Cirque du Soleil acrobat sues circus for $16 million after breaking 11 bones in fall

A former Cirque du Soleil performer is suing the company for $16.75 million after an August 2024 fall during a Kooza show in Portland, Oregon. Mariia Konfektova, a Russian acrobat, alleges she fell 15 feet and that Cirque failed to install safety mats, nets, or fall protection. She claims the incident left her with double vision, a concussion, and fractures to at least seven bones in her face, plus injuries including her skull, wrist, and lower back. Cirque said it briefly stopped the 7 p.m. performance and transported her for examination under emergency procedures. OSHA fined the circus $8,070 for safety violations, though an appeal was reportedly pending.