Mr.Beast, Amazon's 'Beast Games' Competition Show Sued by Contestants, Alleging Sexual Harassment and 'Chronic Mistreatment'

A class-action lawsuit has been filed against YouTube star MisterBeast and Amazon on behalf of five unidentified contestants on the “Beast Games” reality competition show alleging they suffered “chronic mistreatment,” sexual harassment and more.

The complaint was filed in Los Angeles Superior Court on Monday (September 16). The suit alleges multiple causes of action related to chronic mistreatment and negligence by participants in “Beast Games,” a reality competition commissioned by Prime Video in which more than 1,000 participants compete for a single $5 million cash prize. The lawsuit claims “Beast Games” had a budget of $100 million. A redacted copy of the complaint is available at this link.

The suit seeks class-action status on behalf of all affected “Beast Games” competitors. The suit demands that Amazon and MisterBeast's company pay the alleged unpaid wages and expenses and that the defendants be ordered to pay unspecified punitive monetary damages.

Representatives for MisterBeast (whose real name is Jimmy Donaldson) and Amazon did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

According to the suit, Amazon, MrBeast's production company and independent production company Off One's Base LLC — among other things — failed to pay minimum wage and overtime; Failing to prevent sexual harassment; created conditions that subjected contestants to a “propensity for emotional distress”; did not provide participants with uninterrupted meal breaks or rest breaks; and exposes competitors to “hazardous situations and conditions as a condition of their employment.”

“Although the contestants knew when they signed the contract at the start of production that they were facing a potentially long and challenging competition, they allege they got much more than they bargained for,” attorneys for the unnamed “Beast Games” contestants said in a statement. have been hospitalized, while others suffer physical and mental complications while being subjected to chronic mistreatment, degradation and, for female competitors, hostile work environments.”

According to the lawsuit, “Beast Games” participants were deprived of medical care, food, sleep and basic hygiene requirements. Portions of the lawsuit, including some details related to sexual harassment allegations, have been redacted “Plaintiffs filed this action using pseudonyms and asserting conservative amendments that limit public view in order to comply with Defendants' overbroad privacy provisions (which Plaintiffs allege are unenforceable), as well as to preserve the privacy and confidentiality interests of Plaintiffs who seek to avoid persecution,” The lawsuit said.

The suit seeks to “establish a pattern of sexual harassment,” according to attorneys representing the five plaintiffs. For example, the complaint cites instructions from an alleged “How to Succeed in Mr. Beast Production” employee handbook that include: “If the talent wants to draw a dick on the white board in the video or do something stupid, let them…really do whatever you picture.” Empower boys and help them create content while doing it.”

A female plaintiff in the complaint, identified only as “Contestant 5,” said in a statement: “I wanted to join because I was a fan of Mr. Beast and his videos made me laugh during the COVID-19 pandemic. I expected to be challenged, but I didn't think I would be with Nothing would happen – nothing. And as a woman, I can say it felt like a hostile environment for us. We really couldn't be less respected – much less employees – if they tried.”

“As egregious as the allegations against the defendants are, the law could not be clearer,” said Robert Pafundi of the Pafundi Law Firm, lead counsel for the plaintiffs. “Participants entered into contracts and were promised compensation for their services. Their expectation of compensation, coupled with their continued control and supervision of production workers, makes them employees under California law. As such, they were entitled to certain protections and were denied them. And when you add to that the gross negligence, degradation, harassment and inhumane conditions – it's just a colossal dereliction of duty, for which the defendants must be held accountable, and must be held accountable now.”

A release date for “Beast Games” on Prime Video has not yet been announced. Amazon refers to it as the “world's largest live gameshow” with “the largest single award in the history of television and streaming”.