LOS ANGELES — Global pop star and actor Selena Gomez is facing a lawsuit from investors who allege they were misled about her involvement in mental health startup Wondermind Global and are seeking to recover nearly US$1.2 million they invested in the company.
The lawsuit, filed Thursday in federal court in Delaware, accuses Gomez and other company leaders of failing to fulfill commitments that investors say were central to their decision to financially back the venture.
Wondermind Global was launched in 2021 with the goal of helping people improve their “mental fitness” through mental health information, resources and eventually digital products.
According to the lawsuit, investors were told that Gomez, whose enormous social media following exceeds 500 million across platforms, would play an active role in developing and promoting the business as its head of marketing.
The plaintiffs allege that Gomez’s celebrity profile, public advocacy surrounding mental health and massive online audience were presented as important assets that could help Wondermind develop into a successful consumer wellness brand.
However, the investors claim those expectations were never fulfilled.
“Gomez purported to sign a contract obligating her to perform and then ignored it,” the lawsuit alleges.
The plaintiffs also contend that several promised elements of the business failed to materialize, including the development of a mobile application.
Their allegations go beyond Gomez’s individual involvement. According to the lawsuit, Wondermind struggled to meet what the investors described as basic corporate responsibilities, including paying employees and vendors on time.
“There was no legitimate enterprise in the works, much less a lucrative one,” the plaintiffs alleged in their filing.
The claims represent allegations made in a civil lawsuit and have not been proven in court.
According to the investors, they were unaware of the extent of Wondermind’s alleged financial and operational difficulties when they invested their money. They claim they only learned about the problems after an online news report detailing difficulties at the company was published in September 2025.
The investors are now seeking the return of nearly US$1.2 million along with legal costs associated with the case.
Gomez, one of the world’s most recognizable entertainers, has frequently spoken publicly about mental health and her own experiences, helping make mental wellness a significant part of her public advocacy.
That connection was also central to Wondermind’s identity when the company was launched.
The startup sought to position mental fitness as something that should receive regular attention in much the same way people exercise to maintain their physical health. Gomez’s international celebrity and enormous social media reach provided the company with immediate visibility in the increasingly competitive wellness industry.
The lawsuit now raises questions about whether investors received what they say they were promised regarding her role in turning that visibility into a functioning and potentially profitable business.
A representative for Gomez did not immediately respond to Reuters’ request for comment following the filing of the lawsuit.
No court has determined that Gomez or Wondermind committed fraud or breached their obligations, and the defendants will have an opportunity to respond to the allegations through the legal process.
For the investors, however, the dispute centres on a straightforward claim: they say they invested substantial money in a celebrity-backed mental health company based partly on promises about Gomez’s active participation, only to discover that the business they expected to be built never developed as represented.
The case could now put the business dealings behind Wondermind — and the extent of Gomez’s responsibilities within the startup — under considerably greater legal scrutiny.