Jingle! faces backlash as contracted workers claim they are owed thousands, prompting bankruptcy attorney involvement

St. Louis: A bunch of workers are really upset because they say Jingle! owes them a lot of money. DJ Brandon Shaw was super excited to help create Jingle’s winter wonderland, but now he’s left hanging.
He mentioned he was counting on that extra cash, but it just stopped coming. Shaw claims he’s still waiting for $1,500. He’s not alone; many others are in the same boat.
Another performer, Allen Holston, is keeping track of around 50 people who say they’re owed about $500,000. This includes folks from both the O’Fallon and Kansas City locations.
Holston said they realized this issue was way bigger than just a few people. Some contracting agencies are still trying to pay their workers, even if they haven’t been paid themselves, which could hurt them in the long run.
Shaw’s booking agent told KTVI-TV that she provided 19 acts for Jingle! St. Louis, totaling nearly $28,000, but they’ve only received a fraction of that.
Jingle! didn’t want to chat with KTVI, but their bankruptcy attorney sent a letter saying they’re looking into ways to pay creditors. However, it didn’t mention anything about the contracted workers.
Holston expressed frustration, saying if bankruptcy happens, they’ll be at the bottom of the payment list. That’s a tough pill to swallow.
In an email, Jingle’s CEO Mark McKee said some funds meant for payroll were redirected. He also claimed they reached out to labor departments for help, but Missouri’s Department of Labor said they have no record of that.
The bankruptcy law firm pointed to a shipping port strike as a reason for financial losses, which affected Jingle’s main attraction, an ice skating trail.
Jingle’s PR team expressed regret over the situation, but Shaw is still looking for answers. He pointed out that on one of his performance dates, the place was packed, so he’s wondering where all that money went.
Jingle promised their employees they’d be paid by the end of January, but there’s been no word on when contracted workers will see their payments.