Nelly Yoa says no one would be talking about the problem of "gangs" in his Melbourne Sudanese community if he hadn't spoken up.
But he admits he made some things up.
Mr Yoa caused controversy when he said he was "ashamed to be Sudanese" in a Fairfax front page article, after a series of high profile crimes involving young people of African appearance.
South Sudanese community leaders said Mr Yoa did not represent them and there was no evidence of his youth work.
But Mr Yoa rejected suggestions his comments had caused a distraction.
"If I didn't come out and say what I said, Victoria Police would not admit to the gang problem," the 29-year-old told AAP on Wednesday.
"I feel that I opened up a can of worms, and I feel that we need to have this discussion."
He said tribal divisions in the Sudanese community were behind the criticisms of him, and he had received "overwhelmingly positive" feedback from people in Dandenong.
But some of his other published claims are unravelling, including that he was on the verge of signing a multi-million dollar contract with A-League side Melbourne Victory.
"I know I've never trialled with Melbourne Victory or Melbourne City. I've been in contact with both clubs but that was it," he said.
"The journalists, the people who write this stuff, again they have failed to do proper research."
Mr Yoa also told a local paper he took Usain Bolt to meet "Apex gang members" to inspire them.
"What happened was, those kids went and watched Usain Bolt race, and that was it," he said.
"I don't think there was any really personal direct contact with him, they sort of high-fived him."
And the claim Bolt and Australian sprinter John Steffensen rushed him to Ballarat for his second baby's birth?
"Both Usain and John Steffensen were never at my child's birth," he said.
My Yoa said he was "standing firm" on his claim to have trialled with Chelsea and Queens Park Rangers in England because they had not released official statements contradicting him.
When told AAP had statements from both clubs confirming he was never there, Mr Yoa said: "You need to speak to Tony Fernandes, QPR's CEO, I've dealt with him."
But Mr Yoa subsequently deleted some tweets claiming to have been at the clubs.
He maintains he is a brand ambassador for American Express, working for a separate company marketing AMEX products.
American Express Australia told AAP Mr Yoa is not linked to their organisation.
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