Texas fitness influencer Brittany Dawn accused of scamming clients vows to ‘fight back’
A Texas social media influencer accused of scamming clients who purchased her online fitness and nutrition program is now facing trial in Dallas, and she says she’s ready to “fight back.”
Brittany Dawn Davis, a fitness influencer and owner of Brittany Dawn Fitness LLC who has since adopted a more faith-based approach to her social media presence, is accused of misleading clients who signed up to receive her customized fitness and nutrition packages.
“[M]y time to fight back is here,” Davis, who now goes by Brittany Dawn Nelson on her social media pages, wrote in a Monday Instagram post. “…[J]ust over 4 years. [T]hat’s how long I’ve remained composed, silent and have patiently waited on the Lord. 35,856 hours of my life that I have wept with reverence for Him as I kept hearing ‘do not speak up yet’ as I sat wayside while strangers on the internet slandered, harassed, defamed, stalked, and destroyed my reputation.”
Davis added that though she has “remained silent” while social media users “invent narratives” about her and “come after” her home, family and life, “they have no idea who they’re messing with.”
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“[T]here is a fire building within my heart – like a lion roaring on the inside of me,” she wrote. “[I]f you think you’ll never be found behind an anonymous account and be held accountable for damages, threats, defamation, and slander… think again. Christians might be gentle, but we are not soft.”
The lawsuit filed against Davis and her fitness company alleges Davis did not deliver on the personalized fitness packages, coaching and check-ins that she promised those who purchased one of her plans.
“Beginning in 2014, Defendants profited from the sale of online fitness packages to thousands of consumers with the promise of personalized nutritional guidance and individualized fitness coaching. Specifically, Defendants’ online fitness packages offered ‘macro’ nutritional assessments and, depending on the plan purchased, daily or weekly email training and one-on-one coaching. Defendants’ online nutrition and fitness packages ranged from $92.00 for onetime macro consultation to $300.00 for three-months of personalized macros, trainings, and coaching,” the complaint against Davis states.
But the packages for clients “were not individualized,” plaintiffs allege, and Dawn “failed to provide the promised coaching and check-ins” to her clients.
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“Defendants largely ignored consumer complaints or, if they did respond, offered only partial refunds. In 2019, consumers’ complaints on social media garnered media attention prompting Defendant Davis to make video apology posted to YouTube. Defendants promptly took the website down,” the lawsuit says.
Court filings in the case further state that “the vast majority” of more than $1.5 million deposits to Davis’ PayPayl account “derived from consumer payments through Defendants’ website,” but her legal team has apparently only handed over receipts for a total of $169,000 in payments. The state is arguing that they left thousands of clients out of their discovery.
Davis allegedly posted an apology video and then deleted it, according to prosecutors.
Her trial was scheduled to begin on March 6 but was postponed indefinitely.
Meanwhile, Davis has embarked on a new entrepreneurial journey as the founder of She Lives Freed – a team of 14 women who organize women’s faith retreats that cost $600 per person.
“She Lives Freed was founded by Brittany Dawn after the Lord radically changed her life in 2019, from darkness to light. Her mission is to share the gospel of Jesus, cultivate a community of sisters, and walk alongside women into freedom through the love of our Savior,” the She Lives Freed website states.
The first women’s retreat took place in Austin in January 2021. Since then, the organization has hosted five more retreats, with the next taking place in Oklahoma, according to the website.
