Crime

Influencer Brittany Dawn Sued by State of Texas for Allegedly Misleading Clients with Eating Disorders

The Texas attorney general filed a lawsuit against Dallas fitness influencer Brittany Dawn on Feb. 1

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Published on February 9, 2022 11:43 PM

The state of Texas has sued Dallas influencer Brittany Dawn Davis, accusing her of misleading customers who had eating disorders.

Texas attorney general Ken Paxton filed the lawsuit against Davis and her company, Brittany Dawn Fitness LLC, in the Dallas County Court on Feb. 1.

According to court documents seen by PEOPLE, in 2014 Davis began selling online fitness packages, offering customized nutritional guidance and fitness coaching. Thousands of consumers purchased packages that were priced from $92 for a one-time consultation to $300 for three months of individualized coaching and training, the documents state.

The attorney general alleges that the plans were not personalized as promised, and claims Davis and her company "largely ignored consumer complaints," including from one "who almost passed out from inadequate nutrition."

It added that if Davis or her company "did respond" to complaints, they "offered only partial refunds."

The attorney general's lawyer did not immediately respond to PEOPLE's request for comment.

In 2019, Davis, replying to complaints, pulled her website and issued an apology on YouTube, the legal documents note.

Davis is also accused of misleading those who suffered from eating disorders. As she promoted her plans to consumers on social media, Davis — who has 465,000 followers on Instagram and 247,000 subscribers on YouTube — often spoke on overcoming eating disorders herself with the help of exercise and a healthy diet, according to the documents.

Due to the videos and links shared on her website, customers said they believed she had proper training to help them with eating disorders. According to the lawsuit, one client shared, "the main reason I chose her [Ms. Davis] out of all the coaches out there was specifically that she advertised herself as an 'eating disorder soldier,' " adding that she suffered from anorexia and at one point weighed less than 80 pounds.

Davis allegedly offered low-calorie diet options "that would only be suitable for someone who needed to lose weight, not put it on."

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Davis did not immediately respond to PEOPLE's request for comment.

According to the lawsuit, Davis has denied allegations that she "accepted consumers with eating disorders," but at least 14 customers who asked for refunds referenced eating disorders in their official complaints. One stated in an onboarding survey, "I truly need guidance, help, the right information and support right now. I currently have an eating disorder, horrible body image views ... I am underweight for my height," to which Davis allegedly responded, "Great! Welcome to the #teambrittanydawn family."

The lawsuit also accuses her of charging a shipping fee although all of her programs were issued via email.

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The Texas attorney general alleges that Davis and her business "engaged in false, misleading, and/or deceptive acts or practices," violating the Deceptive Trade Practices Act (DTPA). It is seeking between $250,000 and $1 million for civil penalties, attorneys' fees, and costs.

On Wednesday, she addressed her followers via her Instagram Stories, saying in part, "Do you ever just start laughing at Satan's tactics? They are so petty and so obvious to us that are in the kingdom of God that you can literally just start audibly laughing."

If you or someone you know is battling an eating disorder, please contact the National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA) at 1-800-931-2237 or go to NationalEatingDisorders.org.