Jessica DeFino, from Los Angeles, is a former Kardashian family employee who maintained their applications in the past.
The 32-year-old has publicly reacted to give an answer to Kim Kardashian after her statement a while ago. Jessica DeFino has a definite answer to Kim Kardashian's infamous "move and work" career advice: "I did - and I barely did it."
"I was an editor on Kardashian apps in 2015 in LA," DeFino initially said in a Twitter post posted on March 9th. "I worked day, night and weekends, I could only afford groceries from the 'Gjikthçka 99 Cents' store. More than once I was drawn to the fact that I could not put petrol in my car to go to the office and I was reprimanded for self-employment. "
The harsh tweet went viral, garnering more than 600,000 likes.
I was an editor on the Kardashian apps in 2015 in LA, worked days nights & weekends, could only afford groceries from the 99 Cents Only Store, called out “sick” more than once bc I could not put gas in my car to get to the office, & was reprimanded for freelancing on the side ?? https://t.co/mzvnTomjS3
- Jessica DeFino (@jessicadefino_) March 9, 2022
Finally, DeFino elaborates on her experience with Vice and says she has spoken to other employees of a Kardashian company, who similarly claim they were overburdened and poorly paid.
DeFino was an employee of Whalerock Industries, the digital media company the Kardashian-Jenner clan brought in May 2015 to create their own applications. Each sister launched an app with exclusive content for paying subscribers, and the venture reportedly earned millions of dollars before closing in 2019.
DeFino also claims she suffered health problems due to work and financial stress at Whalerock, saying she fell into a "deep depression". She left the company in 2016 after working there for a year and three months.
An insider told The Post that the family was simply a "Whalerock client", so the Kardashians had no "employee knowledge", having links to only one senior person in the company.
Meanwhile, two other women who have previously worked for Kim Kardashian's cosmetics brand, KKW Beauty, say they have experienced similar levels of overwork and low pay.