On April 1, 2025, the Brisbane District Court delivered a significant ruling requiring Australian YouTuber and speedrunner Karl Jobst to compensate American gamer William “Billy” Mitchell. Jobst now faces a financial obligation of $350,000, in addition to accrued interest and legal costs, following a defamation lawsuit that Mitchell filed in September 2024.
Karl Jobst is known for his content that scrutinizes dishonest practices within the gaming community. His contentious 2021 YouTube video accused Mitchell of engaging in unethical behavior, including cheating and pursuing “baseless litigation” against his critics. Moreover, Jobst controversially linked Mitchell to the suicide of fellow YouTuber Apollo Legend, whose real name was Benjamin Smith.
In his video, Jobst implied that Mitchell contributed to the December 2020 suicide of Legend by claiming that the stress from a settlement with Mitchell had been overwhelming for him. He further alleged that Apollo was required to pay Mitchell a significant sum, a claim the court later found to be unfounded.
Judge Ken Barlow’s decision was clear: Jobst made five defamatory assertions against Mitchell, particularly insinuating that he “hounded Apollo Legend to death.” In his ruling, Barlow emphasized that these allegations stemmed from a “fallacy” and exhibited Jobst’s “reckless indifference” to the truth.
In defense of his actions, Jobst claimed that Mitchell’s previous alleged cheating history justified the accusations he made. While the judge acknowledged this, he ultimately determined that Jobst’s claims had caused significant emotional distress and further damaged Mitchell’s reputation, leading to the financial penalties imposed on Jobst.
The court dismissed Jobst’s assertion that Mitchell expressed “joy” over Legend’s death, highlighting that Legend’s final video did not mention Mitchell at all.
Dissecting the Jobst and Mitchell Saga
The court’s ruling also broke down the $350,000 total into specific damages: $300,000 was awarded for non-economic loss, while an additional $50,000 was given as aggravated damages, due to Jobst’s repeated publications of the defamatory video. Furthermore, the judge added $40,000 for interest fees along with Mitchell’s legal expenses, as reported by The Guardian.
Originally uploaded in May 2021, Jobst’s video garnered over 500,000 views and featured several edits to clarify the allegations against Mitchell. Additionally, Jobst released a retraction in July of the same year, in which he mockingly referred to Mitchell as a “con man.”
Judge Barlow remarked that Jobst did not fully retract his allegations or offer an apology. Instead, he noted a clear indication of malice in Jobst’s commentary toward Mitchell, framing the actions of the speedrunner as a “crusade” against the Donkey Kong champion, which served to elevate Jobst’s own image in his audience’s eyes.
“I lost. The judge found Billy to be a credible witness and believed his entire testimony. From that point on unfortunately, there was really nothing that could have saved me. I will now obviously consider my options. I know many of you will be upset with this and I am sorry for that,” Jobst expressed in a statement on social media platform X.
In a follow-up, Jobst extended his gratitude to his supporters, vowing to work diligently to repay his followers and clarify any misunderstandings regarding his actions and intentions. He highlighted that contrary to popular belief, he had not sought monetary gain from Mitchell’s lawsuit.
In his recent communications, Jobst reiterated his stance regarding the controversies, providing context around a video from August 2023 in which Mitchell accused him of “fraud.” He clarified his motivations behind not being completely transparent as he felt it might jeopardize his defense.
“At some point of course I will produce a video discussing everything, and I still believe the decision today was not the correct one,” Jobst concluded, expressing regret over the misinformation he circulated regarding Apollo Legend.
Contextualizing Billy Mitchell’s Reputation
The court’s ruling focused exclusively on the defamation claim, clarifying that it did not pass judgment on whether Billy Mitchell had been guilty of any cheating or fraudulent activities.
Mitchell’s reputation has faced substantial scrutiny over the years. He was previously investigated by Twin Galaxies in 2017 after allegations emerged that he had manipulated his Donkey Kong world records by using emulation instead of original arcade hardware. In response, Twin Galaxies disqualified his scores and barred him from future contests.
Despite this setback, Mitchell was reinstated as a world record holder by Guinness World Records in June 2020. He subsequently filed a lawsuit against Twin Galaxies, which concluded with a settlement in January 2024 that led to the reinstatement of his records based on expert testimony regarding the integrity of his gameplay recordings.
As the saga of Jobst and Mitchell unfolds, the implications for both the gaming community and digital content creators are profound. The case serves as a crucial reminder of the responsibilities that come with influence and the potential fallout from unchecked assertions.