David Hester, former star of A&E’s hit reality show “Storage Wars,” filed a wrongful discharge claim in violation of public policy against the network and production company on Tuesday. Hester asserts that he was terminated in retaliation for voicing his opinion in regards to the reality show’s allegedly staged and fraudulent practices in rigging the contents of the storage units up for auction.
“Storage Wars” follows buyers who bid for abandoned storage lockers hoping to find valuables that they can sell for a profit. The buyers only have a few short moments to peak inside the abandoned storage unit before determining whether they are going to bid on the unit at an auction. Hester claims that some of the auction footage on the show is staged, which directly violates the Communications Act of 1934 prohibiting broadcasters from rigging contests of intellectual skill with intent to deceive the public. Further, according to Hester’s complaint, he complained to senior production staff about his suspicions regarding the producer’s “salting and staging of the storage lockers” and his belief that those practices were “unfair, unethical and possibly illegal.”
Hester also complained that the producers stopped putting valuable items in the storage units he was bidding on, but continued “salting” the other units. According to the complaint, the “defendants manipulated the outcome of the auctions and made it appear that the other cast members were more skillful bidders since they routinely purchased lockers containing valuable items and Hester did not.”
Hester is seeking damages upwards of $750,000.00 for the alleged wrongful discharge as well as other claims including a breach of contract and a breach of an implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing.