A class-action lawsuit has been filed against YouTube star Jimmy ‘MrBeast’ Donaldson and Amazon, accusing them of “chronic mistreatment”, sexual harassment, and more during the production of the reality competition show ‘Beast Games’.
The complaint, filed on September 16, 2024, in Los Angeles Superior Court, is brought on behalf of five anonymous contestants who participated in the competition, which is slated for release on Amazon’s Prime Video. The lawsuit claims contestants were subjected to unsafe and inhumane conditions, as well as neglect and harassment, while competing for a $5 million prize.
The plaintiffs allege multiple violations, including failure to pay minimum wages and overtime, denying meal and rest breaks, and creating a hostile and unsafe working environment. They also claim that they were deprived of necessities such as sleep, medical care, food, and basic hygiene during the competition.
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What the lawsuit alleges?
The suit alleges that both Amazon and MrBeast’s production company, along with Off One’s Base LLC, were responsible for this mistreatment.
“Several contestants ended up hospitalized, while others reported suffering physical and mental complications while being subjected to chronic mistreatment, degradation and, for the female contestants, hostile working conditions,” attorneys for the contestants stated.
One contestant, identified only as ‘Contestant 5,’ expressed her disillusionment, saying, “I wanted to join because I was a fan of MrBeast and his videos made me smile during the COVID-19 pandemic. I expected to be challenged, but I didn’t think I would be treated like nothing — less than nothing. And as one of the women, I can say it absolutely felt like a hostile environment for us.”
The lawsuit also seeks to establish a pattern of sexual harassment. An example cited in the complaint involves a section from an alleged “How to Succeed in MrBeast Production” handbook that encourages employees to let male contestants engage in inappropriate behaviour, stating, “If talent wants to draw a dick on the whiteboard in the video or do something stupid, let them… Really do everything you can to empower the boys when filming and help them make content.”
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Lead attorney Robert Pafundi cited the clear legal violations in this case, stating, “Participants entered into contracts and they were promised compensation for their services… When you add to that the extreme neglect, degradation, harassment, and inhumane conditions — it’s quite simply a massive dereliction of duty, for which the defendants must and will now be held accountable.”
