Jabari Brown and Mr. Beast (Image via Getty)
Jabari Brown, the young pilot who rose to internet fame after winning a private jet in a MrBeast challenge video, has now been arrested in Paraguay in a major drug trafficking investigation.
Paraguayan authorities said Brown was arrested in Asuncion after investigators found about 261.6 kilograms, or approximately 577 pounds, of marijuana linked to a private plane that arrived from Miami. The case quickly attracted attention online because Brown was able to build a large following after appearing in one of his aviation videos that went viral on MrBeast.According to Paraguay’s National Anti-Narcotics Secretariat, also known as SENAD, Brown became the fourth person to be arrested in the investigation.
The plane landed at Silvio Pettirossi International Airport, where agents discovered the cannabis hidden inside several bags as they were being unloaded from the plane, officials said. The story is made even more shocking for many fans because Brown was once seen as an up-and-coming young pilot after winning MrBeast’s 2025 video “100 Pilots Fight for a Private Jet,” in which he took home a Hawker 400XP jet worth about $2.4 million.
Jabari Brown’s MrBeast success story takes an unexpected turn after a Paraguay investigation
For many fans, Brown’s arrest came as a complete surprise. After winning the MrBeast competition, the then 20-year-old pilot talked about using the plane to start a charter flying business. His online popularity grew rapidly after the video, and many viewers considered him one of the standouts of the challenge.But now, his name has been linked to one of the largest recent international trafficking investigations in Paraguay.
SENAD officials described the seized cannabis as a “premium” type containing high levels of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). Authorities also claimed that the shipment may have been intended for the Brazilian market, where drugs can sell for approximately $14,000 per kilogram.Three other US citizens, Marisol Rivas, Anthony Vasquez and David Thomas Wise, were also arrested after the discovery, Paraguayan officials said. Investigators did not identify Brown as the owner of the plane involved in the case.According to SENAD, the aircraft is allegedly owned and operated by Keith Silats, an Estonian national who is said to be linked to Bolt Mobility in the US. Paraguayan newspaper Ultima Hora reported that Silat was believed to have left the country before the arrests occurred.To date, neither MrBeast nor Brown representatives have commented publicly on the investigation. The case is still under investigation in Paraguay.