Below Deck Star Files $850M Lawsuit Against NBC Alleging Sexual Harassment: A Legal Battle Unveiled

Emile Kotze, once a prominent figure on the TV show Below Deck, initiated a federal lawsuit against NBCUniversal last year, seeking $850 million in damages. The lawsuit claims harassment and defamation among other grievances.

According to court documents accessed by the Daily Mail, the 2025 lawsuit states, “This legal action stems from Emile Kotze’s coerced involvement in Below Deck Season 3, which was falsely marketed to him as a documentary project.”

The documents further assert that “Kotze experienced sexual harassment, defamation, workplace discrimination, retaliation, and violations of maritime law. Meanwhile, the Defendants have amassed over $500 million from the Below Deck series, a part of a company valued at more than $150 billion, which continues to benefit from illicit practices.”

Kotze contends that the show’s producers depicted him as “immature” and “sexually aggressive,” which he claims has severely damaged his reputation and career.

NBCUniversal has refuted the allegations and argues that the lawsuit should be dismissed.

Kotze claims he was hired as a deckhand for the third season of the reality series in 2015, aged 23, expecting a documentary-style show, only to be drawn into a salacious reality TV drama, per the documents.

Emile Kotze, a former star of Below Deck, filed a $850 million federal lawsuit against NBCUniversal and the show’s producers last year, alleging harassment and defamation; (pictured 2015)

Kotze asserts that he was initially told the show would follow a documentary-style format but was later manipulated into participating in a salacious reality TV production; (Kotze, Kate Chastain, Eddie Lucas, Captain Lee Rosbach, Amy Johnson, Leon Walker, Raquel Bartlow, Connie Arias pictured 2015)

In his lawsuit, Kotze accuses the producers of creating a fake romantic storyline between him and fellow cast member Raquel ‘Rocky’ Dakota, which he says was orchestrated to boost ratings. 

The lawsuit further claims that producers encouraged heavy drinking, set up sexually charged situations, and staged humiliating pranks to maximize the drama.

Kotze also alleges that the producers edited the footage in a ‘highly misleading’ manner, crafting a false and defamatory image of him as ‘immature, incompetent, and sexually aggressive.’ 

According to Kotze’s filings, this portrayal led to his being blacklisted from the yachting industry. 

The lawsuit also outlines the severe emotional toll this experience allegedly had on Kotze, claiming he suffers from PTSD, anxiety, and depression as a direct result of the show’s impact on his life.

According to NBCUniversal’s responsive court paper, the network argues that many of Kotze’s allegations are barred by the statute of limitations and lack sufficient factual evidence. 

‘Plaintiff’s claims should be dismissed as a matter of law because they are time-barred, facially deficient, and otherwise impermissibly seek to restrict Defendants’ First Amendment rights to shape and convey their creative works, including through casting and editorial decisions,’ reads the defendant’s filing. 

The case remains active, with a judge denying a motion to dismiss on January 3 2026. 

In his lawsuit, Kotze accuses the producers of creating a fake romantic storyline between him and fellow cast member Raquel ‘Rocky’ Dakota, which he says was orchestrated to boost ratings 

The lawsuit also outlines the severe emotional toll this experience allegedly had on Kotze, claiming he suffers from PTSD, anxiety, and depression as a direct result of the show’s impact on his life

Daily Mail has contacted representatives for Kotze and NBCUniversal for comment.

After his time on Below Deck, Kotze appeared to pursue several different professional paths. 

According to posts shared on his Instagram account, he worked for a period as a travel agent.

In one post, Kotze is seen attending an event at the African Innovation & Entrepreneur Centre, where he appeared to represent TRN Global. 

Kotze has also indicated on social media that he previously explored acting.

Kotze was born and raised in South Africa, and according to his biography on the Bravo website, he ‘grew weary of the small-town life’ and left his country at 20 with ‘little to his name except a new skipper’s license and big dreams’. 

The profile notes that he was ‘always surrounded by the water – sailing trips on the weekend, cray fishing, and surfing – but never realized he could make a career of it.’

Bravo’s website about the show adds that Kotze ‘came to America with the expectation of doing sales research for his father’s business, but met a Captain who revealed the alternative lifestyle yachting could provide’. 

From that point on, the biography states, he worked as a ‘mate and deckhand on various ships, voyaging around the world, experiencing different cultures, and making the clientele as happy as possible.’