YouTuber David Dobrik leaves Dispo amid Vlog Squad allegations

Investors and sponsors are bailing on a YouTuber and disposable camera start-up co-founder after disturbing allegations against him and his friend.

YouTube star David Dobrik has left the board of his photo-sharing app Dispo after a former member of his online comedy crew was accused of rape.

Mr Dobrik’s departure was the latest fallout from the allegations against his longtime friend Dominykas Zeglaitis, who was part of Mr Dobrik’s Vlog Squad before leaving the group in 2019.

An Insider investigation published last week detailed a young woman’s account of how Vlog Squad members gave her alcohol before Mr Zeglaitis – better known as Durte Dom – allegedly had sex with her while she was too drunk to consent in 2018.

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‘Durte Dom’ released a (monetised) video ‘addressing’ the rape accusations against him that he called ‘the drama’.

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Mr Dobrik reportedly filmed the woman for a YouTube video that was viewed 5 million times before it was deleted.

“David has chosen to step down from the board and leave the company to not distract from the company’s growth,” Dispo told the New York Post in a statement on Monday.

“Dispo’s team, product, and most importantly – our community – stand for building a diverse, inclusive and empowering world.”

Dispo confirmed Mr Dobrik’s exit hours after one of its major financial backers, Spark Capital, decided to “sever all ties” with the start-up he co-founded.

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YouTube star David Dobrik has exited the buzzy start-up he helped found. Picture: Instagram/ @mmdessin

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The move came roughly a month after Spark reportedly led a $US20 million ($A25.7 million) fundraising round for Dispo that valued it at about $US200 million ($A257.9 million).

The app mimics disposable cameras by making users wait to view their images while they “develop”.

“We have stepped down from our position on the board and we are in the process of making arrangements to ensure we do not profit from our recent investment in Dispo,” Spark said on Twitter early on Monday morning.

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2/ We have stepped down from our position on the board and we are in the process of making arrangements to ensure we do not profit from our recent investment in Dispo.

— Spark Capital (@sparkcapital) March 22, 2021

The firm – which has also invested in tech giants such as Twitter, Postmates and Slack – did not immediately respond to an email seeking more details about how it would handle its Dispo investment.

Spark isn’t the only company to end its relationship with Mr Dobrik, whom The Wall Street Journal once dubbed “Gen Z’s Jimmy Fallon”.

Eight brands – including EA Sports, Dollar Shave Club and DoorDash, which sponsored Mr Dobrik’s podcast Views – told Insider that they would no longer work with him.

Those deals have proven lucrative for the budding media maven – Forbes estimates that Mr Dobrik’s earnings totalled $US15.5 million ($A20 million) from June 2019 to June 2020, some of which came from corporate sponsorships.

David Dobrik released a video promising to not make the same mistakes in the future.

Mr Dobrik distanced himself from Mr Zeglaitis in an apology video last week, saying he has been “really disappointed with some of my friends”.

“Consent is something that’s super, super important to me,” Mr Dobrik said.

“Whether I’m shooting with a friend or shooting with a stranger, I always make sure that whatever the video I’m putting out, I have the approval from that person.”

Mr Zeglaitis discussed the backlash against the Vlog Squad in a recent video but he has not responded directly to the rape allegations.

A representative for Mr Zeglaitis did not immediately respond to a request for comment Monday.

This article originally appeared on the New York Post and was reproduced with permission