A complete chronology of the lawsuits and allegations against “Love Is Blind”

Netflix’s groundbreaking reality franchise Love is blind has been a controversial but unavoidable part of pop culture since it first aired in January 2020. After four years, the original US series has developed a growing list of allegations of misconduct and lawsuits from former participants. The numerous complaints, mainly from cast members of the second and fifth seasons, have raised concerns about alleged exploitation of the cast and raised questions about whether the series places its participants in potentially dangerous situations, either conceptually or through its production practices. Below, we summarize the history of allegations made against the series in various lawsuits and reports, in chronological order, since the events became public knowledge.

Jeremy Hartwell’s lawsuit and the insider report

In July 2022 diversity And CNN reported that season two contestant Jeremy Hartwell filed a lawsuit against Netflix, production company Kinetic Content and casting company Delirium TV. He accused the three companies of various labor law violations, including promoting “inhumane working conditions” and paying cast members below minimum wage. Hartwell claimed that during the filming of the Pods portion of the series in Santa Clarita, California.Producers “poured alcohol and deprived the cast of food and water – while paying wages that were below the Los Angeles County minimum wage.” Hartwell’s attorney at the time, Chantal Payton of Payton Employment Law, said in a statement to diversity that the conditions triggered a “hunger for social contact” among the actors and altered their emotions and decision-making.

More Allegations of abuse were brought to light in a April 2023 insider reportwhere several cast members, including season 2 stars Danielle Ruhl and Nick Thompson, as well as Hartwell, spoke about their experiences on the show. Participants interviewed said they were physically and emotionally exhausted after days of filming, with one participant describing filming as an “emotional war.” Cast members also said they were not provided with adequate mental health support during or after filming, including one incident in which Ruhl told producers she was “suicidal” while filming in Mexico and wanted to leave the show. insider also confirmed that in early LIB The seasons’ contracts threatened cast members with a $50,000 fine if they left the show “without the producer’s approval.” The contracts also reportedly included clauses requiring engaged couples to attend their weddings even if they did not plan to marry, and prohibiting married couples from getting divorced before the airing of their final episode.

Kinetic connection has denied allegations both the 2022 lawsuit and the insider Report, with CEO Chris Coelen in an interview in September 2023 with diversity. As for the show overall, the CEO said Kinetic provided access to mental health care during filming, explaining that two psychologists were present in the control room during filming in the pods and that after the pods, cast members are given a hotline for a specialist who is available 24/7. Coelen also responded to the report’s claim about the $50,000 penalty, saying that production never enforced the clause and that the penalty was removed from contracts in recent seasons.

Tran Dang’s lawsuit

In October 2023 People reported that Season 5 cast member Tran Dang (who filmed for the season but did not appear in the final episodes) had sued Kinetic Connect and Delirium TV for sexual harassment, false imprisonment and negligence. According to the full complaint, which DeadlineDang, who got engaged to Thomas Smith on camera, said Smith allegedly assaulted her while filming in Mexico in May 2022. According to the lawsuit, Smith, who is also listed as a defendant, “forcibly groped Dang, exposed herself naked, and repeatedly engaged in sexual contact despite her expressed objections.” The lawsuit also alleges that “due to (Kinetic Content and Delirium TV’s) 24-hour surveillance of cast members, most, if not all, of these traumatic acts were likely captured on film.” Dang also claims that “producers attempted to cover up the sexual assault by portraying it as a lack of attraction from (Dang).” According to the lawsuit, Dang decided to leave the show after allegedly attempting to inform producers of repeated alleged assaults on multiple occasions, but she claims she was told she had to film a “final scene” with Smith in which she was “fed lines by producers.”

Kinetic and Delirium issued a joint statement to Peoplewhere the companies said they “cannot address undisclosed concerns,” and claimed that Dang “never informed producers of any alleged misconduct of any kind.” Coelen also spoke to the outlet and claimed that Dang “never told producers that she felt unsafe or experienced any of the allegations she made in the lawsuit.” He also called Dang’s claims of deprivation of liberty “absurd” and claimed that contestants are free to leave the show at any time. “We don’t tell people what to say or what to do, we keep telling them that this is their journey, this is their life to live however they want. We’re there to follow it,” he said.

In a statement to PeopleSmith’s attorney, Kip Patterson, told the outlet that they do not comment on ongoing litigation.

Renee Poches lawsuit

In January 2024 diversity And USA today reported that Actress of the 5th season, Renee Poche had filed a lawsuit against Netflix and the production company Delirium TV, demanding the termination of her contract and claiming that she had “intentionally inflicted emotional distress and violated various California labor and civil laws.” During her season, Poche became engaged to Carter Wall, who, according to diversity“got a spot on the series despite being reportedly broke, unemployed, homeless, violent, and addicted to amphetamines and alcohol.” Poche claims she was put in a “dangerous situation” by being “forced to spend long periods of time alone with Wall” because his “erratic and disturbing behavior and emotional instability were glaringly apparent to Poche and the production team.” According to the lawsuit, the alleged erratic behavior included Wall “regularly verbally abusing” her, demanding painkillers and amphetamines, and physically threatening a cameraman while they were filming at a resort in Mexico.

She eventually ended the relationship, but despite Poche’s claim in a Interview in October 2023 that the couple made it to the altar, her and Wall’s relationship was not included in the broadcast episodes. Poche also told diversity that after they decided to go public Due to her “traumatic” experience on the show, Delirium “initiated private arbitration proceedings against her for allegedly violating their nondisclosure agreement.” The production company is reportedly seeking “$4 million from a woman who earned a total of $8,000 from her appearances on the reality series.”

Netflix declined to respond Marie-Clairefor comment on the above-mentioned lawsuits, while Delirium TV did not respond to requests for comment. Wall, who is not listed as a defendant in Poche’s lawsuit, has not spoken publicly about his time at Love is blind at the time of publication.

Per diversityPoche is the first former cast member to challenge the legality of the mandatory rules ubiquitous in the reality industry. Poche is represented by influential attorneys Bryan Freedman and Mark Geragos, who also represents former Real housewife Bethenny Frankel in their fight to protect reality stars from alleged exploitation.