn’t comply, BuzzFeed News reported. Detectives were called to his hotel room in Orange County in Florida on August 16 with the warrant for his arrest, according to BuzzFeed News. Rylett pleaded not guilty last month to the charges against him, and his trial will be scheduled for later this year, BuzzFeed News reported. In the meantime, BuzzFeed News reported that YouTube claims it has demonetized SevenAwesomeKids, though the channel is still up. “We take safety on YouTube very seriously. We work closely with leading child safety organizations and others in our industry to protect young people. When we’re made aware of serious allegations of this nature we take action, which may include suspending monetization, or, upon conclusion of an investigation, terminating the channel,” a YouTube spokesperson reportedly told BuzzFeed News in a statement. Rylett is one of the founders of the 10-year-old brand SevenAwesomeKids. The seven channels, called SevenAwesomeKids, SevenSuperGirls, SevenFabulousTeens, SevenTwinklingTweens, SevenPerfectAngels, SevenFuntasticGirls, and SevenCoolTweens, star a rotating cast of about 20 girls 8 to 18 years of age. They have a total of 17 million subscribers and feature daily videos directed by Rylett and for which girls are reportedly paid a monthly salary, according to BuzzFeed News.Some other performers who spoke to BuzzFeed News claimed Rylett made them feel uncomfortable with a pattern of “awkward behavior.” According to BuzzFeed News, “Two former performers recalled that Rylett frequently made girls uncomfortable with jokes about ‘wardrobe malfunctions’ when he would accompany the girls on group trips to shoot videos.” “On trips we used to joke about him being creepy,” one girl claimed to BuzzFeed News. “But we never thought he’d act on it.”
Published in Daily Times, September 26th 2018.
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