Following weeks of controversy, YouTuber MrBeast is at the center of even more drama following allegations from two collaborators, Jake Weddle and Delaware.
James "MrBeast" Donaldson runs what has become the biggest empire in YouTube's history, racking up the largest subscriber count.
This means the internet creator is ever more under the microscope of public opinion, making every controversy in his sphere a major headline.
MrBeast, Delaware, & Jake Weddle Drama Explained
YouTube star James "MrBeast" Donaldson is embroiled in yet another series of controversies, this time with two people named Jake Waddle and Delaware.
Donaldson, who runs the MrBeast YouTube channel, recently had a public falling out with former collaborator Ava Kris Tyson following allegations of grooming being levied at her (read more about the Ava Kris Tyson drama).
However, that particular controversy is just one in several bits of drama surrounding the creator that has come to light in recent months.
The Delaware Controversy
Recently, it was uncovered that MrBeast had hired a registered SO named Delaware.
Delaware appeared in the "I Spent 24 Hours Straight In Prison - Challenge" video in December 2018.
This Delaware nickname allegedly comes from the state where he committed his crime and not being allowed back to the state.
MrBeast reportedly knew he was on the RSO list, but those claims have not been substantiated.
Delaware's brother, Jake the Viking online, wrote in a statement on X (formerly Twitter) that his brother-in-law has sat down with MrBeast and his mother before being hired and "explained to them everything:"
"He was hired before I was, and was actually the reason I got hired at MrBeast. Before being hired, Delaware sat down with Jimmy and Sue (Jimmy's Mom) and explained to them everything. So yes, Jimmy knew. But again, this incident happened in 2010, Delaware was hired in 2017/2018. Delaware was also let go from the company before I was."
Despite this knowledge, the YouTube star still hired the alleged SO and continued associating with him.
Jake Weddle's Wrongful Treatment Allegations
The other allegation being thrown MrBeast's way is connected to his former employee, Jake Weddle.
Weddle worked with MrBeast from 2019 to 2020, appearing in several videos on the YouTube channel, including "Standing Still For 24 Hours Straight - Statue Challenge."
The internet personality and comedian complained that MrBeast had treated his employees wrongfully while Weddle worked on the channel.
These allegations stem from what he claims was a video that never went public.
In a video interview uploaded by YouTuber DogPack404, Weddle claimed this never-finished video saw people competing by staying in solitary confinement for an extended time.
He said this was pitched to him as a 100-day solitary confinement challenge where they would have "no access to sun" or a clock:
"I had no access to sun, I had no access to clock … the lights are on me all the time! I wasn’t sleeping, I could not sleep. And I have insomnia problems now, but they might have started there."
Weddle broke down the extent they went to for this video, not allowing lights to turn off and essentially driving contestants mad:
"I had good people looking out for me. I had a lot of good people looking out saying … we got to stop. I just wanted to turn the lights off, and I’m vocalizing to people, 'I wish the lights would turn off.' And I go up to … my good friend, and I go, 'they’re not turning the lights off,' he goes, 'WHAT!? That’s a war crime!' We’re not allowed to do that to terrorists!' Oh good! 24 hours breaking the Geneva Convention, I guess, is what we’re doing."
He also mentioned another instance in which Donaldson had him run a marathon distance on a treadmill, which left him with lasting joint pain and blisters.
In light of these allegations, Donaldson sent out an internal e-mail (as uncovered by DramaAlert on X) pointing to the hiring of a new human resources manager at the MrBeast corporation:
"I wanted to update all of you on the recent concerns that have been raised online and in the press. As I mentioned in my tweet a couple of weeks ago, we’ve hired Quinn Emanuel, a top tier law firm, to do a full investigation of the Ava Tyson allegations. We also asked them to expand the scope to include a full assessment of our internal Culture and to investigate allegations of inappropriate behavior by people in the company."
As of writing, Donaldson has not publicly addressed the Delaware or Jake Weddle allegations.
MrBeast can be followed on YouTube.
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