MrBeast: Popular YouTuber MrBeast and the e-commerce giant Amazon could face the possibility of a class action lawsuit over their soon-to-hit reality show, Beast Games. According to a report by Law360, the suit was filed on September 16 in Los Angeles Superior Court with accusations of “unreasonable, unsafe, and unlawful employment conditions.”
Allegations of Harassment and Unsafe Conditions
The complaint, filed by five unknown contestants, expresses numerous egregious infractions. The charges consist of sexual harassment and failure to prevent harassment, false advertising, and failure to provide at least the minimum wage or overtime. This lawsuit claims several contestants were hospitalized because of harsh hazardous conditions.
Perhaps the most egregious is that Beast Games has used a budget as high as $100 million to rig rules to obtain tax breaks from the state of Nevada. In this class action complaint, defendants are accused to have forced plaintiffs and the proposed class to sign illegal contracts as well as misrepresented facts presented to State of Nevada in conducting these acts.
Allegations of Severe Mistreatment and Hostile Conditions
The complaint alleges severe mistreatment of the contestants, who allegedly suffered from physical and mental health problems due to “chronic mistreatment, degradation, and hostile working conditions.” MrBeast and Amazon allegedly exerted too much control over the contestants, managing all aspects of their lives during production. Besides, the complaint alleges that defendants had known about the alleged violence and sexual harassment on the set of Beast Games but did not make any efforts to try to alleviate the situation.
Neither MrBeast nor Amazon has commented on the lawsuit, though it does contain serious allegations. Perhaps the most-watched event waiting for viewing is Beast Games – the biggest reality competition series ever, according to Amazon, with 1,000 contestants set to contend for a $5 million cash prize. It announces its premiere later this year or early 2025 on Amazon Prime Video. The future of the show is uncertain as the courts determine how the case might play out, while the implications for MrBeast and Amazon might be significant.