What Is The Controversy Surrounding YouTuber 'The Completionist'? Accusations Of Him Running A 'Charity Scam' Explained

YouTuber "The Completionist" is a creator known for making gaming content where he always completes the game, no matter what. But some fans recently realized that his personal philosophy doesn't seem to apply to his other ventures; including his charity work.

Here's how a team of YouTubers discovered that The Completionist was withholding several hundred thousand dollars in charity collections, despite not appearing to spend any of it.

What Are The 'Scam' Allegations Levied Against Jirard Khalil a.k.a. 'The Completionist'?

On November 13th, 2023, YouTubers Mutahar and Karl Jobst uploaded videos to their respective YouTube channels expressing their concerns about a charity called Open Hands, run by "The Completionist" Jirard Khalil. Jobst notes how the foundation's tax filings show they received significant contributions each year, with the money being deposited into a stockpile of over $600,000.

“For the past ten years, they have raised over $600,000, and it’s all just sitting in their bank account despite Open Hand saying the money goes to help fund research, and despite the fact that everyone believes their money is going to a worthwhile cause, this is simply not the case,” Jobst states. Mutahar of SomeOrdinaryGamers uploaded a similar video on the same day.

How Did Khalil Respond To The Allegations Against Him?

Both Mutahar and Jobst asked the foundation for answers and received a response from Jacque Khalil, Jirard’s brother, claiming that the foundation had disbursed some money before it was officially registered. However, there is no record of any disbursement of funds.

As for Jirard Khalil himself, he claims to have been unaware of the foundation laying dormant until 2021 and has since been looking for the right foundation to send the money to. Jobst continued, "Jirard assures us they still have the full amount of money and are looking to donate it as soon as possible… however, due to Open Hand’s past dishonesty, I think we do need concrete proof of this donation when it happens.”

How Did Internet Users Respond To The Controversy?

Jokes about The Completionist supposedly "scamming" his fans in this bizarre fashion began to spread online soon after the news broke, with internet users finding humor in the juxtaposition between the news and his online persona. Other fans simply expressed sadness at hearing news about a YouTuber they liked turning out to be "scummy."

But not everyone was immediately critical of Khalil, with an X user claiming to be a non-profit accountant explaining why it may have taken so long for Khalil to choose a dementia charity to donate the money to.

This whole situation regarding Jirard The Completionist and Indieland seems a bit overblown to me, and I want to give OrdinaryGamers</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/karljobstgaming?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">karljobstgaming a bit of my opinion on the matter, as an accountant for a non-profit. pic.twitter.com/CK7Z338vCB

— LILWOOLEY (@theLILWOOLEY) November 14, 2023

For the full history of The Completionist's charity scam controversy, be sure to check out Know Your Meme's encyclopedia entry for more information.