In September, renowned creator IShowSpeed broadcasted his encounter with the famous humanoid figure Rizzbot.

Rizzbot boasts over a million followers (and 800 million views) on social media, celebrated for its humorous roasting of various topics and its antics, including giving people the middle finger. Meanwhile, Speed has amassed over 50 million followers (and 6 billion views) on multiple platforms, noted for his theatrical behavior during livestreams.

The events that unfolded during the encounter are at the center of a lawsuit filed in November by Rizzbot’s creators, Social Robotics, against Speed, also known as Darren Jason Watkins Jr., his management team, Mixed Management, and another producer who accompanied Speed that day. The petition, acquired by TechCrunch, claims that Speed caused “irreparable harm” to Rizzbot.

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The lawsuit claims that — and the livestream footage corroborates — Speed hit Rizzbot in the face multiple times, choked it, pinned it down on the couch, and subsequently threw it to the ground.

“Speed was fully aware that this was not a suitable manner to interact with an advanced robot and recognized that such conduct would cause irreparable harm to Rizzbot,” the petition stated. “These behaviors resulted in the complete destruction of Rizzbot.”

The filing indicated that Speed’s treatment of the robot led to “total loss of functionality,” and that Rizzbot suffered “significant damage” to its mouth and neck.

“Furthermore, the cameras in the head are nonfunctional, the connections behind the neck that link to the robot’s sensors for vision and hearing are inoperative, and the robot is off-balance and unable to walk steadily,” the petition claims. The petition seeks damages for losses incurred, including actual and potential profits, although Rizzbot’s legal representatives opted not to disclose the amount being pursued.

Following the incident, the Austin Police were summoned, as noted in the petition and a police report obtained by TechCrunch. The attending officer recorded the damage inflicted on Rizzbot as occurring without the owner’s “implied consent,” and that the owner wished to initiate legal action. The petition mentions that a probe is currently underway.

Speed’s management did not respond to TechCrunch’s inquiry for comments.

When contacted, Social Robotics’ attorney, Joel Levine, stated that the lawsuit was a result of discussions reaching a standstill with Speed’s team concerning compensation for the damages sustained by Rizzbot’s owner.

“This was an event that was broadcast live, so the facts are quite clear,” Levine informed TechCrunch. “We are seeking accountability.”

The petition asserted that Speed “failed to act as a careful, reasonable, and prudent individual,” claiming he “wrongfully exerted control over” Rizzbot. Additionally, it stated that due to the destruction, the Rizzbot team has missed out on economic prospects since Rizzbot is unable to participate in upcoming high-profile events and agreements, including scheduled collaborations with CBS’s The NFL Today and Mr. Beast.

“This is undoubtedly a significant setback for Rizzbot regarding viral momentum and financial benefits from exposure,” the petition noted. “Being part of a MrBeast production is comparable to featuring in a Super Bowl Commercial.”

The petition indicated that in the month preceding the livestream, Rizzbot achieved over 600 million views on TikTok and 200 million on Instagram. However, in the 28 days following the incident, the petition claims that Rizzbot could not produce new content, resulting in a decline of over 70% in viewership. The “intentional destruction of Rizzbot has led to considerable financial loss that may be permanent given the viral dynamics of social media,” the petition stated.

Levine indicated that there has yet to be a formal response to his client’s lawsuit and mentioned that they are still in the initial stages of litigation. Upon being asked for comment, Rizzbot communicated to TechCrunch via email that it had to acquire “an entirely new body” after Speed “destroyed” the previous one.

“Everything’s completely new apart from my Nike shoes and cowboy hat,” Rizzbot said in a statement to TechCrunch. “Now I’m back online, and I feel like I’ve perfected the rizz game, and soon I’ll be focusing on executing complex movements with my legs, like twerking – hope you catch my dancing hips on some new TV appearances soon – stay tuned, fam.”