Tiffany Smith (born February 26, 1981), 44, is the mother and former manager of Piper Rockelle (born August 21, 2007), 17, a teen YouTube star who rose to fame as a child influencer. Born in Georgia, Tiffany raised Piper as a single mom after Piper’s father left during the pregnancy. From the beginning, Tiffany was determined to make Piper a star, enrolling her in pageants at just three years old.
By the time Piper was eight, Tiffany had shifted focus to social media, creating accounts for her on Musical.ly (now TikTok) and later YouTube. The mother-daughter duo moved to Los Angeles in 2017 to chase bigger opportunities, and that’s when things escalated, both in terms of fame and controversy.
What Happened to Piper Rockelle’s Mom, Tiffany Smith?
At the heart of Tiffany’s management strategy was “The Squad,” a rotating group of young influencers who appeared in Piper’s videos. Members included Sophie Fergi, Gavin Magnus, Sawyer Sharbino, Corinne Joy, Raegan Beast, and Piper’s cousins, Claire and Reese Rock Smith. The Squad’s content was lighthearted on the surface, featuring pranks, challenges, and fake relationships, but behind the scenes, allegations of exploitation and abuse began piling up.
The kids reportedly filmed up to 15 videos a day, often working from 11 a.m. until 2 a.m. with minimal breaks. Parents of Squad members claimed Tiffany controlled every aspect of their kids’ lives, from their outfits to their social media interactions. Sophie Fergi’s mother, Heather, alleged Tiffany instructed her to buy “s*uttier” clothes for Piper before she was even a teenager, while video editors were told to Photoshop the kids’ bodies for thumbnails, giving the girls “bigger b**bs and smaller waists” and the boys “bigger muscles.”
The most disturbing claims, however, involved Tiffany’s alleged inappropriate behavior. In Netflix’s 2025 docuseries Bad Influence: The Dark Side of Kidfluencing, former Squad members detailed instances of s**ual harassment and assault. Sophie Fergi claimed Tiffany would walk into her room while she was asleep, get on top of her, and touch her inappropriately. Raegan Beast accused Tiffany of providing alcohol during a livestream, then forcibly kissing him twice, with footage showing Piper allegedly pulling them apart.
Gavin Magnus, who was 12 or 13 during his time in the Squad, was reportedly subjected to Tiffany’s flirtatious comments, including her asking if he had a “b*ner from looking at her.” Piper’s cousins Claire and Reese also came forward, with Reese recalling an incident at age nine where Tiffany allegedly chased her into a bathroom while saying, “Reese, I have my pants down.”
The breaking point came in January 2022, when 11 former Squad members and their parents filed a $22 million lawsuit against Tiffany, Hunter Hill (Tiffany’s boyfriend and Piper’s video editor), and Piper Rockelle Inc. The lawsuit alleged emotional, physical, and s**ual abuse, as well as unpaid labor. It also accused Tiffany of sabotaging the kids’ individual YouTube channels after they left the Squad.
The suit cited specific incidents, such as Tiffany mailing Piper’s soiled underwear to an unknown man, joking that “old men like to smell them,” and forcing Piper to communicate with an older male fan who sent expensive gifts in exchange for photos. Tiffany denied all allegations, calling the lawsuit financially motivated, and even countersued for $30 million in 2023 before dropping it. The case finally settled in October 2024 for $1.85 million, with no admission of liability.
Where is Piper Rockelle’s Mother, Tiffany Smith, Now?
Despite the settlement, the fallout was severe. YouTube demonetized Piper’s channel in 2022, costing her an estimated $300,000 to $500,000 a month. Tiffany retreated from the public eye, making her Instagram private, while Piper continued posting on TikTok and YouTube, though her content shifted toward a more mature aesthetic. In 2025, she faced backlash for collaborating with the Bop House, a group known for adult content, though she defended the move as a “fun collab.” Meanwhile, Bad Influence brought the allegations back into the spotlight, with former Squad members expressing concern for Piper, calling her a “victim” in the situation.
Throughout the scandal, Piper stood by her mom, calling the allegations “mean, untrue, and honestly all about money” in a 2025 statement. She described the lawsuit as “extremely painful” and blamed the media for amplifying the drama. Tiffany, for her part, framed the settlement as a way to protect Piper’s mental health, saying prolonged litigation would only hurt the kids further.
But the docuseries painted a darker picture, suggesting Tiffany’s ambition came at the expense of the Squad’s well-being. Whether viewed as a driven momager or an exploitative figure, Tiffany’s legacy is now inextricably tied to the controversies surrounding child influencers, and the lack of regulations protecting them.
