British-Indian podcaster and renowned life-coach Jay Shetty is facing intense scrutiny and backlash following allegations of fabricating elements of his life story and plagiarizing social media content.
Shetty, known for his bestselling book, ‘Think Like A Monk’ has built a significant following through his “On Purpose” podcast, featuring high-profile guests such as Michelle Obama and Kim Kardashian. He even presided over Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck’s wedding on August 20, 2022.
“Shetty’s success is largely predicated on this riches-to-rags-to-riches backstory,” the report read. This makes these revelations even more troubling, indicating that he has used his spiritual identity to gain financial wealth.
A fabricated past?
However, new and shocking revelations from The Guardian’s investigation challenge the integrity of his story and his credibility as a self-help guru. It particularly contests his assertion of spending three years in an Indian temple during his youth:
- Shetty appears to have spent a much shorter time in India than he previously indicated.
- Shetty’s associates claim that he primarily resided at an estate in London rather than Indian ashrams during this time.
- His disconnection from society may have been exaggerated, as he was reportedly engaged in activities like filming YouTube videos during his stunt as a “monk”.
- The “dramatic” conversation has resulted in conflicting details: monk, Gauranga Das, told The Guardian that the event in question occurred in 2007, when Shetty would have been at least 19 years old, contradicting Shetty’s claim of being 18.
The report also particularly question the accuracy of his personal narrative and educational background. For example, they reveal that the business school he attended does not offer a degree in behavioural science, as stated in his resume. It also calls into question the credibility of the Jay Shetty Certification School, which offers self-help courses endorsed by Shetty, and its accreditation claims.
Plagiarism?
Moreover, the report alleges that Shetty has plagiarized content from others without proper attribution. For example, in 2019, Jay Shetty removed over 100 social media posts after allegations of plagiarism surfaced online. Several creators have now alleged that he has reposted their content on Instagram or YouTube without proper compensation.
Shady associations?
Jay Shetty’s vaunted association with Iskcon, a Hindu religious organization, has also raised eyebrows in the report and on social media. The movement has a well-documented history of controversies, including accusations of abuse, which makes his long-term involvement with them all the more questionable.
Jay Shetty has remained silent on the matter thus far, offering no response to any of these allegations.
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