MrBeast’s Co-Host Ava Kris Tyson Leaves After Grooming Allegations

Ava Kris Tyson, one of MrBeast’s YouTube co-hosts, announced on July 23 that she is leaving “all things MrBeast” following allegations that she groomed a minor. Tyson has denied the claim, and wrote in a post on X (formerly Twitter) that she didn’t “want these accusations to impact the hundreds of people who work at MrBeast, which is why I have stepped away.”

“I would like to apologize for any of my past behavior or comments if it hurt or offended anyone. It was not my intent,” Tyson wrote on X. “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.”

More from TIME

Tyson has been friends with MrBeast since the beginning of his career and regularly appears in his videos, which garner hundreds of millions of views.

In a post shared on X on July 24, MrBeast addressed the allegations and announced he has hired a third party to conduct a "thorough investigation."

"Over the last few days, I’ve become aware of the serious allegations of Ava Tyson's behavior online and I am disgusted and opposed to such unacceptable acts. During that time, I have been focused on hiring an independent third party to conduct a thorough investigation to ensure I have all the facts," he said, in a post shared with his 30.7 million X followers.

MrBeast continued: "That said, I’ve seen enough online and taken immediate action to remove Ava from the company, my channel, and any association with MrBeast. I do not condone or support any of the inappropriate actions. I will allow the independent investigators the necessary time to conduct a comprehensive investigation and will take any further actions based on their findings."

A video that purported to contain evidence of Tyson allegedly engaging in inappropriate conversations with a minor online was uploaded on YouTube in June by a channel called Prism42. In the video, the speaker Prism claimed that Tyson had a friendship with a 13-year-old boy, who goes by @LavaGS, when she was 20, sharing screenshots on X that allegedly show Tyson making lewd jokes with the minor. Prism also claimed that Lava, at age 16, met up with Tyson in a “secluded area."

Tyson and Lava have denied the allegations brought up in the video. “I never groomed anyone,” Tyson wrote on X. “The person who gets brought up in these accusations @LavaGS has vocally supported that they are false.”

Lava denied the claims on X, calling them "massive lies."

"Ava never did anything wrong and just made a few edgy jokes. I was never exploited or taken advantage of," Lava wrote. "This situation takes away from children who are actively being exploited everyday online. I am not a victim of anything being claimed in these videos or at all."

In another message to the YouTube drama channel Daniel Keem (also known as Keemstar) shared on X, Lava said Tyson did not groom him.

Tyson apologized to “anyone [she] have hurt with my unacceptable social media posts, past actions, and to those who may feel betrayed by how [she] used to act online.” Since coming out as trans last year, Tyson has faced growing online harassment, and the allegations in the video prompted a wave of transphobic attacks this week.

Tyson and Lava could not immediately be reached for comment.