This TikTok Influencer Tricked Her Clients Into Going on the Leadership Retreat From Hell

The latest TikTok influencer to find herself under fire is internet-famous business coach Jessie Lee Ward (aka Boss Lee), who has been dubbed the internet's MLM — multilevel marketing — queen.

In early 2023, she found herself at the center of drama after she took a group of women on a retreat in Colombia. Since then, she’s been accused of some pretty heinous behavior. So, who is Boss Lee and why is she trending? Read on for the TikTok tea…

Jessie Lee Ward is a high-ranking ambassador for Prüvit, a nutrition supplement company. However, Jessie is best known for sharing business tips with her massive following.

On LinkedIn, Jessie describes herself as an “energetic achiever with outstanding [communication] and negotiation skills.” She adds that she’s “able to grasp new concepts easily and work well under pressure.”

And boy, oh boy, is she under pressure these days. After she returned from her recent trip overseas, former members and those close to members of the Leehive took to social media with allegations of verbal abuse.

Rumors that Jessie Lee’s retreat in South America didn’t go as planned first surfaced in late January. Apparently, 16 women signed up for the trip, however one of them almost didn’t make it back.

On the first day of the trip, the group had a gay old time. However, things took a turn for the worst on what was supposed to be a two-hour hike. It wasn’t until later that participants learned that the trip would actually take a total of 15 hours.

This was an issue for one of the hikers, who had diabetes. This group member was forced to opt out of the hike, and was later evaluated by a medic.

Jessie later admitted that she intentionally lied about where they were headed to build character. Many insisted that sleep deprivation and heat exhaustion were both tactics used by cult leaders. And we didn’t say that… TikTok did.

Despite the backlash she received online, the influencer not only addressed the claims, but she confirmed them. In a lengthy Instagram post, she doubled down on her methods.

“I absolutely made them walk 10 miles in direct sunlight without telling them where we would end up sleeping on a beach instead of the 12-bedroom villa,” she wrote in the post, adding that the group members who struggled to complete the hike were “at fault for not preparing themselves.”

“Pain is in your mind,” her post continued. "I absolutely had them jump into the black ocean at midnight to surprise them with a swim with glowing plankton. I absolutely only fed them 100% clean meals and forced workouts every single day ending with 3-minute planks.”

“We had fun, but more importantly I got to watch 15 people I lead and love go through a complete metamorphosis,” she wrote. “I don’t take my gifts for granted.”