YouTubers Logan Paul and KSI founded Prime Hydration in 2022, and while its products have become increasingly popular and profitable, the company is facing a class action lawsuit over the ingredients in its energy drinks and sports drinks. continuing.
According to the class action lawsuit, Prime Hydration LLC announced on April 8 that its 12-ounce energy drinks contain between 215 and 225 milligrams of caffeine instead of the advertised 200 milligrams. The lawsuit was filed in the Southern District of New York for “misleading and deceptive conduct”. suit.
Lara Vera, of Poughkeepsie, New York, filed the lawsuit in federal court on behalf of herself and others who purchased Prime products across the country, according to the complaint. According to the complaint, Bella purchased Prime's Blue Raspberry product several times in August 2022 for approximately $3 to $4 per serving, but if she had known the actual caffeine content she would never have purchased the drink. He said he never bought it.
Vera's lawsuit seeks $5 million from a company owned by Paul and KSI, whose real name is Olajide Olinka Williams “JJ” Olatunji, according to court records.
Court records do not say whether Prime Hydration has hired an attorney for Vera's case.
How much caffeine does Prime Energy Drink have?
The 200 milligrams of caffeine advertised by Prime is equivalent to “nearly six cans of Coke or two 12-ounce Red Bulls,” Vera's class action lawsuit says.
A 12-ounce can of Red Bull energy drink contains 114 milligrams of caffeine, and a cup of coffee contains approximately 100 milligrams, according to the complaint.
“There is no proven safe amount of caffeine for children,” the complaint continues. Side effects of caffeine ingestion by children can include increased or irregular heartbeats, headaches, seizures, tremors, upset stomachs, and negative effects on mental health, according to the complaint. It is said that there is.
Sen. Charles Schumer (D.N.Y.) called on the Food and Drug Administration to investigate Prime energy drinks in 2023 due to dangerously high levels of caffeine. In a letter to the FDA, Schumer argued that vague marketing aimed at young people influenced parents to buy “cauldrons of caffeine” for their children.
Mr. Schumer's call to action for the FDA is mentioned in Mr. Vera's lawsuit.
USA TODAY reached out to Prime Hydration's attorney Tuesday afternoon, but did not immediately receive a response.
What is a Prime Hydration Litigation?
While Bella's legal battle has begun, Prime is still dealing with a separate class action lawsuit from 2023 alleging that its sports drink flavors contain PFAS (“Forever Chemicals”).
According to a class action lawsuit filed on August 2, 2023 in the Northern District of California by the Milberg Law Firm on behalf of Elizabeth Castillo and others similarly affected, an independent third-party test revealed that Prime Hydration Grape flavor has been found to contain PFAS chemicals. .
“Lead Plaintiff Elizabeth Castillo, a California resident, has purchased Prime Hydration multiple times, but if the product was accurately marketed and labeled as containing PFAS,” the Milberg Law Firm said in an August 2023 filing. “If they had, they would not have purchased it at all.” news release. “These chemicals were not reasonably detectable to consumers like her.”
Castillo's lawsuit seeks a $5 million judgment, according to court records.
As of April 18, the judge in the case ruled that Ms. Castillo had not alleged “any discernible injury” and that she was also “a concrete (and) imminent threat of future harm,” according to the paper. The court heard Prime's argument to dismiss the lawsuit on the basis that it did not allege “facts showing that the case is true.” Beverage Company Motion.
Paul addressed Castillo's claims in a three-minute TikTok video Wednesday.
“First of all, if the lawsuit is not true, anyone can always sue,” Paul said in a TikTok video. “And in this case, that doesn't mean … one person conducted a random study and didn't provide any evidence to support their claims.”
What is the eternal chemical?
Milberg's Law said in a news release that PFAS are called forever chemicals because they “bioaccumulate, meaning they accumulate in the body over time.”
“These man-made chemicals have been well studied and have been found to have negative effects on humans and the environment,” the New York City-based law firm said.
According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), many PFAS are present in the blood of humans and animals, and can also be found at low levels in a variety of foods and the environment. According to the EPA, forever chemicals can be present in water, air, fish, and soil in locations across the country and around the world.
“PFAS chemicals are thousands of types and are found in a variety of consumer, commercial, and industrial products,” the EPA said. “This makes it difficult to study and assess potential human health and environmental risks.”
Who created Prime Energy Drink?
Before founding Prime Hydration LLC, Logan Paul, 29, and KSI, 30, were YouTubers who turned millions of subscribers into supporters of their boxing, wrestling, music, social media content, and other endeavors. was.
According to Milberg Law Firm, “Prime Hydration generated more than $250 million in retail sales in its first year, including more than $45 million in one month,” making it a beverage business. The move has proven to be beneficial for both YouTubers.
Paul and KSI paid for ads during Super Bowl 57, had live streamer IShowSpeed wear a bottle of Prime Sports Drink during WrestleMania 40, and have paid for ads like Patrick Mahomes, Aaron Judge, Israel Adesanya, and more. The spotlight continues to be on prime products, such as signing players. Sponsorship contracts with Tyreek Hill, Kyle Larson, Alisha Lehman and others.
