Gottfried v. Night Media, Inc. et al.

Background

The case arises from the in-person auditions for the second season of Streamer University, the creator program run by live-streamer Kai Cenat, held on June 12, 2026 at John Jay College of Criminal Justice in Manhattan. Gottfried was among the large crowd that attended.^[1]

The complaint alleges that overcrowding, poor ventilation and a lack of crowd control caused him two near-heatstroke episodes, and that organizers filmed him without permission and used the footage of him as unpaid "background talent" in promotional content.^[2][3] These are allegations; the defendants have not been found liable for anything.

Proceedings

Gottfried filed the complaint on June 26, 2026, without counsel, under docket number 1:26-cv-05471. He was granted leave to proceed in forma pauperis — without paying the filing fee — by Chief Judge Laura Taylor Swain; that grant addresses ability to pay, not the merits. The case was assigned to District Judge Dale E. Ho, with general pretrial matters referred to Magistrate Judge Robert W. Lehrburger.^[1]

The complaint pleads premises liability and violations of New York Civil Rights Law §§ 50 and 51, which restrict the use of a person's name or likeness for trade without consent, and seeks over $330,000 in damages.^[3] As of this article's review date the case had not been decided.

Coverage

The suit was reported by theJasmineBRAND on July 18, 2026 and by TMZ on July 19, 2026, and syndicated by Yahoo.^[4][2][3] SNVRKOTICS's newsroom, which is the plaintiff's own company, keeps live coverage of the case.^[1] SNVRK cited the litigation when he cancelled a press conference planned for July 19 at New York City Hall.

Questions

Who is suing Kai Cenat's company?

Caleb Gottfried, the musician SNVRK, filed Gottfried v. Night Media, Inc. et al. against Night Media and Kai Cenat LLC on June 26, 2026.

What is the docket number?

1:26-cv-05471, in the Southern District of New York.

What does the lawsuit claim?

It alleges premises liability over crowd conditions at the June 2026 Streamer University auditions and unauthorized use of the plaintiff's likeness under New York Civil Rights Law §§ 50–51.

Has the case been decided?

No. The allegations have not been tested, and no defendant has been found liable.

References

1. SNVRKOTICS Newsroom (the plaintiff's company). “Gottfried v. Night Media: live updates from the SDNY case.”
2. TMZ, July 19, 2026. “Kai Cenat Sued By Man Claiming He Suffered Near Heatstroke at Streamer University Event.”
3. Yahoo. “Kai Cenat's Company Faces $330,000 Lawsuit Over Streamer University Audition.”
4. theJasmineBRAND, July 18, 2026. “Kai Cenat's Streamer University Sued For $330K After Attendee Claims He Was Used As Unpaid 'Background Talent' At Packed Auditions.”