The Biggest Influencer Controversies of 2021 So Far – WWD

With each passing 12 months it appears influencer controversies by no means fail to make the highest web headlines, particularly from probably the most surprising of figures.

Make-up artist James Charles broke the web as soon as extra, however not due to Dramageddon 2.0, however resulting from allegedly grooming youthful males on-line, accusations that will sound vaguely acquainted as these have been talked about throughout his feud with Tati Westbrook two years prior.

Danielle Bernstein made the rounds when she was accused but once more of copying designs from smaller manufacturers. This time it was We Are Kin, a small, sustainable Black-owned model, when Bernstein launched a costume within the spring wanting nearly equivalent to the one she bought from them final summer time.

Although the same old suspects made the reduce, snafus like Hilaria Baldwin pretending to be a Spanish individual and Chrissy Teigen’s cyberbullying appeared to have shocked the web. Learn on for the largest influencer controversies of 2021 to date.

Hilaria Baldwin’s Pretend Spanish Heritage – December 2020/January 2021

In late December 2020, a Twitter consumer accused Baldwin of “impersonating a Spanish individual,” posting movies of her speaking in a faux Spanish accent. One of many movies included a “As we speak” present cooking phase wherein Baldwin occurred to neglect the phrase “cucumber.”

Although the news circulated after Christmas final 12 months, the backlash continued properly into the brand new 12 months, particularly within the earlier months.

For so long as she’s been within the highlight, Baldwin, née Thomas, has purported that she’s initially from Mallorca, Spain. Her biography on Artistic Artists Company, a expertise group, even said she was born there. Earlier than marrying Alec Baldwin, she was often called a yoga teacher, cofounding a series of New York-based studios known as Yoga Vida after she graduated from New York College.

For those who haven’t been following the Hilaría Baldwin or Hillary Baldwin you’ll want to get on that. She’s been promoting herself as Penelope Cruz when actually she’s a Boston born Rachel Dolezal.

Go to Tracie Morrissey’s IG, there’s additionally looonnnnggg Reddit threads. 😅 #hilariabaldwin pic.twitter.com/s7tQGrnUOo

— Largely Unpopular Bravo opinions (@bravo_mostly) December 27, 2020

Because the news unfolded on-line, extra customers posted extra info on Twitter about Baldwin’s lineage, together with her mother and father, each of whom are from America. Seems Baldwin was born and raised in her mom’s hometown of Boston, however has all the time claimed she was born in Mallorca. In a previous interview, her mom, Kathryn Hayward, who was an affiliate doctor at Massachusetts Common Hospital and affiliate professor of medication at Harvard Medical Faculty, mentioned she and her husband moved to Mallorca in 2011, which meant Baldwin was 27 on the time.

Moreover, Baldwin’s actual identify isn’t really Hilaria, however Hillary, in accordance with The Day by day Beast, who found her outdated MySpace web page. The yearbook from her senior 12 months at Cambridge Faculty of Weston additionally listed her as “Hillary Hayward-Thomas.”

After receiving infinite backlash from followers on-line, Baldwin lastly addressed the state of affairs on her Instagram by posting a seven-minute-long video.

“I used to be born in Boston and grew up spending time with my household between Massachusetts and Spain. My mother and father and sibling dwell in Spain and I selected to dwell right here, within the USA,” Baldwin wrote within the accompanying caption. She then went on to elucidate that she grew up in a bilingual family, and the way she would use the identify “Hillary” within the U.S. and “Hilaria” in Spain, additional explaining that her household calls her “Hilaria.”

“I’m a white lady, let’s be very clear that Europe has plenty of white individuals in there. My household is white. Ethnically, I’m a mixture of many, many, many issues. Culturally, I grew up with the 2 cultures,” she continued.

Nevertheless, many followers have been nonetheless disillusioned in Baldwin impersonating a international individual for the final decade, accusing her of cultural appropriation as she has publicly recognized as Hispanic and even appeared on ¡Hola!, a weekly Spanish-language journal. In March, The Atlantic launched a narrative known as “The Id Hoaxers,” and included Baldwin within the combine.

James Charles and Grooming Allegations – February 2021

Earlier this 12 months the web persona and make-up artist confronted a slew of significant accusations of grooming boys on-line, notably on Snapchat and Instagram.

The primary allegation got here in February, when a 16-year-old boy shared on TikTok and Twitter that Charles, who’s now 22, had groomed and pressured him into exchanging express images on Snapchat. Charles addressed it on Twitter, stating the boy had lied and mentioned he was really 18. When he really admitted he was underage, Charles allegedly “un-friended him.”

pic.twitter.com/q9Bp0fxa6J

— James Charles (@jamescharles) February 26, 2021

Afterward, three extra males got here ahead, totally on TikTok, Twitter and Instagram, and shared that they had on-line sexual encounters with Charles, one among whom was apparently 17 on the time. The 17-year-old posted screenshots of his conversations with Charles, asserting that he continued to be flirty with him regardless of figuring out he was underage. One other man, whose age appears to be unconfirmed, additionally shared his expertise talking with Charles in an express method.

As this went on, Charles, an avid social media consumer, grew to become quiet on all his channels. In late March, Selection reported that “Prompt Influencer,” a actuality tv present wherein Charles hosted, fired him amid all of the allegations.

“We are able to affirm Season 2 of the YouTube originals sequence ‘Prompt Influencer’ will take a brand new inventive course, together with a brand new host,” a YouTube spokesperson mentioned in a press release to Selection. “We thank James for a terrific first season, and sit up for constructing on the present’s success by increasing the chance to showcase a variety of creators throughout the YouTube platform in our upcoming season.”

Just a few days later, a 15-year-old made a TikTok clip sharing screenshots of his conversations with Charles, together with images that they had exchanged. When the boy began sharing their messages on his Snapchat Story, he mentioned Charles blocked him and accused him of mendacity about his age regardless that the boy mentioned Charles knew he was 15 from the start.

On April 1, after receiving infinite backlash on social media, Charles uploaded a 14-minute YouTube video known as “holding myself accountable,” wherein he addressed all of the grooming allegations. To start with, Charles famous that he was going to be candid. He didn’t put together a script or plan what he needed to say, not like the video he uploaded two years prior known as “No Extra Lies,” addressing the Tati Westbrook feud. Westbrook and one other YouTuber Jeffree Star had each alleged that Charles harassed straight boys, which Charles addressed on the time.

“As I did extra analysis on these matters and self-reflected, I noticed that the receipts and the screenshots and the particular particulars of the interplay actually don’t matter as a result of I f—ed up, and I wanted to take accountability for my actions and, most significantly, apologize to the individuals who have been affected by them,” Charles mentioned. “These conversations ought to’ve by no means occurred, level clean, interval. There’s no excuse for it.”

Charles then went on to apologize to 2 completely different individuals, each of whom have been beneath the age of 18 on the time, with “one among them being from final 12 months, and one among them being more moderen.” Charles claimed each mentioned they have been 18, which he believed.

“I trusted the data that was given to me reasonably than the data I may have and will have gotten myself,” he continued within the since-deleted video. “In each of those conditions, doing analysis into these individuals’s public social-media profiles would’ve revealed their true ages, and subsequently these conversations would have by no means occurred within the first place. However I didn’t do the analysis, and that’s what is so embarrassing.”

Charles then defined that he didn’t take all of the precautionary measures he ought to have on the time as a result of he admitted he was “determined.”

“It sucks, and it’s ridiculously embarrassing to confess this, however I’m determined,” he mentioned, explaining that his inexperience in relationship and carelessness is why he tends to make use of Instagram and TikTok “like a relationship app.” “That’s simply not how relationship works actually in any respect. It’s gross, it’s bizarre, and it’s desperation.”

Every week after Charles uploaded his video, Morphe, the cosmetics firm he labored very carefully with, mentioned they “have suspended advertising and marketing of the Morphe x James Charles collaboration” whereas the model continues to watch the state of affairs carefully. On April 18, Morphe ended its partnership with Charles. A day later, YouTube briefly demonetized Charles’ channel, taking him off its Accomplice Program, in accordance with a report by Insider on the time.

Charles nonetheless laid low on social media channels from the tip of March till near the tip of Could. He posted on Could 23 to commemorate his twenty second birthday. Since then, it appears as if Charles has gone again to his recurrently scheduled programming on YouTube and Instagram, posting like regular once more.

David Dobrik’s Vlog Squad Sexual Assault Allegations and Poisonous Work Setting – February 2021

One other standard YouTuber who was accused of sexual misconduct was David Dobrik, well-known for his humorous movies and boy-next-door allure, and his well-known Vlog Squad of an entourage. The Vlog Squad is a rotating group of different content material creators who take part on a number of the movies Dobrik uploads.

The allegations in opposition to Dobrik and his squad got here shortly earlier than Charles was accused of grooming. In February, Seth Francois, a former member of the Vlog Squad, accused Dobrik of sexual assault when he claimed he was tricked into kissing Jason Nash, a 48-year-old man who additionally belongs to the group, again in 2017. Francois was beneath the impression he was about to kiss one other member, Corinna Kopf. “I used to be touched by somebody I didn’t consent to,” Francois revealed on “The H3 Podcast.”

“They mentioned it on to me. They mentioned, ‘I’m sorry you have been sexually assaulted.’ And I broke down,” Francois recalled to BuzzFeed Information. “I known as my mom and a few of my shut associates and I mentioned, ‘I can’t imagine that occurred to me.’”

Francois revealed on the podcast and to BuzzFeed that he’s nonetheless “experiencing trauma” from the incident.

Just a few days after Francois’ interview, Trisha Paytas, a controversial web persona and ex-Vlog Squad member (and Jason Nash’s ex-girlfriend), revealed her personal uncomfortable expertise with Dobrik. On her podcast, “Frenemies,” Paytas recounted a time when Dobrik hid whereas she and Nash had intercourse, filming her bare with out her consent. Although Nash was conscious of the prank, Paytas was not. She requested him to not submit the video, however Dobrik did, naming it “I SNUCK INTO THEIR HOTEL ROOM SURPRISE.” Up till a couple of months in the past, the video was nonetheless dwell and had over 14 million views. It has since been deleted.

“As a result of I used to be relationship Jason? As a result of I used to be a participant within the Vlogs? That’s my consent? That was so traumatizing on the time,” Paytas mentioned in a YouTube video later.

In March, Dobrik launched Dispo, a camera-sharing utility. The reviews part for Dispo on the Software Retailer then stuffed up with feedback demanding that Dobrik take accountability for his previous actions and apologize to these talking out in opposition to him and the Vlog Squad.

Just a few days later, Paytas’ profile was printed in New York journal, wherein she revealed extra particulars about how she felt about her relationship with Dobrik and Nash. “I’ve extra PTSD from David and Jason than I do hooking on Santa Monica Boulevard,” she instructed the outlet, referring to her time as an escort when she was youthful.

Paytas additionally blamed Dobrik for ending her relationship with Nash, whom she dated for 2 years from 2017 to 2019. When Dobrik thought Paytas was not wanted for the Vlog Squad, he allegedly requested Nash to interrupt up along with her. “Jason was like, ‘I gotta break up with you due to David,’” Paytas mentioned. “That’s after I spiraled.”

On March 16, Enterprise Insider printed an article revealing {that a} younger girl who featured in Dobrik’s group intercourse vlog from 2018 was really raped. Titled “A lady featured on YouTube star David Dobrik’s channel says she was raped by a Vlog Squad member in 2018 the evening they filmed a video about group intercourse,” within the article the younger girl claimed she was intoxicated and unable to present consent when then-Vlog Squad member Dom Zeglaitis raped her throughout filming. The story additionally featured quotes from Paytas, who revealed that Dobrik had requested Nash to buy alcohol for the ladies since they have been beneath 21 on the time.

The identical day the story was printed, Dobrik lastly uploaded a brief YouTube video on his second channel devoted to his podcast, which has considerably much less views than his predominant one, titled “Let’s discuss.” Within the video, which was solely two and a half minutes lengthy, Dobrik mentioned that “consent is one thing that’s tremendous, tremendous essential to me,” and went on to say that he didn’t agree with a number of the movies he made prior to now. He additionally apologized to Francois for the incident. “I simply need to make movies the place all people in it, whether or not you might be collaborating or watching, is having fun with having a great time,” Dobrik mentioned. “I missed the mark with that one. And I’m actually sorry, I actually, actually am.”

Dobrik then went on to say Zeglaitis, who he not movies with, saying he “selected to distance [himself], as a result of [he doesn’t agree] with a number of the actions and I don’t stand for any type of misconduct.”

“I’ve been actually disillusioned by a few of my associates, and for that motive, I’ve separated from plenty of them,” he continued within the clip. “I feel with any video I make, my predominant function is to make individuals glad and encourage individuals and I by no means need something to get in the best way of that, and I’m sorry if I allow you to down. Issues like that received’t occur once more and I’ve learnt from my errors and I additionally imagine that actions converse rather a lot louder than phrases. You possibly can take my phrase for it that I’m going to vary, however I may also present you and I’ll show to you that the errors I made earlier than received’t be occurring once more.”

Dobrik didn’t tackle the allegations by Paytas or Nik Keswani, a former Vlog Squad member who instructed “The H3 Podcast” in February his time within the Vlog Squad undermined his psychological well being, saying he felt like a “punching bag” with all of the jokes Dobrik and the others made about him, and made him really feel “nugatory.” The video turned off likes in addition to feedback.

Within the days that adopted Enterprise Insider’s article, Dobrik misplaced many followers and main partnership offers, together with SeatGeek, Greenback Shave Membership and EA Sports activities, which gifted him a Lamborghini in 2019. Different manufacturers that selected to distance themselves from or not intend to work with Dobrik have been HelloFresh, DoorDash, Common Mills, HBO Max, Fb, and Audible, in accordance with Insider.

On March 22, Dobrik mentioned he was stepping down from the board of Dispo. Moreover, enterprise capital corporations related to Dispo said they might distance themselves from Dobrik and Dispo, together with the agency led by Reddit cofounder Alexis Ohanian, known as Seven Seven Six. “The current allegations in opposition to David Dobrik are extraordinarily troubling and are instantly at odds with Seven Seven Six’s core values,” learn the assertion, which was posted on its official Twitter account. “We’ve got been working carefully with Dispo during the last week and are in full help of their determination to half methods with David.”

Chipotle, Frank’s Purple Scorching, Bumble and SeatGeek all formally severed ties with Dobrik that very same day.

On March 23, Dobrik uploaded a second apology video titled “03/22/21” on his predominant channel, retaining the feedback on.

“I’ve put myself in plenty of conditions the place I’ve wanted to apologize for my previous actions, and I’ve by no means completed this appropriately and I’ve by no means completed this respectfully, and my final video is a testomony to that,” he mentioned. “I need to begin this video off and say I totally imagine the lady who got here out in opposition to Dom and say she was sexually assaulted and raped by him. As was reported, the subsequent day, I acquired consent to submit the video. Regardless that I acquired the consent to submit that video, I ought to have by no means posted it.”

Dobrik then defined that the lady in query appeared to have given her consent on the time “as a result of she felt like she needed to, not as a result of she needed to, and that’s f—ed up, and I’m sorry.” She then apparently reached out a couple of months later and requested him to take it down, which he did.

“I need to apologize to her and her associates for ever placing them in an atmosphere that I enabled that made them really feel like their security and values have been compromised,” he continued. “I’m so sorry. I used to be utterly disconnected from the truth that when individuals have been invited to movie movies with us, particularly movies that relied on shock for views or no matter, it was that I used to be creating an unfair energy dynamic. I didn’t know this earlier than. It was utterly unsuitable and I want I used to be extra accountable on the time.”

Dobrik then continued to apologize to the ladies concerned and instantly addressed the allegations in opposition to Zeglaitis, whom he stopped working with in 2019. “I’m sorry that I took Dom’s phrase for what occurred in these sure conditions and I didn’t imagine you,” he mentioned, as he seems to tear up in components of the video. “And never solely did I not imagine you, however I made a joke of what sort of an individual Dom was as a result of I couldn’t wrap my head round a childhood buddy of mine doing this to individuals and truly hurting individuals.”

On March 25, YouTube reportedly briefly demonetized Dobrik and Zeglaitis on its platform, together with all three of Dobrik’s channels and Zeglaitis’ private one.

For the months that adopted, Dobrik laid low on-line, particularly on YouTube the place he didn’t add any movies. On June 15, Dobrik posted a video known as “SURPRISING MY FRIENDS!!”, his first vlog since his apology video in March. Since then, Dobrik has continued to submit on his web page recurrently as if nothing has occurred.

Danielle Bernstein and We Are Kin – March 2021

Earlier this 12 months, Danielle Bernstein, recognized on-line as We Wore What, was concerned in one other trend controversy. This time, she was accused of copying a costume design from We Are Kin, a sustainable, Black-owned store primarily based in London.

Earlier than the spring drop for her namesake label in April, Bernstein uploaded a picture of one of many clothes within the assortment on Instagram, which was a maxi costume with strappy detailing within the again.

Shortly after, Ngoni Chikwenengere, We Are Kin’s founder, posted in a now-deleted Instagram that she is “the newest sufferer of @weworewhat and Danielle Bernstein’s campaign in opposition to small designers.”

Chikwenengere defined again in June 2020, through the push to help Black-owned companies amid the resurgence of the Black Lives Matter motion, Bernstein reached out to her saying she liked her “Silk Strappy Maxi costume” and asking if she’d be prepared to ship one. Although Chikwenengere was hesitant, she knew Bernstein had a big following (over 2 million) and that publicity from her would assist her enterprise.

Given Bernstein’s infamous historical past for copying smaller manufacturers, Chikwenengere’s associates cautioned her about going through an identical destiny, however she determined to go forward and present Bernstein the costume anyway since she “[likes] to suppose the perfect of feminine founders.”

When she got here throughout Bernstein’s submit, she seen how equivalent the clothes have been. She was “heartbroken” as a result of she “poured [her] coronary heart and soul into” the unique costume she designed.

“I do know that is her MO, however I refuse to be cowed into silence. That is my design, she has posted it throughout her social channels and it’s on sale to her thousands and thousands of followers,” Chikwenengere wrote. “I’m actually devastated. I’ve spent years build up my unbiased model and it feels futile now.”

After customers on Instagram began commenting on all of Bernstein’s social media accounts accusing her of copying but once more, she posted a press release on her tales.

“I’m sick and uninterested in being accused of stealing designs or content material that I ABSOLUTELY DID NOT. I’m sick of screenshots of conversations with out context or dates and a part of one thing that appears related,” Bernstein wrote. “There’ll all the time be one thing that somebody can say appears to be like related. These ridiculous claims for quarter-hour of fame are unfounded and unfair.

“My workforce and our freelance designer who got here on to create these collections work extraordinarily exhausting and I can’t let our work be put down,” she concluded.

Although some followers have defended that the costume type is standard, others have argued that receipts on-line and the timeline of occasions line as much as Bernstein’s recognized historical past to take an excessive amount of inspiration from smaller or POC-owned manufacturers.

Chrissy Teigen’s Cyberbullying Previous – Could 2021

Identified for her outspoken, typically brash, feedback on social media, notably Twitter, Teigen was accused of cyberbullying by a number of individuals in Could.

Courtney Stodden, finest recognized for marrying then 51-year-old actor Doug Hutchison as a 16-year-old in 2011, instructed The Day by day Beast that Teigen instantly messaged them with disparaging feedback a number of occasions on Twitter, telling Stodden to kill themself.

“She wouldn’t simply publicly tweet about wanting me to take ‘a dust nap’ however would privately DM me and inform me to kill myself,” Stodden, who goes by them/they pronouns, instructed the outlet. “Issues like, ‘I can’t wait so that you can die.’”

Then on-line sleuths determined to scroll by way of Teigen’s lengthy Twitter historical past and located that she in reality did ship unkind messages to Stodden relationship again to 2011 and 2012.

For the reason that news of Teigen’s previous bullying circulated on the web, the cookbook creator allegedly reached out to Stodden to apologize. Nevertheless, they’ve doubts on how honest Teigen actually was in expressing her remorse for her previous conduct. They uploaded a screenshot on Instagram, displaying that Teigen really nonetheless has them blocked on Twitter.

“I settle for her apology and forgive her. However the fact stays the identical, I’ve by no means heard from her or her camp in non-public. Actually, she blocked me on Twitter,” they wrote within the accompanying caption. “All of me needs to imagine it is a honest apology, nevertheless it appears like a public try to avoid wasting her partnerships with Goal and different manufacturers who’re realizing her ‘wokeness’ is a damaged file.”

As manufacturers like Goal and Macy’s began to distance themselves from Teigen, she lastly apologized publicly in a Twitter thread to Stodden.

“Not lots of people are fortunate sufficient to be held accountable for all their previous bulls–t in entrance of the whole world. I’m mortified and unhappy at who I was,” Teigen wrote. “I used to be an insecure, consideration in search of troll. I’m ashamed and utterly embarrassed at my conduct however that’s nothing in comparison with how I made Courtney really feel. I’ve labored so exhausting to present you guys pleasure and be beloved and the sensation of letting you down is sort of insufferable, actually. These weren’t my solely errors and certainly received’t be my final as exhausting as I attempt however god I’ll attempt!!”

“I’ve tried to attach with Courtney privately however since I publicly fueled all this, I need to additionally publicly apologize. I’m so sorry, Courtney,” she continued. “I hope you possibly can heal now figuring out how deeply sorry I’m. And I’m so sorry I allow you to guys down. I’ll ceaselessly work on being higher than I used to be 10 years in the past, 1 12 months in the past, 6 months in the past.”

Not lots of people are fortunate sufficient to be held accountable for all their previous bullshit in entrance of the whole world. I’m mortified and unhappy at who I was. I used to be an insecure, consideration in search of troll. I’m ashamed and utterly embarrassed at my conduct however that…

— chrissy teigen (@chrissyteigen) May 12, 2021

Shortly thereafter, it was revealed others had disagreeable experiences with Teigen on-line, together with Lindsay Lohan. Although Lohan didn’t publicly expose any particulars, a since-deleted tweet from 2011 by Teigen reportedly poked enjoyable on the actress.

“Lindsay provides a couple of extra slits to her wrists when she sees emma stone,” the tweet allegedly mentioned, implying that Lohan cuts herself.

Teigen then determined to pen a lengthier apology essay on Medium in June. “As you recognize, a bunch of my outdated terrible (terrible, terrible) tweets resurfaced. I’m actually ashamed of them,” she wrote. “As I take a look at them and perceive the damage they induced, I’ve to cease and surprise: How may I’ve completed that?”

“There may be merely no excuse for my previous horrible tweets. My targets didn’t deserve them. Nobody does,” she continued. “Lots of them wanted empathy, kindness, understanding, and help, not my meanness masquerading as a type of informal, edgy humor. I used to be a troll, full cease. And I’m so sorry.”

Nevertheless, a day after the essay was printed, “Teen Mother” star Farrah Abraham wrote her personal Medium submit reacting to Teigen’s apology, claiming she didn’t but obtain an apology from Teigen regardless of her promise to make amends to these she’s wronged prior to now. Apparently, Teigen additionally attacked Abraham on-line in 2013.

“As you’re asking your self ‘Did Chrissy ever apologize to Farrah,’ hypocritically as such at the moment no she has not,” Abraham wrote. “As a reminder Chrissy ended her lighthearted submit, so equally as her previous remarks with caring for her household and herself. So I perceive the time it should take to essentially be past her previous conduct.”

Abraham additionally in contrast Teigen’s actions towards her like these from a “‘Imply Women’ film spin-off.”

One other who stepped ahead and claimed they have been bullied by Teigen was Michael Costello, a designer finest recognized for being a contestant on “Venture Runway.” Costello known as out Teigen in a since-deleted Instagram submit for not apologizing to him.

Costello claimed that Teigen allegedly tried to spoil his profession prior to now and that her abuse has nonetheless left him “traumatized” and “depressed.”

Listed below are the purported DMs Michael posted. He says he took them in 2014 however IG messages have solely seemed like this (purple/blue ombré) beginning in 2020. pic.twitter.com/xd4FvEfpU1

— Kat Tenbarge (@kattenbarge) June 18, 2021

“I didn’t need to do that, however I cannot be glad till I converse my thoughts. I must heal and to ensure that me to do this I have to reveal what I’ve been going by way of,” he wrote on Instagram. “I needed to kill myself and I nonetheless am traumatized, depressed, and have ideas of suicide.”

In accordance with Costello, Teigen began harassing him in 2014, when she left a touch upon his Instagram web page accusing him of racism over a “Photoshopped remark floating across the web … confirmed to be false.”

“Once I reached out to Chrissy Teigen to speak that I used to be the sufferer of a vindictive cyber slander, and that the whole lot she thought I used to be shouldn’t be who I’m, she instructed me that my profession was over and that each one my doorways might be shut from there on,” Costello continued. “And wow, did she dwell as much as her phrases.”

The designer then defined that associates and colleagues within the business instructed him that Teigen and stylist Monica Rose had supposedly “gone out of their solution to threaten individuals and types that, in the event that they have been in any form or kind related to me, they might not work with any of them.”

In his submit, Costello uploaded screenshots of his conversations with Teigen on-line, wherein she apparently wrote, “You’ll get what’s coming to you. Racist individuals such as you need to endure and die. You may as properly be lifeless. Your profession is over, simply watch.”

The story then took many turns as different individuals entered the dialog in opposition to Costello, together with Leona Lewis, wherein they detailed reasonably disagreeable experiences with the designer.

Just a few days later, Teigen and her workforce launched a prolonged assertion claiming that Costello’s screenshots of her alleged bullying look like “faux” and that Teigen and Costello have really maintained a cordial relationship. Teigen additionally wrote on Twitter stating her confusion and that the direct messages and emails “don’t exist.” Teigen additionally addressed the remark she left about Costello being racist in 2014, saying she deleted it after she found that his supposed racist remarks weren’t actual.

Teigen even uploaded screenshots of her messages with Costello on Instagram, displaying pleasant interactions between the 2, with messages relationship from 2017 to 2020.

Michael Costello additionally posted movies the place he was VERY confused about Leona Lewis’ stylist reaching out and being variety. Think about my shock when my previous three years have been this: pic.twitter.com/cxiMAlLUvm

— chrissy teigen (@chrissyteigen) June 18, 2021

“No thought what the f— michael costello is doing. He simply launched a press release the place he didn’t at ALL acknowledge how faux the dm’s have been, & now claims to have emails that don’t exist,” she wrote within the caption accompanying her full assertion.

Afterward, Teigen and her workforce threatened authorized motion in opposition to Costello for sharing what she and her husband John Legend known as “fabricated” messages and screenshots.

Kris Wu’s Sexual Assault Allegations – July 2021

Kris Wu, a Chinese language-Canadian singer and actor, was dropped by a number of manufacturers when claims of sexual misconduct and predatory conduct have been confirmed to be true.

Wu was the face of manufacturers together with Louis Vuitton, Bulgari and Porsche, all of which distanced themselves and ultimately dropped him as an envoy when the news broke. He was additionally dropped by Lancôme, L’Oréal, Kans in addition to Grasp Kong Iced Tea, Tuborg Brewery, family cleansing merchandise maker Liby, kitchen home equipment producer Vatti, Tencent Video and Tencent’s standard online game King of Glory.

​​Wu, a former member of the South Korean boy group Exo, was first accused of infidelity and preying on underaged women on July 8 by Du Meizhu, a 19-year-old faculty pupil.

Du shared screenshots of alleged conversations between Wu and underaged women on Weibo, a preferred Chinese language microblogging website, and claimed that she has struggled with psychological well being, and even had suicidal ideas resulting from his unfaithfulness and cyberbullying from his followers.

Du claimed that Wu stored a particular WeChat account to contact underage women beneath the guise of recruiting artists or casting feminine leads for his music movies, ultimately luring the ladies into taking part in consuming video games. Du mentioned she was simply one among his many conquests.

Wu and his workforce categorically denied the accusations and mentioned that they had filed a defamation lawsuit in opposition to Du the identical day.

Shortly after, nevertheless, Du revealed that she didn’t obtain a courtroom summons. As a substitute, she shared that Wu’s workforce reached out to her and proposed to settle the accusations with cash. She posted a chat historical past of her negotiating the small print of the settlement plan with Wu’s consultant and a duplicate of the contract that his workforce supplied her to signal, which she claimed to be a entice.

She later shared a video of her receiving two financial institution transfers totaling 500,000 renminbi from Wu Stacy Yu and Wu Yi Fan, which gave the impression to be Kris Wu’s mom’s identify and his identify in Chinese language pinyin spelling.

In an interview with native press printed final month, Du mentioned she had returned Wu the hush cash in installments and was able to face authorized motion. She additionally claimed that greater than 30 ladies who shared related experiences with Wu had reached out to her, two of whom are minors.

Wu then took to Weibo to handle the problem extra in depth, saying:

“I didn’t reply earlier as a result of I didn’t need to disrupt the authorized course of however I didn’t think about that my silence would speed up this rumormonger, I can’t stand it any longer. I’ve solely met this girl as soon as on Dec. 5, 2020 whereas with a gaggle of associates. I didn’t urge anybody to drink, didn’t take a cellphone quantity, furthermore didn’t do any of the small print she described. That day there have been many individuals current that may be witness. I’m very sorry it’s disturbed everybody. I declare I’ve by no means completed any “choosing of concubines”! No luring for intercourse! No drugging to rape! No underage! If there was this conduct, everybody relaxation assured I’d go to jail willingly. I totally perceive the authorized weight of my phrases above.”

In accordance with a press release from police in Beijing launched final month, Wu’s agent did ask Du to go to the house of Wu on Dec. 5 on the pretext of choosing her to look in a music video. Greater than 10 individuals performed video games and drank at his house that night. Wu and Du had intercourse that evening, and Wu transferred 32,000 yuan, or $4,950, to Du for on-line buying on Dec. 8, in accordance with the police assertion. The 2 stayed in contact on WeChat till April 2021.

After being detained for 2 weeks by police in Beijing on suspicion of rape, Wu was formally arrested in mid-August, in accordance with a press release launched by the the prosecutor’s workplace of the Beijing district of Chaoyang.

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