Content warning: This article contains graphic descriptions of sexual assault. Please take care while reading.
Behind the scenes of Piper Rockelle‘s popular YouTube channel were years of sexual abuse, harassment, retaliation, and exploitation, according to a civil suit recently settled between Rockelle’s mother, Tiffany Smith, and 11 teen content creators who once worked with Rockelle in the “Piper Squad.”
On Rockelle’s channel, the “Piper Squad” participated in pranks and challenges, and agreed to made-up crushes between one another to generate interest. Smith, now 42, was first sued in 2021, and the complaint said Rockell’s mother harassed, molested, and abused the plaintiffs, who were all minors at the time.
Some also alleged that they weren’t compensated for their work on Rockelle’s YouTube channel, or when their likeness was used to promote Rockelle’s content. According to the suit, no payment agreement was in place when the work happened.
“Wildly offensive and sexually explicit comments”
According to the suit, Smith also directed “wildly offensive and sexually explicit comments” at the minors, asked for details about their sex lives, and encouraged them to engage in sex acts with each other. Smith allegedly touched some of the young girls inappropriately, commented on the young girls’ bodies, and is accused of trying to spit in one of their mouths.
One plaintiff also said she witnessed Smith mailing her daughter’s undergarments to someone because, according to Smith, “old men like to smell this stuff.” Smith allegedly called herself the “Pimp” or “Madam of YouTube” and tried to stop them from building YouTube careers on their own.
Smith’s boyfriend, Hunter Hill, who directed and edited Rockelle’s YouTube, was also named in the “Piper Squad” civil suit. Like Smith, Hill denied the allegations. After the $22 million suit was filed, Smith countersued for $30 million, alleging an extortion attempt alleging sexual abuse, but Smith dropped the suit voluntarily.
Once the settlement was complete, “Piper Squad” attorney Matt Sarelson called it “the most complicated and high profile case of my career.”
Smith settled for $1.85 million
Initially, Smith’s accusers asked for $2 million each, but reportedly settled for $1.85 million. What each plaintiff received in the settlement was kept confidential. Though settled, Smith denied guilt in the terms of the agreement, and it’s widely reported that neither Smith nor Hill commented on the decision.
In a statement, one plaintiff’s mother, Angela Sharbino, said it was never about the money. “[I]t was about holding an individual accountable, telling the truth, and taking a step toward healing,” she added. “All of these kids have now moved on from the ‘Squad’ and are closing this chapter of their lives,” she said. One accuser, identified only as “Sophia,” said the suit was “to make sure she couldn’t do what she did to me to another kid … My youth was stripped away at a very young age because of Tiffany.”
The case also highlights the largely unregulated influencer industry. Rockelle, now 17, remains active, and her X bio calls her an “actress, singer, and YouTube creator” who toured in 2023. Rockelle has not commented on the civil suit settlement, and it’s unclear if Smith or Hill are still involved in Rockelle’s career.
If you know someone suffering from sexual violence, contact RAINN or the National Sexual Abuse Telephone Hotline at 1-800-656-4673.
Published: Oct 10, 2024 06:27 pm