Chris “Ava Kris” Tyson, a transgender sidekick of YouTube superstar MrBeast, who is especially popular amongst children and teenagers, is at the center of controversy following allegations of an inappropriate relationship with a minor and grooming.
The Daily Mail reports that the streaming community has been rocked by allegations surrounding Chris Tyson, a biological male who claims to be a female and now uses the name Ava Kris Tyson. Tyson is a former co-host of the massively popular YouTube channel MrBeast. Tyson is alleged to have formed a relationship with a minor who was 13 years old at the time of their initial contact. The allegations state that Tyson, who was 20 years old when the relationship began, met the minor through an online competition associated with the MrBeast channel.
According to reports, Tyson and the minor, known as ‘Lava,’ communicated for several years on public online forums before meeting in person when the teen turned 16. The relationship came to light through a series of expose-style videos and clips shared on social media platforms.
I would like to apologize for any of my past behavior or comments if it hurt or offended anyone. It was not my intent. Seeing recent events we’ve mutually decided it’s best I permanently step away from all things MrBeast and social media to focus on my family and mental health.
— Ava Kris Tyson (@kristyson_) July 23, 2024
The controversy has led to the resurfacing of several controversial posts made by Tyson in the past. These posts include interactions with an artist known as “Shadman,” who is notorious for creating sexualized drawings of young characters. In one instance, Tyson allegedly requested the artist to “draw a 10-year-old anime girl.” Other posts attributed to Tyson show the sexualization of cartoon children, including comments about characters from popular media.
The allegations against Tyson have prompted a significant response on social media. Some users have shared what they claim to be Instagram posts showing Tyson with the alleged minor during a college visit in 2020. However, these images have not been independently verified.
I worked for MrBeast, Ava Kris Tyson is the tip of the iceberg pic.twitter.com/eHJVIjIeDJ
— DogPack404 (@DogPack404) July 22, 2024
The individual identified as “Lava,” now 20 years old, has publicly denied being a victim of grooming. In a statement posted on social media platform X (formerly Twitter), Lava stated, “These videos are massive lies and twisting the truth. Ava never did anything wrong and just made a few edgy jokes. I was never exploited or taken advantage of.”
MrBeast, whose real name is James Stephen ‘Jimmy’ Donaldson, has not released an official statement regarding the allegations against Tyson. The YouTube star, known for his extravagant stunts and philanthropic initiatives, has a reported net worth of $700 million and is said to be a personal friend of Tyson.
Jake Franklin, a former member of MrBeast’s channel, made a cryptic post on X stating “Jimmy knew” after the news about Tyson broke. However, the context and implications of this statement remain unclear and unverified.
Read more at the Daily Mail here.
Lucas Nolan is a reporter for Breitbart News covering issues of free speech and online censorship.
