Introduction
Alia “Lia” Shelesh (born October 22, 1992), also known by her pseudonym SSSniperWolf, is a British-American YouTuber. She started uploading YouTube videos in 2011 under the name “sexysexysniper” and launched the “SSSniperWolf” channel in 2013. Initially, she uploaded Call of Duty Let’s Play videos, but in 2017, she shifted to reaction videos; by that year, her channel had over 5 million subscribers. According to British Vogue in 2020, she is one of the most recognizable social media personalities associated with online video games.
In 2023, after receiving criticism for “freebooting” TikTok videos in her reaction content, she was involved in an internet scandal when she doxxed a critic, YouTuber jacksfilms, by livestreaming the front of his home, which resulted in temporary demonetization.
Life and career
Early
Alia Shelesh was born on October 22, 1992, in Liverpool, England. Her family moved to the United States when she was six, and it was around this age that she started playing video games.
Shelesh began uploading videos to her YouTube channel “sexysexysniper,” which featured Let’s Plays of games such as Call of Duty. This channel was active in 2011 and 2012. In 2013, she moved to the SSSniperWolf channel, where her first video was a compilation of fails in Call of Duty: Black Ops II. She chose her handle based on Sniper Wolf, a character from the Metal Gear video game series.
Shift to reaction videos
In 2016, Shelesh featured in Day of Doom, an event hosted by id Software. In 2017, she hosted the show Clickbait, in which social media influencers competed in unusual challenges. The show aired on the subscription service Fullscreen. She also made an appearance on FANtasies, an anthology series.
In early 2017, the focus of her content shifted from entirely gaming-oriented videos to primarily reaction videos. That year, her channel grew to over five million subscribers, and she was among the ten entrants in Forbes’ “Top Influencers” list in the “Gaming” category. In 2018, she appeared on episodes of Fear Factor and Ultimate Expedition. In 2019, she was nominated for the Teen Choice Awards in the category “Choice Gamer” and won the “Favorite Esports Star” award at the Kids’ Choice Sports. In 2019 and 2020, she also won the Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Awards in the “Favorite Gamer” category.
In 2021, YouTube ranked Shelesh third on its “US Top Creators” list. That same year, she won the Gaming Influencer of the Year Award at the American Influencer Awards. Also in 2021, Chinese video game publisher HoYoverse paid Shelesh $100,000 for reaction videos promoting the gacha video game Genshin Impact. According to the US Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the videos depicted a fake loot box prize win, which would have been impossible in the game. The FTC alleged that these videos were part of HoYoverse’s deceptive microtransaction practices targeting children. In 2025, the company settled the case by paying a $20 million fine to the US Department of the Treasury.
Legal dispute with Evan Young
On August 1, 2023, it was reported that Shelesh was one of the highest-paid YouTubers, with a net worth of $16 million. On August 17, 2023, Evan Young filed a lawsuit against Shelesh for breach of contract and financial misdoings related to content produced by Channel Red, their joint company. He accused her of not paying him for work he did for Channel Red and claimed he curated and scripted her content for years.
Shelesh filed a motion to dismiss on October 5, 2023, describing the accusations as “vindictive.” In the dismissal, attorneys stated that shortly after filing for divorce, Young was locked out by Shelesh of several YouTube channels they managed together, including the main SSSniperWolf channel and SexySexySniper, as well as building new channels using the brand created by Young and Shelesh with third-party entities. As of October 15, 2024, a Motion of Continuation has been filed, and the case is currently awaiting a settlement agreement.
Conflict with jacksfilms
YouTuber Jack Douglass, known as jacksfilms, accused Shelesh of profiting from other creators’ work by monetizing her reaction videos without providing proper credit, and characterized her content as rudimentary and not transformative enough for fair use. In 2022, he began using the “JJJacksfilms” account to parody Shelesh’s videos. In response, she made several social media posts accusing him of sexism and plagiarism.
On October 13, 2023, while filming near Douglass’s house, Shelesh asked her followers if she should pay him a visit, noting that he lived near her studio. She briefly showed his house in an Instagram story captioned “let’s talk like adults,” which was quickly removed, though followers shared screenshots. Douglass accused Shelesh of doxxing him, calling her actions “creepy, gross, violating,” and requested YouTube to demonetize her channel. Douglass’s wife expressed safety concerns, and the couple considered moving.
Shelesh stated that she had found the Douglasses’ address on Google, claimed she “had no idea how to dox,” and accused Douglass of creating drama for financial gain, calling him a “creep.” She also discussed seeking a restraining order against him, whom she called “obsessed” over the matter. On October 18, YouTube’s Twitter posted, “would it be too meta to do a reaction video to a reaction video,” which many interpreted as a comment on the situation, sparking backlash. By October 19, a Change.org petition to remove SSSniperWolf from YouTube gathered 13,000 signatures.
The next day, YouTube temporarily demonetized her channel while expressing disapproval of “both sides'” behavior. Many YouTubers considered this unfair. Shelesh later apologized to Douglass in a tweet, calling her actions “inexcusable” and expressing respect for YouTube’s decision. She continued uploading videos on her “SSSniperWolf Top Videos” channel, which was eventually also demonetized.
Personal life
In 2019, Shelesh and her partner at the time, Evan Young, bought a house in MacDonald Highlands, Henderson, Nevada, for $2.9 million through an entity named Red Channel Living Trust. They sold it for $4 million in 2022 and subsequently purchased 2.25 acres of vacant land on Mummy Mountain, Arizona, for just under $7 million. In May 2022, Shelesh bought a home in Paradise Valley, Arizona, for just under $10 million. In September 2023, Shelesh and Young were reported to be legally married, though they had separated in September 2022 and filed for divorce in late 2022.
Career Growth and Social Media Influence
Both Addison Rae and SSSniperWolf have leveraged social media to build massive followings, turning online fame into full-fledged careers. Addison Rae’s rise on TikTok showcased her talent for creating engaging dance and lifestyle content, quickly propelling her to the top of the platform with millions of followers. Similarly, SSSniperWolf transitioned from gaming content to reaction videos, earning recognition as one of YouTube’s top creators. Their influence goes beyond views and subscribers — they have shaped online trends, inspired younger audiences, and set benchmarks for success in digital entertainment.
Brand Collaborations and Business Ventures
Both stars have expanded their influence through strategic brand collaborations and business ventures. Addison Rae has partnered with global brands like L’Oréal, Reebok, and Columbia Records, while also launching her own fragrance line and debut studio album. SSSniperWolf, on the other hand, has explored merchandising, sponsorships, and digital content partnerships that cement her status as one of the highest-paid YouTubers. These ventures highlight their ability to transform online popularity into tangible, long-term business success.
Reception
In a review of her main channel, Kennedy Unthank from Plugged In praised Shelesh for her effort to “make people laugh through daily uploads” and for the sheer quantity of videos available. However, Unthank expressed concern that she “may be profiting from someone else’s work” through her reaction videos and YouTube’s monetization system. While some of her reactions offer additional insight or are transformative, many of her videos do not provide anything substantial beyond the original clips.
Linguist John McWhorter of The New York Times commented on her use of Black English words and idioms, citing her language as an example of an “effortless infusion of Black English expressions.”
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