Who Is Amber Lendof Vargas? James Charles' Drama Explained

Amber Lendof Vargas, a former employee of Spirit Airlines, said that she is at the center of an online row with influencer James Charles.

Charles made headlines and prompted widespread backlash last week after he posted a video criticizing a person who had reached out to him for financial help by sharing a GoFundMe link after losing her job at Spirit Airlines.

Charles has since apologized for the video and has been widely criticized for his remarks, with influencers including Tana Mongeau and Trisha Paytas condemning his remarks.

In videos shared on TikTok, Vargas identified herself as the person Charles was addressing in a controversial since-deleted video and refused his apology. She is among 17,000 people who have been affected by the sudden Spirit shutdown. Donations to her online fundraiser have since soared.

Newsweek has contacted a representative for Charles for comment, reached out to the GoFundMe press team and contacted Vargas via social media message. Spirit Airlines declined Newsweek's request for comment when reached via email.

Controversy Over James Charles TikTok Video Explained

Charles is a YouTuber and make-up artist who has often been criticized during his time in the public eye.

In the video, Charles said that he had received a DM from a woman who said that she had lost her job at Spirit Airlines and that she had shared a GoFundMe link with him.

He then laughed in the video and said: "You know what else would help you? Getting another job. Try that, because in the time it took you to copy and paste the same f**** ass message to me, who you don't follow by the way and to 100 other influencers and celebrities, you could've applied to a hundred other jobs because you're a lazy piece of s** and you're entitled. Why would I ever help you?

"You're not a fan, you don't even follow me, you've never supported me, this is your first time DMing me, and you think that I'm going to send you money because you lost your job? Welcome to the real world, sweetheart. People lose their jobs every day."

He deleted the video and released an apology video in which he said that his actions were "stupid," "rude" and "unnecessary."

"It was obnoxious, and I shamed her for asking for help in a situation where she was clearly really struggling, and this could have been her absolute last resort," he said.

Paytas and Mongeau shared videos on TikTok criticizing Charles in the wake of the fallout, which reignited a discourse about influencers being out of touch.

Mongeau said in a video viewed 1.3 million times: "Your initial reaction is not only rage, but public rage? I am aghast…I think it's so disgusting. We as influencers do owe the people who watch us and our fans and just people in general our money…Our entire source of income is based on the fact that the working class feels connection to us."

Paytas meanwhile, said on her podcast, a clip of which was shared to TikTok and viewed more than 890,000 times, that "he [Charles] does not deserve his platform," adding that "it's kind of like his duty to help people once in a while."

What Has Amber Lendof Vargas Said?

Vargas, 30, said that she was previously employed at Spirit Airlines at Boston Logan Airport. She is based in Massachusetts, according to her GoFundMe page.

She posted a video to TikTok, where she said: "It's me. I'm the girl that James Charles talked about in that video."

In the video, which has been viewed 3.7 million times as of reporting, Vargas answered questions that people had been asking her and said that she plans to continue working in aviation, noting that she loves working in the field.

She said that she had received an apology message from Charles but does not accept his apology.

"Hell no," she said. "I don't accept his apology, especially because he was very public with what he said, and then he thought it was OK to message me privately."

In a separate video, she posted what appears to be a screenshot from Charles. Newsweek has not independently confirmed the veracity of the screenshot.

The official account for GoFundMe commented on one of Vargas' videos: "Hey Amber! We're so glad we found your TikTok (thank you to everyone who flagged it in our DMs!), and wanted to let you know that we're watching this closely and are here to support you as best we can."

Her fundraiser has raised more than $40,000 by midday on Friday.

Charles has not responded to her video or confirmed that his video was about her.

What We Know About Spirit Airlines Shutdown

Spirit, which filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in November 2024 and August 2025, shut down operations this month, marking the largest U.S. airline failure in more than two decades, as 17,000 people lost their jobs and thousands of flights were canceled.

The airline, which had operated since 1992, announced an "orderly wind‑down" and told customers not to go to the airports. The shutdown stems from mounting financial pressures, including rising fuel costs and a failed restructuring effort. Spirit's leadership said the airline lacked the liquidity to continue operating despite attempts to secure new funding.

The shutdown ended more than three decades of Spirit's role as a major low‑cost carrier in the U.S. market.

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This story was originally published May 15, 2026 at 10:15 AM.