James Charles

YouTube star admits messaging 16-year-old boys

"I fully understand my actions and how they are wrong," the 21-year-old influencer said in a video posted to his YouTube channel on Thursday.

Allegations against Charles first emerged on social media earlier this year.

In February, the influencer - who has 25 million subscribers to his YouTube channel - was accused by one teenager of grooming, which Charles denied, saying he flirted with the person because he believed the boy to be 18.

Charles had denied previous accusations, but in Thursday's video, titled "Holding myself accountable", he admitted wrongdoing.