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This is a partial list oflawsuits involving AmericanYouTuber,internet personality, and businessman James Stephen Donaldson, better known asMrBeast, and the brands and companies he owns.
On July 31, 2023, Donaldson filed a lawsuit againstVirtual Dining Concepts forbreach of contract. Donaldson'scomplaint stated his belief that the company behind his chain has failed to uphold the quality he so desired, alleging that it was more focused on its own growth than the quality of the venture's product. The filing also stated that Virtual Dining Concepts trademarked MrBeast without the knowledge of Donaldson, and because of such, Donaldson has not received any compensation from MrBeast Burger.[1][2][3][4][5]
Virtual Dining's lawyers quickly dismissed the complaints and alleged that Donaldson's allegations are "riddled with false statements and inaccuracies", noting that Donaldson recently attempted to negotiate a new contract with Virtual Dining. The firm, represented by Greenberg Traurig, further claims that Donaldson used "bullying tactics" in order to escape from his existing contractual obligations without sensible reasoning. Virtual Dining "had hoped Mr. Donaldson would act honorably", but said he had "elevated greed over his word and the truth", and that he "will face the consequences in court when Virtual Dining files it [sic] claims against him". The case will be heard in theUnited States District Court for the Southern District of New York, with no judge assigned as of yet.[6][7][8]
On August 25, 2023, Dees Nuts LLC, aFlorida-basedpeanut company, filed a lawsuit against Donaldson's snack brandFeastables Inc.[9][10][11] Dees Nuts alleged Feastables oftrademark infringement, as Feastables used "Deez Nuts" as one of their chocolate bar flavours. This name is similar both in spelling and phonetically to "Dee's Nuts", a trademark that Dees Nuts LLC has held since September 25, 2012.[11]: 3 [12] The court ordered on December 6, 2023, that Feastables cease all use of the "Deez Nuts" name.[13][14]
On September 16, 2024, aclass action lawsuit - on behalf of five contestants of the $100-million-dollarBeast Games series onPrime Video - was filed inLos Angeles Superior Court against Donaldson (under his production company MrB2024, LLC), Off One's Base, LLC (a production company), Amazon Alternative, LLC (a division ofAmazon Studios that creates unscripted television), and 100 anonymous individuals.[15]
The complaint alleged that the Beast Games contestants experienced widespread mistreatment, sexual harassment, and unpaid expenses and wages - including not being paid at all and not being paid forovertime.[16][17][18] The complaint alleged thirteencauses of action:[15]: iv
It said that the companies "requiredPlaintiffs [the Contestants] and the Proposed Class to work 24-hour shifts for days, without any wages",[15]: 35 that "Plaintiffs and the Proposed Class worked more than 8 hours per day and 40 hours per week, but were not paid overtime wages for that work.",[15]: 36 that "harassing conduct was severe or pervasive, was unwelcome by the Proposed Subclass members, and a reasonable person in their circumstances would have considered the work environment to be hostile or abusive",[15]: 37 and that "Defendants [failed] to take [any] reasonable steps necessary to prevent harassment from occurring".[15]: 38
The complaint also alleged that these violations occurred for the purpose of gaining $2,252,523[15]: 2 worth of Nevada tax credits:
Plaintiffs and the Proposed Class [were forced] to enter into illegal contracts and provid[e] false information to the State of Nevada to obtain unearned tax credits.[15]: 43
and that the production companies:
coerce[d] the Contestants to sign unconscionable contracts with illegal terms and illusory obligations and also knowingly mischaracterized the Contestants [...] to avoid Defendants’ employment obligations under California law[15]: 2
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