“I am so, so sorry for disappointing you guys and letting you down once again,” Charles continued. “As scary as it is to think about, I’ve also come to terms with the fact that this isn’t just something that I can move on from. I am aware that, you know, no matter what I say in this video or 10 videos down the line or a year’s worth of videos down the line, these stories and accusations are going to follow me for the rest of my life and the rest of my career, and that sucks so much.”
He reflected, “It’s so horrifying and embarrassing, but at the end of the day, it’s my own fault and my own responsibility to, you know, take accountability for what I did.”
In February, Charles denied he “groomed” a minor on Snapchat. At the time, a 16 year old said that the YouTuber asked for pictures of their “body.”
In a statement, Charles responded, “The accusation that I have groomed this person is completely false.” Per Charles, they added each other on Snapchat and the victim claimed to be 18, so Charles started “flirting.” After learning the teen was 16, Charles told them he was “uncomfortable” with the situation, according to the vlogger.
The Instant Influencer producer vowed in his statement, “Because of situations like this, instead of taking someone’s word for it, I now will ask to see the ID or passport of every [person] I have a conversation with.”
He posted his “Holding Myself Accountable” video in April, and then parted ways with his longtime beauty sponsor, Morphe. “In light of the recent allegations against James Charles, Morphe and James have agreed to end our business relationship,” the brand said in a statement. “It is and has always been Morphe’s goal to create a positive, safe, and empowering space where all beauty lovers can freely share their artistry and passion for cosmetics, and Morphe is committed to furthering that goal.”
Ultimately, Charles said in his new video, “All I can do is just learn from that situation and figure out how to better protect myself and be more careful moving forward, and that I promise is exactly what I’m going to be doing.”