Several podcast hosts have come forward with allegations of non-payment and fraudulent practices against Kast Media, a podcasting company known for featuring prominent podcasts and partially acquired by Podcast One earlier this year.

Kast Media, founded in 2016, has recently faced accusations from podcasters who claim they have not received their rightful payments. Professional wrestling podcaster Jim Cornette was among the first to publicly accuse Kast Media and its founder and CEO, Colin Thomson, of failing to pay for advertising sold on his programs. Cornette alleged that Kast Media used the advertising revenue to invest in other parts of the company, leaving him unpaid for a significant amount.

In response to the situation, Cornette stated that LiveOne, the parent company of PodcastOne, which acquired portions of Kast Media, offered him a deal to pay two-thirds of the owed amount in cash and one-third in stock options. He also claimed that the entire sales team at Kast Media left the organization due to the controversy.

Comedian Theo Von later shared a similar story about his podcast’s dealings with Kast Media, alleging that they were defrauded and taken advantage of. Von revealed that PodcastOne, after acquiring Kast Media, presented a comparable payment plan, offering two-thirds in cash and one-third in stock options.

However, Von expressed skepticism about the offer, believing it was an attempt to boost PodcastOne’s stock price. He voiced concerns to PodcastOne about its business relationship with Colin Thomson but received no satisfactory response.

The total sum owed to affected podcasters is estimated to be in the millions of dollars, with some podcasters claiming losses in the seven figures. Despite these allegations, neither Kast Media, PodcastOne, nor LiveOne have publicly commented on the situation.