YouTube star MrBeast reported “disturbing” leaked messages to the FBI

October 29, 2024, 4:46 p.m

MrBeast, the most popular YouTube creator, has been reported to the FBI over “disturbing” company chat logs.

YouTuber and baker Rosanna Pansino claims to have reported MrBeast, real name Jimmy Donaldson, to the FBI, calling the news “crazy,” “disturbing” and “inappropriate.”

The messages, allegedly attributed to former MrBeast employees, contain references to underage sexual activity, Nazi symbolism and incest, usually shared as jokes.

Donaldson holds the record for most subscribers on YouTube with 324 million subscribers at the time of writing.

He recently topped Forbes' 2024 Inventors list, earning a record-breaking $85 million (around £65 million) last year.

Read more: MrBeast's co-host quits over incitement allegations

Read more: YouTube star MrBeast breaks his silence as co-host Ava Kris Tyson denies grooming claims

One of the messages reportedly included a photo showing naked 13-year-old Ivanka Trump.

It was later confirmed that Ivanka Trump was actually 18 years old in the photo, which was part of a photo shoot for Britain's GQ Magazine in April 2000.

Ms. Pansino shared the messages in a YouTube video titled “MrBeast knew all along.”

Many of the messages shared are attributed to Donaldson's former longtime collaborator and close friend, Ava Kris Tyson.

In July, Ms. Tyson, 28, was accused of sending inappropriate messages to a then-13-year-old minor when she was 20. Both Tyson and the alleged victim have vigorously denied these allegations.

Tyson has since left the company.

In the video in which the allegations surfaced, Tyson said: “These MrBeast Company work chat logs were confirmed to be legitimate by several former MrBeast employees who participated in the chats.”

“I’ll sort them out as quickly as I can. To me, this is proof that Jimmy Donaldson (MrBeast) knew about Ava Kris Tyson's behavior for several years.

Ms. Pansino, 39, says the messages were shared in official MrBeast company work chats between 2020 and 2021. Pansino claims Donaldson was an active member of the chats and used the pseudonym John Smith.

This isn't the first controversy Donaldson has been involved in.

Just last month, five contestants on his upcoming Prime Video show Beast Games announced they were taking legal action against his production company MrB2024 and Amazon.

The 54-page legal document alleges participants were “malnourished and overtired,” suffered physical injuries and did not receive adequate access to medical care.

It also claims they suffered in an environment that “systematically promoted a culture of misogyny and sexism.”

Donaldson has not commented on the allegations and the FBI has not confirmed whether an investigation has been launched.

LBC has contacted MrBeast for comment.