YouTube star MrBeast, known for his high-stakes challenges and philanthropy, is facing a lawsuit over allegations of unfair treatment and exploitation of contestants in his latest game show.
The lawsuit, filed in Los Angeles Superior Court, accuses MrBeast's production company, MRB2024 LLC, and Amazon Alternative LLC of mistreating participants during the filming of Beast Games, a game show advertised as the world's largest live competition with a record $5 million jackpot.
The lawsuit, filed on Monday, claims that contestants were denied proper wages, meal breaks, and rest periods while participating in the show.
The plaintiffs, identified as Contestants 1-5, seek compensation for unpaid wages, a court order to prevent the alleged unfair labor practices, and class-action status for the lawsuit.
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The suit alleges that the production companies "exploited" the contestants' labor under intense, high-pressure conditions, where the participants' emotional and physical efforts were essential to the show's entertainment value.
According to the lawsuit, Amazon promotes the show as the world's biggest live game show with the highest single prize in television history.
Neither MrBeast nor Amazon has commented on the allegations.
MrBeast, whose real name is Jimmy Donaldson, is one of YouTube’s most popular creators, boasting over 300 million subscribers.
Known for his viral challenges and charitable initiatives, MrBeast was listed among Time magazine's most influential people of 2023 and is estimated by Forbes to have a net worth of around $500 million.