Did Zach King sexually harass female producer? YouTube illusionist sued for misconduct
Celebrity illusionist and social media sensation Zach King has reportedly been slapped with a sexual harassment lawsuit in Los Angeles. On December 14, it emerged that the popular YouTuber and TikTok star was sued by a former employee for several reasons, including gender discrimination, harassment, and wrongful termination. At the time of reporting, King hasn't addressed the allegations.
King joins a long list of men against whom such serious allegations have been made. Currently, fired CNN anchor Chris Cuomo is facing allegations of sexual harassment, from his time before joining the network. In August, abuse accusations against Richie Burke led to his firing by Washington Spirit. Phoenix Suns owner Robert Sarver has also found himself in a sexual harassment scandal, with over 70 current and former Suns employees stepping forward to recount his alleged abuse.
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As with these men, King too faces serious allegations, and even more serious consequences if he is found guilty. Former producer Elisabeth Logan filed a lawsuit against the illusionist in Los Angeles Superior Court for unspecified damages. Here's everything we know about the suit, and what King has been accused of.
Did Zach King sexually harass Logan?
Logan was reportedly hired by King in April 2015 as a part-time executive assistant, according to Insider. Within a few months, he asked if she could join his company King Studio LLC full time, promising "opportunities to further her desired producing career." In February 2016, she agreed and was promoted to producer. Logan then alleges that between 2016 and 2017, King "excluded Logan from any involvement in the development of television or film projects, despite his prior promises to the contrary."
She goes on to claim she was repeatedly sexually harassed throughout her employment. In one instance, King reportedly stripped naked and left his underwear in her office. She goes on to say he created "an abusive work atmosphere" and targeted Logan over her gender. She reportedly made less than her male counterparts for similar work and even excluded her from company-wide activities. "Zach King belittled, verbally attacked, and yelled at Ms. Logan for the slightest perceived misstep, while turning a blind eye to male co-workers' grave errors," the suit states.
Her struggles ended with her being fired in May 2020, over a Zoom call, reportedly because she "complains too much". Furthermore, the suit says, "as part of Mr. King's continuous pattern of misogyny, Mr. King told her to 'think of it like a breakup'." A court summons was filed on December 9, giving King 30 days to file a response. It's unclear whether he has done so, but he's certainly avoided speaking about the suit.
The 31-year-old illusionist posted a TikTok on December 11, his most-recent activity on social media. Before migrating to the now-popular platform, King made a name for himself with his famous illusion videos on the now-defunct Vine. He currently has more than 12 million YouTube subscribers, more than 24 million Instagram followers, and more than 66 million TikTok followers.