Karl Jobst sues Billy Mitchell for defamation

Australian YouTube creator Karl Jobst has filed a lawsuit against Billy Mitchell, the well-known Donkey Kong record holder. The complaint follows an earlier case Mitchell filed against Jobst in 2025. The suit was filed in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida and accuses Mitchell of "unauthorized use of name or likeness and intentional infliction of emotional distress."

Background of the lawsuit

Karl Jobst, who has more than 1 million subscribers on YouTube, says Mitchell’s public comments related to his bankruptcy proceedings and crowdfunding campaigns are false. Jobst argues that his reputation as a creator known for credibility and reliability has suffered significant damage to his earnings. This lawsuit also comes after an earlier case Mitchell brought against Jobst over comments made in the video "The Biggest Conmen in Video Game History Strike Again!" posted in 2021.

Previous lawsuit and ruling

The dispute between Jobst and Mitchell included a case that resulted in a ruling in Mitchell’s favor in April 2025. Jobst was ordered to pay around $240,000 (AU$340,000) to Mitchell. That amount stemmed from the allegations Jobst made in his video, which were found to have harmed Mitchell’s reputation.

Claims in the current lawsuit

In his latest filing, Jobst argues that Mitchell knowingly made false claims about his bankruptcy and crowdfunding efforts. One example cited in the complaint is a post on X/Twitter in which Mitchell claimed Jobst had engaged in "serious illegal activity before and during" the bankruptcy process. Jobst denies those claims and says they caused him emotional distress, shame, and damage to his relationship with his audience.

Timeline

2021: Billy Mitchell files a defamation lawsuit against Karl Jobst after comments about him in Jobst’s video.
April 2025: The court rules in Billy Mitchell’s favor and orders Jobst to pay $240,000.
April 2026: Karl Jobst files a new defamation lawsuit against Billy Mitchell.

Mitchell reportedly also claimed during a livestream in August 2025 that Jobst had "stolen" $200,000 from his viewers, and that he had taken more than $500,000 in total from his audience. Jobst continues to deny those accusations and says he has built a strong legal strategy to support his case.