MrBeast facing sexual harassment accusations from former game show contestants

18 September, 2024

MrBeast is seen in attendance during the UFC 299 event

MrBeast and Amazon are being sued by five former Beast Games contestants who were allegedly subjected to “chronic mistreatment”.

Beast Games is based on the YouTube series of the same name, and is set to feature 2000 contestants competing for a $5million (£3.79million) prize. Presented by YouTuber MrBeast, a release date for the Prime Video series is yet to be announced, and now both Amazon and MrBeast have been served by a class-action lawsuit.

The suit was filed on Monday (September 16) on behalf of five former Beast Games contestants and claims production failed to prevent sexual harassment, failed to pay minimum wage and created conditions that subjected contestants to “emotional distress”, amongst other allegations.

“Several contestants ending up hospitalised, while others reported suffering physical and mental complications while being subjected to chronic mistreatment, degradation and, for the female contestants, hostile working conditions,” attorneys said in a statement [via Variety].

According to the lawsuit, an alleged How to Succeed In MrBeast Production employee handbook encouraged production to “do everything you can to empower the boys when filming and help them make content. Help them be idiots.”

One of the unnamed accusers said in the suit that she was made to feel like “less than nothing” while competing. “As one of the women, I can say it absolutely felt like a hostile environment for us. We honestly could not have been respected less — as people, much less employees — if they tried,” she claimed.

“The extreme neglect, degradation, harassment and inhumane conditions [is] quite simply a massive dereliction of duty, for which the defendants must and will now be held accountable,” explained lead counsel for the plaintiffs, Robert Pafundi.

According to plaintiffs, the suit seeks to “establish a pattern of sexual harassment,” during the creation of Beast Games and demands MrBeast and Amazon pay alleged unpaid wages, expenses and unspecified punitive monetary damages.

MrBeast has yet to comment on the lawsuit. NME has reached out to Amazon for comment.

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