Crypto YouTuber Sues Another Influencer Who Called Him ‘Shady Dirtbag’

Ben Armstrong, a YouTube influencer who goes by the name “BitBoy Crypto,” sued another social media personality for defamation alleging that he defrauded his audience by promoting an unusual cryptocurrency.

In the lawsuit, reported by Law360 on Monday, Armstrong claimed that influencer Erling Mengshoel negatively affected his business relationships after releasing a November 2021 video mocking BitBoy for promoting scams and pumping micro-cap coins to fans.

Mengshoel – who goes by ‘Atozy’ on YouTube – says in the video that BitBoy has “been known to be a shady scum bag who milks the public for a quick buck instead of giving them real advice.”

He also claims that Armstrong is not someone who should be offering financial advice because “you don’t know if he’s trying to enrich you or himself,” and calls him out for talking about a washed-up cryptocurrency called Pamp.

It has not sat well with Armstrong. He cited Atozy’s public disavowal in his complaint, objecting to the use of the phrases “shady dirtbag” and “dirtbag YouTuber.” Atozy’s video led viewers to believe Armstrong was being paid by scammers to sell cryptocurrency to “suckers” willing to buy it, the complaint added.

Mengshoel also told viewers in the video that regulators are likely to investigate such promotions, saying “it’s basically inevitable that the SEC is going to get involved because scumbags like this can’t resist the urge to take the quick buck and just milk the public for a little extra money.”

Armstrong alleges in his complaint that Atozy’s “attack piece” significantly affected his business as his follower count dwindled, damaging his reputation and causing severe anxiety. He said he fears being “perceived as a criminal, a fraud and unreliable in business or in general.”

His lawsuit seeks general, compensatory and special damages for defamation, intentional and negligent infliction of emotional distress, tortious interference with business and violations of Georgia’s Uniform Deceptive Trade Practices Act and the Fair Business Practice Act.

BitBoy snubbed as hypeman by other commentators

Atozy isn’t the only one criticizing BitBoy’s cryptocurrency promotions. A widely followed Twitter user ZachXBT once shared one booklet shows the influencer’s rates for reviews, live stream mentions, YouTube interviews and website articles.

A “dedicated review” was priced at $35,000, a screenshot of a media kit he shared with a potential client showed.

MYX Network and DistX, both of which have not made any gains since 2020, are among the questionable cryptocurrency tokens he has promoted, according to ZachXBT. Armstrong once labeled a video on DistX “my most trusted coin”, but later went on to revise the title.

Separately, the YouTuber was recently described as an “untrained investment adviser” in a Washington Post op-ed that highlighted his bad-mouthing of bankrupt lender Celsius after initially encouraging investors to deposit their money with the firm.

He told The Post that he does not personally own cryptocurrencies and that the CFO of BitBoy — a media company with 70 employees — handles all crypto transactions for the firm in case of potential conflicts.

Armstrong’s attorneys from Krevolin & Horst did not return Blockworks’ request for comment by press time. It is not clear who represents Mengshoel.

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