Kai Cenat’s company sued over Streamer University heat claims
Caleb Gottfried alleges unsafe conditions at a Manhattan event nearly caused heatstroke and says his image was used in an ad without consent.
By Poppy Nakagawa · Culture Writer
2 min read
Kai Cenat’s company is facing a lawsuit from a man who says a Streamer University event in Manhattan left him close to heatstroke twice, according to legal documents reported by TMZ.
The plaintiff, Caleb Gottfried, who TMZ says also goes by SNRVK, claims he attended Cenat’s Streamer University gathering at a college in Manhattan last month. In the lawsuit obtained by TMZ, Gottfried alleges conditions at the event were unsafe and that New York Police Department officers were present when he had the two alleged heat-related episodes.
Gottfried is seeking more than $330,000 in damages, TMZ reported.
What the lawsuit alleges
According to TMZ’s account of the filing, Gottfried blames the alleged incidents on poor crowd management and what he describes in the complaint as a failure to provide basic safety and ventilation measures at the event.
The lawsuit does not accuse Cenat personally of causing a medical emergency in the reporting described by TMZ. It says Cenat’s company is the defendant in the case.
Gottfried also claims his likeness was used in a commercial tied to the event without his approval, according to TMZ. The lawsuit alleges he was treated as background talent for the promotional material, but says he was not given release or waiver documents authorizing that use.
TMZ reported that it contacted Cenat’s representatives for comment and had not received a response.
Streamer University drew attention in New York
Cenat’s Streamer University event in New York had already drawn attention online after video published by TMZ showed a crowded scene connected to the gathering.
Cenat, one of the best-known names in streaming and internet culture, has built a large following around live broadcasts, celebrity appearances and fan-heavy events. The lawsuit places his company under scrutiny over how one of those events was run, based on Gottfried’s allegations.
The claims remain allegations at this stage. TMZ did not report a court ruling in the case or a public response from Cenat or his company.
Another lawsuit has also been reported
TMZ also reported that Cenat is facing a separate legal claim from another man who alleges he was attacked by a member of the streamer’s security team.
No further details about Cenat’s response to that separate claim were included in TMZ’s report, beyond its note that his camp had not responded to its request for comment in the heat-related lawsuit.
For now, Gottfried’s complaint adds another legal headache around Cenat’s event operation, with the filing centered on alleged heat danger, crowd control, ventilation and the use of his image in advertising.
This story draws on original reporting from TMZ.