The Kardashian-Jenner family is the biggest influencer collective in the world. Kris, Kim, Kylie, Kourtney, Khloe and Kendall have more than 1.2 billion followers combined. A profile that large allows the clan to make highly lucrative deals to promote pretty much anything, and we have the promos that landed them in legal hot water in this week’s Five for Friday.
#5: Ethereum Max
Kim is the latest to get caught up in legal drama. She agreed to pay $1.26 million after promoting cryptocurrency EthereumMax on Instagram. Last year, the influencer with an estimated net worth of just under $2 billion, posted about the token. In the post she was sure to point out that it was not financial advice and used #ad to signify she had been paid for the post. The SEC said she failed to disclose she was paid $250,000 for the post and the hashtag wasn’t enough to keep her out of trouble under their rules. Beyond the payout, Kim agreed not to promote crypto securities for three years.
#4: Skechers
Ten years ago, Skechers were all the rage. The sneaker company even tapped Kim as the face of their Shape Ups silhouette. The chunky sneaker claimed to, “help people lose weight, and strengthen and tone their buttocks, legs and abdominal muscles.” More than half a million people joined a class action lawsuit against the brand due to false claims. Skechers eventually paid $40 million to settle charges with the FTC.
#3: Fyre Festival
The infamous Fyre Festival fiasco spawned documentaries at Netflix and Hulu. In the lead up, a lot of celebrities, including Kendall Jenner, were recruited to promote the festival on Instagram, promising a luxury event with performances by Migos and Blink 182 on a secluded island. Needless to say, the whole thing was a disaster. In the end, Kendall had to pay out $90,000 as part of a lawsuit recouping funds to creditors of the event.
#2: QuickTrim
Kim, Khloe and Kourtney got roped into this one promoting diet pills made by QuickTrim. Starting in 2009, the Kardashian sisters promoted the products in commercials, magazines and on social media. According to a lawsuit seeking $5 million in damages, the main ingredient in the pills is caffeine, which the FDA says is not safe or effective for weight loss. The girls were able to avoid any additional issues after the company settled the suit by offering a partial refund to customers who purchased the product.
#1: Curated Lottery
Kim and Scott Disick are currently facing a $40 million lawsuit for allegedly pushing a fake lottery scam on Instagram. Disick worked directly with Australian company Curated on a contest that promised money, first class travel and a stay in Beverly Hills where you could shop like a Kardashian. The plaintiffs claim there were no real winners and it was just an effort by Curated to sell their personal information. For their part, Curated says they can prove it was all above board.