Kai Cenat’s company and management firm are facing a $330,000 federal lawsuit from a man who attended an in-person audition for the 2026 edition of Streamer University.
Caleb Gottfried alleges that unsafe conditions at the June 12 event in Manhattan caused him to experience two episodes he characterized as near heatstroke.
He also claims organizers filmed him without permission and used his image as unpaid “background talent” in promotional content.
Gottfried, a New Jersey resident representing himself, filed the complaint June 26 against Kai Cenat LLC and Night Media, Inc. in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York. The case is docketed as Gottfried v. Night Media, Inc. et al., No. 1:26-cv-05471.
The Lawsuit Centers on a Manhattan Application Event
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Gottfried says he attended the Streamer University audition at John Jay College of Criminal Justice as a prospective participant. The gathering was one of several in-person application events connected to the second edition of Cenat’s creator-focused program.
TMZ reported at the time that large crowds packed the neighborhood surrounding the college, with some applicants sleeping outside overnight. Police officers managed the crowd while a police helicopter monitored the area from above.
The complaint alleges that attendees were later placed inside an enclosed area with inadequate ventilation and insufficient crowd control. Gottfried claims he experienced two incidents of serious heat-related distress while New York Police Department officers were present.
Gottfried also alleges that high-definition cameras captured him during the audition and that the resulting footage was used to make the gathering appear crowded and energetic. He also says he was not given a model release, publicity waiver or another document seeking permission to use his likeness commercially.
Gottfried Is Seeking $330,000 Plus Punitive Damages
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Gottfried is seeking $330,000 in compensatory damages, according to theJasmineBRAND. He also requests punitive damages, litigation costs and additional relief awarded by the court.
Streamer University began in 2025 as a free, application-based program that brought selected creators to a college campus for classes, collaborations and livestreamed activities. The 2026 edition followed a new series of online and in-person auditions.
Kai Cenat LLC was served with the complaint July 16 and is due to respond by Aug. 6, according to publicly reported docket information.