MrBeastYouTube and GameChanger 24/7, two production companies owned by YouTube star MrBeast, have been sued by a former employee, Lorrayne Mavromatis, who alleges having experienced sexual harassment, emotional distress, and pregnancy discrimination.
A federal complaint filed in North Carolina details the work culture under MrBeast, real name Jimmy Donaldson, in which Mavromatis claims she was “treated differently than her male counterparts,” including being dismissed from otherwise entirely male meetings. The documents suggest that this extended to the executive level and alleges that male employees exhibited “demeaning treatment towards women.” In one instance, the complaint alleges “male executives laughed and made jokes at the office about female contestants of BeastGames who complained they did not have access to feminine hygiene products and clean underwear while participating in the show.”
Mavromatis also claims in the paperwork that she was sexually harassed by James Warren, former CEO of the companies, who made her “meet him in his home for one-on-one meetings while commenting on the way she looked in her clothes.” She also claims that Donaldson “would not work with her on certain projects,” which she confronted Warren about. In response, the documents state, “he told her that she is a beautiful woman and her appearance had a certain sexual effect on Jimmy.” Later, the complaint elaborates on this, claiming Warren told Mavromatis, “Jimmy gets really awkward around beautiful women. Let’s just say that when you’re around and he goes to the restroom, he’s not actually using the restroom.”
The lawsuit claims Mavromatis experienced retaliatory consequences for raising concerns about the harassment and hostile work environment. Besides being told that her claims were “unsubstantiated,” the filing also claims Mavromatis, who worked as head of the company’s Instagram team, “was promptly demoted and transferred to an obscure role known by MrBeast employees as the division where ‘careers go to die.'”
Mavromatis later spent time away from the company under the Family and Medical Leave Act. Her leave was related to her pregnancy. Mavromatis alleges she was let go from the company less than three weeks after her return. She claims the company told her “that she was ‘too high caliber’ for the role she was demoted into after formally complaining about sexual harassment and the hostile work environment at MrBeast.”
Mavromatis is seeking “lost wages, lost benefits, reinstatement, front pay in lieu of reinstatement, liquidated damages, compensatory damages, punitive damages, injunctive relief, pre-and post-judgment interest, and reasonable attorneys’ fees and costs,” according to the legal filing.
In a statement to Rolling Stone, representatives for Beast Industries slammed the lawsuit as a “clout-chasing complaint,” saying, “There is extensive evidence — including Slack and WhatsApp messages, company documents, and witness testimony — that unequivocally refutes her claims. We will not submit to opportunistic lawyers looking to manufacture a payday from us.”
The company specifically pushed back on claims that Mavromatis was unaware of its parental leave policies and disputes the implications of Warren’s alleged statements to Mavromatis. “This is an allegation fabricated for the sole purpose of sparking headlines,” representatives said. “It’s also disgusting that the lawsuit is exploiting Jimmy’s eye condition and Crohn’s disease — two medical conditions he has been publicly open about — in their attempt to secure a multimillion-dollar payday.”
Nick Wilde from Zootopia greets fans during the Magic Kingdom parade. Kenslie McGuire
