Jeff Wittek “blackmailer” denies $40k ransom for David Dobrik accident footage

Alan Bernal
david dobrik accident jeff wittek blackmailer

YouTuber Jeff Wittek claims he’s being blackmailed to the tune of $40,000 to conceal footage of a stunt for David Dobrik’s Vlog Squad that turned into a near-fatal encounter. The accused, a ‘family friend’ who was at the scene, has allegedly denied blackmailing Wittek.

A 2020 stunt involving a tractor, operated by Dobrik at the time, fractured Wittek’s skull and lacerated his face. About a year later, Wittek is now telling that story as a part of his ‘How I Broke my Face’ series.

However, after publishing the second part on YouTube, he told Drama Alert that he needed to push out the video because he was getting blackmailed for the footage and didn’t want his “life-altering story” controlled by other people.

Among the group of vloggers, there was a family friend who also took a video and was asking for $40,000, according to Drama Alert.

Around that time, screenshots were making the rounds, apparently showing a conversation on Instagram between someone named Wendy Pope and a buyer interested in the footage. In the conversation, Wendy is seen saying “I’d sell it now. Insider is interested,” in reference to the Wittek footage. Insider reporters deny that claim.

Soon after, accounts on Reddit and Twitter apparently belonging to Wendy Pope, going by winniepope, denied blackmailing Wittek and revealed more of what happened on her side of the story.

“I think it would be the right thing for Jeff to tell the truth that we never blackmailed him,” according to WinniePope’s Reddit post. “He was upset which is understandable, he wants to be the one to tell his story. He wasn’t ready yet to talk about his accident.”

In Wittek’s How I Broke My Face | Ep 2, he described how he came to grips with doing the stunt over 1ft deep lake. The video released on the accident had the worst parts cut out for obvious reasons.

It’s unclear if Wendy told the YouTuber she wouldn’t sell the video to someone else, but she maintains that she isn’t blackmailing Wittek.

About The Author

Alan is a former staff writer for Dexerto based in Southern California who covered esports, internet culture, and the broader games/streaming industry. He is a CSUF Alum with a B.A. in Journalism. He's reported on sports medicine, emerging technology, and local community issues. Got a tip or want to talk?