The rise and fall of Mario Nawfal, the Twitter influencer who clashed with Elon Musk

      Mario Nawfal is a name that you may have heard of if you are active on Twitter, especially if you follow Elon Musk, the founder of Tesla and SpaceX. Nawfal is a businessman and social media influencer who has gained a huge following on Twitter by hosting live audio chats on topics such as cryptocurrency, blockchain, and NFTs. He has also attracted the attention and praise of Musk himself, who has joined some of his chats and promoted his show.

      But behind the scenes, Nawfal’s reputation and credibility have been challenged by a series of allegations and controversies that have exposed his questionable business practices and online tactics. NBC News has published an in-depth article that reveals how Nawfal has been accused by former associates of owing them money, engaging in unethical business practices, and using artificial engagement to boost his online presence. 

     The article also says that Nawfal has been sued by a YouTuber for defamation and has taken legal action against other critics. Nawfal denies many of the allegations and says he has been a victim of a coordinated attack. The article cites various sources, documents, and screenshots to support its claims.

Who is Mario Nawfal?

    Nawfal is an entrepreneur who claims to have founded several successful businesses, such as Froothie, a juicer and blender company, International Blockchain Consulting Group (IBC), a crypto consulting company, and NFT Tech, a blockchain-related company. He also claims to be a “citizen journalist” who provides unbiased and independent coverage of various topics on social media.

      Nawfal’s social media career started on Clubhouse, where he amassed over 50,000 followers and hosted large chats with well-known personalities. However, he was temporarily suspended from the platform after being criticized by Jason Calacanis, a tech entrepreneur who is close to Musk. Calacanis accused Nawfal of being part of a group that sold online entrepreneurship coaching and compared it to “a cult.”

     Nawfal then moved to BitClout, a crypto-based social media platform where people can buy and sell “creator coins” tied to the brands of famous people and influencers. Nawfal quickly became a major personality on BitClout by frequently posting on the platform and investing money into peoples’ creator coins as well as his own.

     However, some of his BitClout investors said they regretted their decision after they realized that Nawfal was not paying them back or honoring his promises. Some said they invested in a separate “friends and family” fund that Nawfal created, but have yet to receive the repayment of their initial investment. Some said they have been trying for years to get their money back from Nawfal or his companies for other projects.

How did Nawfal become famous on Twitter?

     Nawfal’s fame on Twitter skyrocketed in 2022 when he started hosting live audio chats on Twitter Spaces, mostly focused on developments in the crypto world. His show, called “The Roundtable Show,” became a mainstay on the platform, featuring guests like former FTX CEO Sam Bankman-Fried and Hunter Biden. He also received promotion from Musk, who joined some of his chats and praised his work.

     Nawfal’s popularity peaked when he hosted a space to do live coverage of the “Twitter Files,” a series of threads composed of internal communications at Twitter that Musk and the series’ promoters suggested showed meddling with free speech by social media companies and some members of government. The event attracted millions of listeners and made headlines around the internet.

     But as Nawfal’s profile rose, some of the people close to him began going public with allegations of nonpayment and broader allegations of illegal activities within Nawfal’s businesses. Nawfal also became the subject of online scrutiny after Christopher Zakrzewski, who goes by Upper Echelon on YouTube, began posting a series of videos in November calling Nawfal’s business practices into question.

What are the controversies surrounding Nawfal?

     Nawfal has been involved in several controversies that have tarnished his image and credibility as a businessman and social media influencer. Some of these controversies are:

• Froothie: Nawfal’s first business, which sells juicers and blenders, was fined by Australian regulators in 2015 for allegedly deceiving customers by advertising a misleading sale price. It was also sued by Juicero in 2017 for allegedly infringing on its intellectual property.
• IBC: Nawfal’s crypto consulting company has been accused by former employees and contractors of owing them money, engaging in unethical business practices, and submitting fraudulent invoices to NFT Tech. Some said they reported Nawfal to authorities in the U.S. and abroad, including the SEC and the FBI.
• NFT Tech: Nawfal’s blockchain-related company has been questioned by its co-founder Jason Coles, who said he believed the company was being overcharged by IBC and Nawfal. Coles also said he was concerned about the legality and transparency of the company’s operations.
• BitClout: Nawfal’s activity on the crypto-based social media platform has been criticized by some of his investors, who said they invested in his creator coin or his “friends and family” fund, but have not received their money back or any returns. Some said they have been trying for years to get their money back from Nawfal or his companies.
• Twitter: Nawfal’s popularity on the platform has been challenged by some former associates, who said they have evidence that Nawfal used artificial engagement to boost his online presence and gain traction on his audio spaces. They said Nawfal hired a company called Winn.solutions, which offered “growth hacking” services that guaranteed engagement from a “personal network of ‘super-fan’ accounts” using a mix of “inorganic” and “organic” engagement.

How has Nawfal responded to the allegations?

      Nawfal has denied many of the allegations and said he has been a victim of a coordinated attack by disgruntled former employees and associates. He said he has made mistakes and still owes some people money, but promised he would pay them back. He also said he has never done anyone wrong and that he is sticking with his liabilities.

     Nawfal has also taken legal action against some of his critics. He sued Zakrzewski for defamation, claiming that the YouTuber had made false and defamatory statements about him in his videos. He also sent arbitration requests and legal letters to some of his former employees and associates, demanding that they retract their statements or face legal consequences.

     Nawfal has also tried to maintain his public image and influence on social media. He tweeted that he had become a victim of the mainstream media’s “dark side” and highlighted other people who he said had been unfairly criticized in the media. He also published a lengthy Twitter post about the lawsuit against Zakrzewski, explaining his reasons for suing him and accusing him of manipulating his audience and victimizing himself for engagement.

      Nawfal’s rise and fall on Twitter is a story that shows the power and pitfalls of social media, especially in the crypto world. It also raises questions about the ethics and accountability of online influencers, who can have a huge impact on their followers and the markets they operate in. As Nawfal faces legal battles and public scrutiny, it remains to be seen whether he can restore his reputation and credibility, or whether he will fade into obscurity.