The Super Bowl’s ‘Chief Kindness Officer’ had 5 felony charges, and allegedly underpaid his staff

Did you know the NFL has a “Chief Kindness Officer”? Neither did we. It’s an invented, honorary position the league made up this year to “promote sportsmanship, empathy, and positivity both on and off the field.” Essentially the Chief Kindness Officer is there to make sure everyone are friends and they have a good time.

This year’s Chief Kindness Officer is Dhar Mann, a YouTube content creator who predominantly makes videos for kids. This might all seem fine, but Mann’s history is … interesting to say the least, and not always “kind.”

• In 2010 he was accused by his business partner of running what he called a “hyrdoponzi scheme” when Mann pulled out of WeGrow, a hydroponics cannabis business.
• In 2012 he was charged with 13 felony counts for defrauding an Oakland city beautification program by submitting fraudulent checks that made it appear as though he was paying contractors more than he actually was. The 13 charges were reduced to five and he pled no contest on those charges.
• In 2023 actors employed by Dharr Mann Studios claimed they had poor working conditions and unsustainable pay. Mann’s representatives said they were a “small number of employees” and rejected the claims. The actors allege that they were still making the same meager funds as when the company started, despite the company growing to over 17 million YouTube subscribers.

So there’s your “Chief Kindness Officer.” I’m sure this isn’t simply about the NFL trying to attract a younger audience.