Zach Justice, 28, is accused of ‘grooming’ his 21-year-old ex Indiana Massara – as viewers realise the pair met when she was 14 and he was 21… But both insist nothing happened until she was over 18, and vehemently deny ‘bull***t’ allegations

A popular YouTuber has been accused of ‘grooming’ his ex-girlfriend, because they met when she was 14 – and he was 21 years old.

Zach Justice, 28 – co-host of the successful Dropouts Podcast which has more than 1.27 million YouTube subscribers – has come under fire for his past relationship with musician Indiana Massara, 21.

Both have vehemently denied the allegation that there was anything romantic before she was well over 18, but social media users have still remarked that they’re still ‘disgusted’ at the situation.

It is understood that the pair dated sometime between 2020 and 2022, before breaking up, but stayed in touch as friends and even made content about being exes together.

In March, Indiana, who is originally from Australia, appeared on Dropouts – of which she also used to be a host – to address how their relationship is viewed.

She explained that the pair met when she was 14 and he was 21 because her mother hired him to edit her videos.

‘He worked for, I guess pretty much my mum at the time,’ she said.

‘He edited my YouTube videos and in exchange had a room in my mum’s apartment. 

‘Literally I cant even express to you how much nothing happened. 

‘Yeah, I sure hope not you were 14 years old,’ Zach added.

Indiana continued: ‘There have been  some many things… comments, Reddits, TikTok videos, everything. 

‘Saying that I’m this victim, saying that Zach groomed me, like all of these things  – and I would like to set the f***ing record straight.

‘Number one – I am not a victim. Every time you guys are consistently drafting these narratives of this bull***t that happened when I was 14, you are constantly devaluing real victims and real people that have been in those situations.

Both have vehemently denied the allegation that there was anything romantic before she was well over 18, but social media users have still remarked that they’re ‘disgusted’ at the situation. Pictured, the pair as friends when she was 15 and he was 22

It is understood that the pair dated sometime between 2020 and 2022, before breaking up, but stayed in touch as friends and even made content about being exes together

‘I have been in those situations with some horrible people and Zach is not one of them.

‘I have been in abusive relationships. I have been in situations with older men who were taking advantage of younger women in California, and that didn’t f***ing happen – it never happened.’

‘I edited for her mom for a couple of months, whatever it was, and then I didn’t [Indiana] for years,’ Zach added.

Indiana confirmed that they then didn’t connect until around two and a half years later. Old Instagram photos show Zach going to a movie with her when she was about to turn 16, and him, 22.

In March, Indiana, who is originally from Australia, appeared on Dropouts – of which she also used to be a host – to address how their relationship is viewed

The pair then recounted how, around then, they realised they worked well together on video and were encouraged to make more content together. 

Zach said that he expressed, at the time: ‘Only way I’m doing this is if it’s brother and sister content, ’cause I don’t want anyone thinking were something because we weren’t.’

Indiana added that she also had a boyfriend during this period, and didn’t see Zach in a romantic lens. 

She also opened up about being in an abusive relationship in her teenage years – and is since understood to have taken out a restraining order against the ex-partner – which Zach had helped her heal through.

‘You were in an abusive relationship with someone and you kind of came to me as a friend,’ he recounted.

The pair have recounted how, around then, they realised they worked well together on video and were encouraged to make more content together. Both pictured at Indiana’s 19th birthday

Despite the pair denying any grooming allegations, viewers have slammed Zach as a ‘creep’ and ‘predator’. The pair in 2020

‘And I just talked to you, and I wanted to be there for you like a big brother… ‘ 

It is not clear when the pair officially started dating, but online accounts have speculated that Indiana was around 20 years old.

Zach – who was 5.5 million followers on TikTok – has also denied dating Indiana when she was ‘freshly 18’ on a podcast episode. 

Photos from her Instagram show the pair in coupley photos, cuddling close, from around 2021, when she would have been 19 and Zach, 26. However, it is not confirmed if they were together then.

In a 2020 podcast episode of Wesam’s World, when the pair were still just friends, and said they met when Zach edited her videos and stayed with Indiana’s family for a few months.

It is not known exactly why Zach and Indiana broke up. As reported by Distractify, Indiana was struggling with her mental health and experiencing frequent panic attacks, whereas Zach claimed ‘he had never been treated worse in a relationship than he was with her’. The pair are understood to have parted ways by late 2022.

Despite the pair denying any grooming allegations, viewers have slammed Zach as a ‘creep’ and ‘predator’.

It is not clear when the pair officially started dating, but online accounts have speculated that Indiana was around 20 years old. Zach has also denied dating Indiana when she was ‘freshly 18’ on a podcast episode. Pictured in January 

In a 36 minute video earlier this month, creator Film Cooper recounted the signs of grooming and compared it to the duo, claiming that old footage of the pair being close and cuddly when Indiana was a teenager now appears uncomfortable.

TikTok creator Zina (@zinaaweemaa) also remarked that Zach was consistently leaving comments and liking Indiana’s posts when she was a teenager.

‘It’s obviously banter, it’s obviously flirty,’ she said. ‘Like what business do you have as a 22 year old on this 15 year old girl’s Instagram.’

Zach commented on the video, saying: ‘Actually I would never as  am actually a respectable human being. Twisting things t make someone a villain is a strange pass time.

‘Hoping you can figure your life out. Rooting for you.’ 

In a follow up, Zina then said: ‘Can we explain how this is OK? How does it make sense as someone in your twenties to know a girl for years until she becomes 18 and then date her.’

She then referenced jokes Zach has made about another influencer friend of his, Tara Yummy, 24, who he has in a podcast ‘jokingly’ called a ‘peadophile’s dream’ because she is ‘small and dainty’.

Zina has also shared DMs Zach sent her insisting that he is  not in the wrong – but she has continued to double down on her content, and stressed that influencers must be held accountable. 

Indiana’s representatives told MailOnline that they had ‘no comment at this time’. 

MailOnline has also reached out to Zach for comment.