YouTube sensation MrBeast (Jimmy Donaldson, 27) is facing the biggest scandal of his career: a $1 billion class-action lawsuit filed today in Los Angeles Superior Court, accusing him of manslaughter in the deaths of three contestants during his latest mega-challenge video, “Survive 100 Days in the Amazon.” The suit, brought by the victims’ families and over 200 surviving participants, claims the production was a “death trap disguised as entertainment,” with zero safety protocols and “inhumane” conditions that turned the Brazilian rainforest into a real-life horror show.

The video, uploaded just two weeks ago on November 15, 2025, has racked up 450 million views – but now it’s under criminal investigation by Brazilian authorities and the FBI. Families of the deceased released raw, unedited “final footage” today, showing the contestants’ desperate pleas for help in their last hours.

The Challenge That Went Deadly Wrong

Announced as “the most extreme survival test ever,” the challenge pitted 500 contestants against the Amazon’s deadliest elements: venomous snakes, flash floods, and isolation. MrBeast promised $10 million to anyone who lasted the full 100 days, with drone cams and hidden crews “monitoring from afar.”

But according to the lawsuit, filed by attorneys representing the estates of contestants Elena Vargas (24, from Miami), Raj Patel (29, from London), and Carlos Mendoza (22, from São Paulo), the production cut corners catastrophically:

• No Medical Teams on Site: Despite filming in one of the world’s most dangerous ecosystems, the suit alleges there were zero EMTs or helicopters for the first 60 days. “They told us it was ‘part of the thrill,'” reads a sworn statement from survivor #47, who claims to have witnessed Patel’s fatal snakebite.
• Sabotaged Supplies: Contestants were given “ration packs” laced with expired food, leading to severe dehydration and hallucinations. Mendoza’s family released bodycam footage showing him begging for water on Day 78: “MrBeast, please… I’m seeing things. This isn’t a game anymore.”
• Forced Continuation: Even after Vargas collapsed from malaria on Day 45, producers allegedly radioed, “Keep going or forfeit your share.” Her final video, timestamped Day 46, shows her whispering, “Tell my mom I love her… I can’t breathe.”

The three deaths occurred within 48 hours of each other in late September 2025:

• Elena Vargas: Succumbed to untreated malaria and infected wounds from piranha bites.
• Raj Patel: Bitten by a bushmaster viper; no antivenom available for 12 hours.
• Carlos Mendoza: Drowned in a flash flood after producers “delayed rescue” to capture “dramatic B-roll.”
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MrBeast’s team, under his production company MrB2024 LLC, denies all claims. A spokesperson issued a statement: “Safety was our top priority. Every risk was assessed by experts, and tragedies like this are heartbreaking but unforeseen. We’re cooperating fully with investigations.” But leaked emails from the suit reveal producers joking about “ratings gold” in response to early medical alerts.

Echoes of Beast Games Nightmare

This isn’t MrBeast’s first brush with death. The lawsuit draws direct parallels to the ongoing $100 million “Beast Games” scandal on Amazon Prime, where five contestants sued in September 2024 for “exploitation and unsafe conditions” during filming – including hospitalizations from dehydration and sexual harassment claims. That case, still unresolved, cost Amazon $2.5 million in production incentives and forced a Season 2 delay.

“MrBeast treats human lives like props,” said lead plaintiff attorney Maria Gonzalez in a press conference today. “From Squid Game rip-offs to jungle roulette, he’s built an empire on near-misses. But three graves? That’s not content – that’s criminal.”

Survivors are piling on. Over 200 have joined the suit, alleging unpaid wages (some waited 100 days for $0), psychological trauma, and “PTSD from the screams.” One anonymous contestant told CNN: “We signed waivers thinking it was scripted. When Raj started convulsing, Jimmy’s voice came over the radio: ‘Stay in frame – this is going viral.'”

The Final Videos: A Mother’s Plea

The most gut-wrenching evidence? The families’ release of 15 minutes of unedited GoPro footage:

• Vargas’s Last Stand (Day 46): Filmed in a makeshift shelter of palm leaves, she coughs blood while carving “Help” into a tree. “Jimmy, if you’re watching… why didn’t you save us?”
• Patel’s Viper Attack (Day 89): The bite happens off-screen, but his screams echo for 8 minutes as he crawls toward a drone. “It burns! Send the chopper!”
• Mendoza’s Flood (Day 92): Waves crash in suddenly; he clings to a log, yelling, “The crew’s gone! This is real!” The feed cuts as he slips under.
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These clips, watermarked with MrBeast’s logo, are now circulating on X (formerly Twitter) under #MrBeastMurder, amassing 50 million views in hours. Brazilian prosecutors have seized production servers, and the U.S. DOJ is probing for interstate endangerment.

MrBeast’s Empire at Risk

With 350 million subscribers and a net worth over $1 billion, Donaldson has redefined YouTube philanthropy – from planting 20 million trees to Feastables chocolate bars. But backlash is mounting. Brands like Samsung and Burger King paused partnerships today, and Amazon is “reviewing” future collabs post-Beast Games renewal in May 2025.

In a rare X post this afternoon, MrBeast wrote: “Devastated by these losses. We’re donating $50M to Amazon conservation and victim families. Full transparency coming soon. #PrayForTheAmazon.”

The lawsuit seeks $1 billion in damages: $300M per family, plus punitive awards for “reckless endangerment.” Trial is set for March 2026, but with FBI involvement, it could escalate to federal charges.

As one survivor’s affidavit ends: “He gave us a chance at fame. We got coffins instead.”

This story is developing. Updates in comments. Share if you demand justice. #MrBeastLawsuit #AmazonChallengeDeaths #Survive100Days