Recently, a false rumor circulated on social media alleging the death of Andrew “A.J.” Befumo, one half of the popular father-son pair known as A.J. and Big Justice. This claim originated from a TikTok post by user @iambenzyyy on April 17, 2025, where a video was titled “Big AJ just passed away!” In the clip, it was suggested that A.J. died due to steroid use, referencing a supposed post from the duo’s official account on X:
“Big AJ (Eric Justice Befumo) has just been found passed away this morning in his home. All proceeds from Eric’s social media will be going to help the Jewish community after his passing.”
“As of now, there are no guaranteed causes of his passing, however, the most likely reason for this was because of Eric’s profound use of steroids. Eric was fighting battles nobody knew. Rest in peace, AJ, Lover, Creator, and fighter – BIG MGMT.”
The TikTok post gained overwhelming attention, racking up over 6 million views in just 72 hours, with 241,000 likes, 53,800 shares, and 16,600 bookmarks. The video also included purported tweets suggesting that fans had foreseen Befumo’s alleged demise from the previous year.
However, this claim has been debunked. In fact, A.J. Befumo is alive and well, as confirmed by the website Know Your Meme, which identified the post as a piece of misinformation. Additionally, the TikTok contained clear inaccuracies, such as switching the names of Andrew Befumo and his son, Eric. To clarify, Andrew is referred to simply as A.J., while Eric is known as Big Justice; neither is called Big A.J.
A careful examination of the official social media accounts of the father-son duo reveals no tweets or posts related to any death, further proving the claim to be unfounded.
The Wider Implications of the Hoax
A.J.’s death hoax was not an isolated incident. Following the original TikTok post, other users echoed the false news. For instance, on April 20, 2025, user @fastfamefeed released a video alleging A.J.’s passing, which garnered 468,000 views within a single day.
Another TikToker, @globemysteriess, shared a video the same day that paradoxically claimed A.J. was deceased but then presented a clip indicating he was alive and had been hospitalized for a foot injury sustained during a match with AEW. However, no evidence supported this hospitalization claim, and A.J. did not share any such content, yet the video amassed 750,000 views in a day.
A further TikTok video by user @most.likely.luka captioned “RIP big aj gone way too soon” failed to provide credible evidence, instead showcasing a past encounter with A.J. where he uttered his catchphrase “Double chunk chocolate cookie.” This clip similarly saw over 650,000 views within 24 hours, seemingly created for virality rather than factual accuracy.
Meanwhile, active updates from Andrew’s social media platforms, including TikTok and YouTube, continue to share engaging content. Fans have also posted recent images and videos with A.J. and Eric, disproving any claims of their demise and confirming that the circulating rumors are baseless.
Understanding Andrew “A.J.” Befumo
Andrew Befumo, also known as A.J., hails from Florida as an amateur wrestler and is famously nicknamed “The American Powerchild Eric Justice.”He originally began his career in New York and made a notable comeback to wrestling in November 2024, after a 19-year hiatus, adopting the ring name “Big Boom A.J.” in the All Elite Wrestling (AEW) league, where his match against QT Marshall gained viral traction.
A.J. has been active on YouTube since 2022, producing family vlogs titled “All Befumo’d Up!” featuring his son Eric (Big Justice), wife Mama Justice, and their daughter Ashley.
The father-son duo gained significant recognition in March 2024 when their amusing Costco review videos became a sensation. Their unique rating system of “BOOM!” for approval and “DOOM” for disapproval earned them the affectionate title of the “Costco Guys.”
See their viral Costco review here
Among their popular TikTok clips is one showcasing Big Justice enjoying a chicken bake, while A.J. humorously declared:
“We’re Costco Guys! Of course, we go shopping while eating a chicken bake.”
Later, A.J. joked that the chicken bake would soon be replaced by the now-famous “Double Chunk Chocolate Cookie,” which subsequently became his catchphrase. Their growing popularity has attracted various brand collaborations, endorsements, and giveaways.
Notably, they made headlines by participating in a celebrity basketball event with TikToker Christian “The Rizzler” Joseph at Madison Square Garden and appeared on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon in October 2024.
Additionally, they have ventured into music, debuting with their song “We Bring the Boom” and most recently releasing “Always Gonna Boom!” in collaboration with Jelly House and The Rizzler.