MrBeast's production company and Amazon are being accused of subjecting contestants on his reality show to harassment.
The court case was initiated on Monday in a Los Angeles court by individuals involved in the Amazon Prime Video show titled "Beast Games," which was announced back in March. This show boasts "over 1,000 contestants, $5,000,000 prize, and numerous world records," as claimed by its creator, MrBeast, whose real name is Jimmy Donaldson, at the time.
The 54-page lawsuit contains allegations of participants being exposed to "unfair, hazardous, and unlawful working conditions," resulting in "multiple" contestants being admitted to hospitals. The contestants claimed they were provided "irregular and meager meals" and lacked "sufficient access to cleanliness products and medical attention."
Sexual misconduct was also brought up, although the specific incidences of these claims were omitted in the court document.
The lawsuit alleges that the show secured an "unlawful contract" and supplied "deceptive information" to Nevada concerning misclassifying contestants as volunteers to obtain tax credits. As a consequence, the show received $2.5 million in incentives from Nevada to film in Las Vegas, according to the lawsuit.
Last month, a report by the New York Times featured unnamed contestants discussing the allegedly dangerous conditions on the set of the show, hosted by the 26-year-old Donaldson. They shared accounts of contestants leaving the arena on stretchers, witnessing vomiting and fainting, as well as "several hospitalizations."
A representative for MrBeast responded to the Times, stating that the production was "regrettably complicated by the CrowdStrike incident, adverse weather, and other unforeseen logistical and communication issues" and that a comprehensive review of the show had commenced.
MrBeast and Amazon have yet to comment on the lawsuit to CNN.
"Beast Games," which currently lacks a release date, claims to be "the biggest game show ever" with the highest number of contestants and the largest cash prize, previously stated by MrBeast. This title is currently held by Netflix for its "Squid Game: The Challenge."
MrBeast is one of the most popular YouTube channels, boasting 245 million subscribers. Recently, each of his videos has easily surpassed 100 million views, with some even reaching half a billion. In addition to his stunt videos, Donaldson has attracted attention for his innovative approach to charity.
Rumors of controversy preceded this lawsuit in early August, when a 2017 video resurfaced showing him reacting to a viewer comment about "selling" Black people. He replied, "The most I would pay is probably 300."
A representative for MrBeast acknowledged that the star used "offensive language" in his humor.
The lawsuit also mentions concerns over the business side of the show, alleging an "unlawful contract" and providing "deceptive information" to secure tax credits. Despite the controversies, MrBeast's YouTube channel continues to thrive, with each video easily surpassing 100 million views.
