Famous YouTuber MrBeast is facing a lawsuit from participants in his reality competition series, “Beast Games.” The plaintiffs allege that the show’s production was marred by serious workplace violations, such as non-payment, dangerous conditions, and widespread “misogyny and sexism.”

This legal action was initiated in Los Angeles on Monday and also includes Amazon as well as a production company owned by MrBeast, whose real name is James Donaldson.

The show, “Beast Games,” which was revealed in March, was promoted by MrBeast and Amazon as “the largest game show ever,” with over 1,000 contestants competing for a total of $5 million in prizes.

Conditions Described as ‘Unreasonable and Unsafe’

The lawsuit outlines the “unreasonable, unsafe, and unlawful” conditions contestants experienced while participating in the show, spanning 54 pages.

According to this filing, contestants frequently faced deprivation of food, rest, and adequate medical attention. It also claims several contestants suffered physical injuries or required hospitalization during the filming. Furthermore, the plaintiffs assert that they were not provided with sufficient meals and were denied reasonable access to medical assistance, leading to such poor circumstances that the production team eventually offered to cover contestants’ therapy sessions.

Though much of the document is heavily redacted, it accuses the production team of promoting an environment rife with sexual harassment. The lawsuit states that female contestants faced severe humiliation, and highlights that background checks were not conducted on contestants prior to their participation.

The lawsuit also cites a production handbook stating, “It’s okay for the boys to be childish,” and to “really do everything you can to empower the boys when filming and help them make content. Help them be foolish.”

Legal Misclassification of Contestants as ‘Volunteers’

MrBeast, who has over 316 million followers, leads the most-subscribed channel on YouTube. Forbes reported in July that Donaldson earned around $82 million from June 2022 to June 2023. Many videos on his channel feature philanthropic content, including one in which he funded 1,000 cataract surgeries.

Despite the nature of the “Beast Games” series, many of MrBeast’s videos include large-scale competitions and giveaways, like a 2021 video simulating a “Squid Game” contest with 45 contestants for a cash prize of $456,000, and another featuring a challenge where 100 contestants tried to stay inside a circle for as long as possible, with a $500,000 reward for the last person standing.

Nevertheless, the lawsuit contends that “Beast Games” participants were forced to sign “illegal contracts” which misidentified them as volunteers to enable the show to benefit from tax incentives while filming in Las Vegas.

An August report from the New York Times corroborated allegations regarding unsafe conditions faced by contestants on the show. A representative for MrBeast informed the Times that the show’s production was complicated by factors including a CrowdStrike incident, severe weather, and other unforeseen logistical challenges, and that a formal review was in progress.

Neither Amazon nor Donaldson has responded at this time to requests for comments.

Currently, “Beast Games” does not have a confirmed release date on Amazon Prime.

Max Hauptman is a Trending Reporter for YSL News.