Storage Wars Accusations and Suit

There are numerous reports circulating that the popular A&E television show has been rigged with expensive or interesting items being placed into the lockers. I first saw something of the suit in Thursday's Washington Post.

 Radar online the entertainment and gossip site, seems to have broken the story along with news of a lawsuit against A&E by former cast member Dave Hester.  Hester is claiming the units were real, but additional items of interest and value were placed inside them.  A&E has long stated the show is legitimate and not contrived, although they have yet to respond to the lawsuit.

Click HERE to view the Hester lawsuit

Radar broke the story that Hester sued A&E and the show’s production company. Hester charges in court papers that the show is rigged with producers routinely placing valuable and interesting items in storage lockers to be “discovered” by the bidders for dramatic effect and increased ratings. He claims the show fired him after he loudly complained about the escalating practice.

While the network has previously insisted the show is not faked, Radar has now learned that a series of emails and receipts can help prove items were planted in lockers, especially during the reality show’s first season.

“There are invoices, checks and other documentation where the production company actually compensated cast members for supplying items that were planted in the lockers and then ‘discovered’ on camera,” one source with knowledge of the situation told Radar exclusively.

Here’s how it worked, according to the source: During the show’s first season, producers asked some cast members to provide interesting items that were then planted in lockers and discovered on camera. Those cast members already owned the items so the production company then paid them a “rental” fee for the on-camera usage of the items. This left a trail of emails, receipts and reimbursement checks, Radar has learned exclusively.

“There are emails to certain cast members about items. Certain cast members then sent the production company invoices for items they ‘discovered’ on camera that match the story lines – items they already owned,” the source told Radar. “And then there are checks where those cast members were reimbursed for the items they planted that were discovered on camera.”

Some of the receipts and reimbursement checks are extremely clear about the item being referenced, and those items match what was found on camera!

The evidence is beyond compelling, says the source, adding: “I don’t see how the network or production company can say this never happened.”

Not all cast members supplied items to be ‘discovered.’ For some, the items were provided by the production company, sources tell Radar.

Source: Radaronline