Jerry Harris, star of Netflix’s cheerleading docuseries “Cheer,” is facing more legal drama amid an FBI investigation into allegations he solicited sex from two minors.
Twin boys, Charlie and Sam, are suing Harris, 21, over sexual exploitation claims.
It was reported on Monday that the flamboyant cheerleader was under investigation amid reports he “solicited sexually explicit photos and sex from a minor”.
After Harris’ representative categorically disputed the allegations, it emerged on Tuesday that Harris is now being sued by 14-year-old twin brothers, who claimed they were sexually exploited by him when they were just 13 years old.
In court documents, the siblings, who are Caucasian, alleged they befriended Harris, who is Black, during a cheer competition in 2018, and were “star struck” by him.
Following a torrent of text messages from Harris requesting nude photos from the boys, they met up with Harris in “secluded locations at various competitions”.
After their mother found out about the sexually explicit messages, she reported him to cheerleading organization Varsity Brands, who, in turn, reported him to the police.
Harris worked for Varsity at a cheer camp last year.
“As a result of the recent allegation, we have barred this person from having any affiliation with Varsity Brands or any of its subsidiaries or affiliates, now and in the future,” wrote Varsity’s Chief Legal Officer Burton Brillhart in letters to police in Florida and Texas.
Since Cheer premiere in January, Harris has covered the Oscars red carpet for Ellen DeGeneres, signed endorsement deals with Schmidt’s deodorant, Panera Bread and American Eagle and racked up over a million followers on Instagram.
Democratic nominee Joe Biden held a chat with Harris weeks before investigators raided Harris’s Naperville, Illinois home.
Harris was part of Biden’s plan to help “win back the internet.”
“If the same percentage of young blacks turned out and registered to vote as the average voter, you’d increase voting by several million people, you could change the outcome of elections,” Biden told Harris.
During a recent episode of the Variety and iHeart podcast “The Big Ticket,” Harris, who was referred to as a “gay icon,” said his late mom was watching over him.
“I feel like she’s very, very happy and excited for everything that’s been going on, and she’s really loving it,” said Harris, whose mother died of lung cancer when he was 16. “I know she’s telling me to always stay humble, because she doesn’t want to see me get a big head.”
Harris has not been criminally charged in the ongoing investigation.
Harris met his cheerleading inspiration, Gabrielle Union, last month.
