Waist trainers are a well-known obsession of celebrities and Instagram models, but it's no secret that the slimming garment is pretty controversial. Studies suggest that not only are the benefits of waist trainers unproven, but they might actually do significant damage to internal organs if worn too long and too often. 
Well, looks like customers are starting to wake up and smell the fraud. Waist Gang Society, the biggest fish in the waist training market and the go-to trainer for the Kardashians, is being sued for deceiving customers of the effects of their products. 
"These 'waist trainers' do redistribute fat to other portions of the user's body, thereby creating the perception of a fit and trim waist. However, Defendant claims that the Products actually burn fat and control the user's weight," according to the complaint obtained by the Daily Mail. "This is completely false and misleading. The Products have absolutely no effect on fat loss."
Meanwhile, it's not all bad news for Waist Gang Society and all the other purveyors of modern-day corsets. The Fader ran a study on the micro-economy the quest for a trim waist has spawned and concludes that it's been great for female small-business entrepreneurs. 
“The waist trainer hustle is like an expanded, modern-day version of Avon sales or lingerie parties,” as they’re “most commonly sold by small, independent businesses often owned by women," according to the piece. 
According to The Fader, Jamie Porter, who owns Waist Snatchers, "has five employees and sells around 300 units a week, retaining approximately 80 percent of the $75 to $100 retail price of her products as profit." Nicole Rodriguez, of Nicci's Diva Boutique, was able to support her family with her business after seeking a "less stressful" line of work following two decades of military service.
If these ladies are making enough to pay the bills from selling waist trainers, Waist Gang Society's Premadonna, the industry leader, must have a mini-empire on her hands. Unless, of course, this lawsuit takes away a huge chunk of it.

(Photo: Khloe Kardashian via Instagram)