Major Controversies Surrounding MrBeast: A Detailed Timeline

Public opinion and media debates around MrBeast—discover key moments of controversy.

James Stephen "Jimmy" Donaldson, known as MrBeast, is a prominent American YouTuber, media figure, and entrepreneur. He's renowned for his high-production-value YouTube videos featuring extravagant challenges and acts of philanthropy. Holding the title of the most-subscribed individual on YouTube, boasting over 404 million subscribers, he has a significant presence on other social media platforms, and is also a leading creator on TikTok, where he has over 115 million followers.

Sections (6)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Success & Recognition Challenges & Struggles Controversies & Scandals

May 2018: Article published on Donaldson's use of homophobic slurs

In May 2018, The Atlantic published an article detailing Donaldson's history of using homophobic slurs on Twitter as a teenager, where he referred to people as "fags" and used "gay" as an insult.

October 2019: Matt Turner Releases Deleted Twitter Thread

In October 2019, Matt Turner released a deleted Twitter thread where he stated he was "yelled at, bullied, called mentally retarded and replaceable by Donaldson every single day".

November 23, 2019: Counterfeit Money Accusation

On November 23, 2019, Donaldson was accused of using counterfeit money in his "I Opened A FREE BANK" video, which he later clarified was for safety concerns and participants received real checks afterward.

October 2020: Influencer Trivia Tournament Controversy

In October 2020, Donaldson hosted an influencer trivia tournament with a grand prize of $300,000, which was won by Charli and Dixie D'Amelio, causing controversy due to cheating claims.

February 2021: Clubhouse Controversy

In February 2021, Donaldson removed entrepreneur Farokh Sarmad from a Clubhouse room, leading to accusations of racism that were disputed by other users.

April 2021: Investment in Current and Cryptocurrency Backlash

In April 2021, Donaldson became a long-term investor and partner of financial technology company Current. That same month, Donaldson faced backlash after fans lost significant amounts of money in a cryptocurrency scheme he invested in and promoted.

May 2021: Allegations of a Difficult Work Environment

In a May 2021 New York Times article, former employees alleged that Donaldson created a difficult work environment. Matt Turner claimed Donaldson berated him almost daily.

2021: Donaldson's spokesperson addresses past homophobic slurs

In 2021, a spokesperson for Donaldson stated that he had "grown up and matured into someone that doesn't speak like that", referring to his past use of homophobic slurs.

April 2022: Donaldson identifies as an agnostic theist

In April 2022, Donaldson revealed in an interview with Rolling Stone that he had left evangelical Christianity and now identifies as an agnostic theist. He also disavowed anti-LGBTQ rhetoric, which he previously held due to his upbringing.

March 3, 2023: Feastables Asks Fans To Clean Up Displays

On March 3, 2023, Donaldson asked fans on Twitter to improve Feastables displays, suggesting they obscure competing products, and offered raffle entry for proof of assistance, drawing criticism for allegedly exploiting fans for unpaid labor.

June 17, 2023: Donaldson Expresses Wishes to Shut Down MrBeast Burger

On June 17, 2023, Donaldson expressed his desire to shut down MrBeast Burger due to quality issues, citing a "bad deal" with Virtual Dining Concepts, LLC.

July 31, 2023: Donaldson Sues Virtual Dining Concepts

On July 31, 2023, Donaldson sued Virtual Dining Concepts in federal court to end their partnership, alleging damage to his reputation due to prioritizing expansion over food quality for MrBeast Burger.

July 24, 2024: Ava Kris Tyson Removed from MrBeast Brand

On July 24, 2024, Donaldson removed Ava Kris Tyson from the MrBeast brand following allegations of sexual misconduct with minors. Tyson stated she willingly stepped away.

September 2024: Class Action Lawsuit

In September 2024, Donaldson was named in a class action lawsuit alleging mistreatment, sexual harassment, and unpaid wages on his reality television series.

September 2024: Class Action Lawsuit Filed Against Donaldson and Amazon

In September 2024, a class action lawsuit was filed in Los Angeles Superior Court on behalf of former Beast Games contestants against Donaldson, Amazon, and associated production companies, alleging mistreatment, sexual harassment, and unpaid expenses.

November 1, 2024: Law Firm Concludes Allegations Against Tyson Were Baseless

On November 1, 2024, the law firm Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan concluded the allegations against Ava Kris Tyson were baseless after conducting "39 interviews of current and former employees" and reviewing "over 4.5 million documents from mobile phones, emails, Telegrams, Discords, WhatsApps and Slack".