SBT sued by biologist over unpaid production costs

Biologist and digital influencer Vinicius Ferreira, known as Vini Biólogo, has filed a lawsuit against the Brazilian broadcaster SBT in the São Paulo courts. The legal action seeks over R$ 1.2 million in compensation for moral and material damages.

Ferreira alleges that he worked for 11 months on the program ‘Expedição Animal’ without receiving payment. He claims that after an initial agreement to provide the first episodes for free, the broadcaster failed to formalize a contract or provide payment as the show aired on Saturdays.

The lawsuit also covers production expenses that Ferreira claims he paid out of pocket, including costs for equipment, travel, and lodging. Ferreira stated that when he sought formal documentation and audience data to establish a professional link, he was instead presented with an image rights waiver that he felt would strip him of commercial rights and credits for his produced material.