The story behind GameuniCON 2009 &John Keough Donations to save GU & pay winners UP!

[Pierce7d]

I can't believe I'm just hearing about this. I knew some **** was fishy after Wyatt told me he couldn't get hit money till Feburary. If it was me, I would've opened an account with EXACTLY the right amount of prize money inside, and it would've depleted exactly as people cashed their prize checks. I'm not sure how these things are usually done.

Jason, Wyatt, Trevor I'm close to all of you, so you know you've got 110% of me backing you up on this. Ally, glad you got paid.

GU, I will figure out how I'm going to support you, but for now I can say that if you were to use the building to host 10$ events where there would be no prize, you would probably get a LOT of volunteers, and a LOT of entrants. Even if you don't want to attempt to save a store, we can pay the winners this way, and if people care enough, at least help people who this ****ed over get stability in life for a little bit.

We as smashers are known for being a community. I know we'll make it through this. Also, the last thing I have to say is that I hope that we've all learned from this, and don't let another "John Keough" ever cross the smash community again. We will be responsible for making sure the finances of our tourneys go according to plan.

EDIT: I'm sad to say that this is the first time I've ever really cared that we didn't have MLG sponsering us this year.

Edit 2: On a lighter note, LOL!!!!! @ Mango. I can just imagine you're cocky ***, nonchalant, laid back attitude when you typed that. You're too good.

 

[pwiito]

****, what are the odds of something like this happening XD

 

[Elen]

Thanks for battling the trolls for me Kevin.

I'm going to see what I can do to help save this company.

 

[The Irish Mafia]

My savior .

 

[PB&J]

wow..that suks

 

[Niko_K]

Shameful advertising

http://www.smashboards.com/showthread.php?t=249519

10% of the pot will be donated to Game Universe. If attendance gets large enough I will turn it into a 2 day.

 

[Truuaa]

I hope Jason gets his money back.. I got to talk to him like 2-3 weeks ago at TO5 and i understand where he is coming from so lets just hope for the best and get that money lol... you too mango lol



- uuaa

 

[Elen]

Shameful advertising

http://www.smashboards.com/showthread.php?t=249519

10% of the pot will be donated to Game Universe. If attendance gets large enough I will turn it into a 2 day.

It's things like this that make me remember why I care about this community.

 

[DotHack]

My condolences go out to GU + Smash players who didn't get their money.

@GU - From what I've read so far, he seems to have at least a moderate sized company...Is there a way to assess how much it's worth? If you could then it would make sense that you'd be able to get at least that much out of him.....

 

[nevershootme]

I look at the website itself of his company... just empty blank pages around it. lession, never trust an IBO

http://www.keoughenterprises.com/

 

[Zombie Lucille Ball]

George: (whispering) They cannot arrest a husband and wife for the same crime.
Michael: Yeah, I don’t think that’s true, Dad.
George: Really? I’ve got the worst ****ing attorneys.

lmfao *hands you the thred*

Also, the real lesson in this is never trust anyone from Malden

 

[Prawn]

I'm going to see what I can do to help save this company.

If anyone from NE wins the melee/brawl at Mass Madness they should just donate the winnings to GU.

 

[Cloudfox]

Wow. I want to do more than just offer my condolences, but I really don't know what to say about something like this that hasn't already been said. I really hope everything works out as best it can for everyone, and am sad to hear about the impending loss of both a great venue, and something so important to you...

 

[balwin]

Guys don't mind me, I'm a casual observer, and volunteered with a friend to help at Game Unicon and observed the staff to learn the ins and outs of a gaming con. I'm also familiar with some of the staff of the store. It's sad hearing about all the misery one ******* can cause, to the winners I hope you can get your money, but if Keogh was lying on the gambling license, I don't know what the civil courts, this is massachusetts they want to tax everything, especially money won.

Anyway, I just wanted to let all of you know, Keogh has been arraigned in Taunton, bail is set at $500,000, he won't be holding anyone else up for a long time.

http://www.bostonherald.com/news/regional/view.bg?articleid=1199450&srvc=rss

TAUNTON — A Massachusetts man police say tied up a woman in her own home then led police on a chase into Rhode Island where he threatened to kill himself has been ordered held on $500,000 bail.

John Keough of Malden pleaded not guilty in Taunton District Court on Tuesday to home invasion, assault with a dangerous weapon, armed kidnapping, unlicensed possession of a firearm and masked robbery with a firearm.

Police say the 27-year-old Keough broke into a Rehoboth home on Friday and tied up a woman who lived there. He then allegedly stole the woman’s car and led police on a chase into Pawtucket.

Police say Keough crashed the car, ran into a river and threatened to shoot himself. He was persuaded to surrender after a more than two-hour standoff.

 

[killa k]

****, this is real screwed up. Smashers/gamers in general, shouldn't have to deal with kind of **** doing something they enjoy.

 

[rhan]

I finally had time to read the post and I must say.....

Gawd dam.....

 

[NixxxoN]

Only in America, me thinks o.O;

 

[ArcNatural]

Crazy situation. User group for the people needing rewards might be a good idea.

 

[pockyD]

just put the "important" information into the first post; having two threads is rather pointless

 

[fragbait]

Get your money gents. Do what you can to help that store though, buy their stuff, because they got the shaft, and the solution to keep it running is to put money into it. Do right by the guy who's giving your smashers a home, buy his stuff. Do a tournament, pay him a venue fee. Either way, donations to a private business is not right, even if it seems so in this situation. Do business with him.

 

[Niko_K]

You don't have to listen to the police in this situation. You are in a place right now where you could benefit from public support. Don't cut yourself off from that just because the police don't like media coverage. You guys deserve better.

Anyone who didn't get their prize money at this event can attend Smash and Coffee 3 for free:
http://www.smashboards.com/showthread.php?t=248349

Game Universe, PLEASE listen to this man. Do not limit yourselves in a case like this where your business, and lives are possibly on the line for mass altering. Do whatever you can to bring public attention onto your losses, and John.

Ontario gamers ****ing unite. When america needs help, captain ontario comes to the rescue, even though you ****s don't attend our tourneys.

We're looking into starting a charity tournament (if not more than one) in an attempt to help pay the players who got ****ed for their money. And in the end, possibly GU as well.

OOC people attending helps with this a great deal, as the more people who come, the more money can be donated back to the people who need it.

Stay tuned.

This.

We repeat, Canada is hosting tournaments that will be donating to Game Universe in order to stay alive. The first one is going to be from the renown series of Only in Niagara. It will be on NOVEMBER 14th so it gives you a lot of time to plan. MELEE AND BRAWL.

If the attendance is serious enough I will have the venue for two days.

Please make an effort to attend this tournament to make our efforts worth it.

http://www.smashboards.com/showthread.php?t=249519

 

[metalmonstar]

Have you told the other competitive communities about this, because Score Hero people are talking about trying to get in contact with you.

 

[tankzortz]

Dude... im so srry about this happening
I wish i could do soemthing, but im teen, so yea you get it
hope you get it resolved

 

[Solid Jake]

I guess ill have to check out the halo boards and score hero boards, ill do that now, thanks for the heads up.

http://www.thesunchronicle.com/articles/2009/09/23/news/6150323.txt

 

[-Darc-]

"Keough has a criminal record and served a 3- to 4-year prison term in Plymouth County for armed robbery related to a bank robbery, Brackett said."

Wow.....

 

[So Fatal]

"Keough has a criminal record and served a 3- to 4-year prison term in Plymouth County for armed robbery related to a bank robbery, Brackett said."

Wow.....

Guess he never told GU about this

 

[Solid Jake]

i will be starting a fund raiser to attempt to save GU!

Time is short.. but we may succeed! if we succeed we will then proceed to helping pay back the winners , and those who went negative due to this awful turn of events.

The exact amount and those who contributed will be recorded here

i will get this account up asap, i dont use paypal often, but i will check it out

Niko K is already hosting an event that will benefit this cause!

http://www.smashboards.com/showthread.php?t=249519

 

[So Fatal]

i will be starting a fund raiser to attempt to save GU!

Time is short.. but we may succeed! if we succeed we will then proceed to helping pay back the winners , and those who went negative due to this awful turn of events.

The exact amount and those who contributed will be recorded here

i will get this account up asap, i dont use paypal often, but i will check it out

Niko K is already hosting an event that will benefit this cause!

http://www.smashboards.com/showthread.php?t=249519

put it up and ill put 30 a week in

 

[OFY]

"Keough has a criminal record and served a 3- to 4-year prison term in Plymouth County for armed robbery related to a bank robbery, Brackett said."

Wow.....

Oh ****. I'm not suprised if GU didn't know about that.

 

[Prawn]

I swear next Mass Madness should be the same entry fees and like, 50 percent goes to GU.

Even though some people might be deterred by the lack of prize money I bet New England could still hype it to be the biggest Mass Madness ever.

 

[Alex Strife]

^ there should not be a worry about that pot being 50 % of entry. I think everyone would be ok with it. Heck, I would go no matter what!

 

[Prawn]

Seriously, I'd go if 100% went to GU,

hell it aint like I'd be seeing any of that money anyway haha

 

[Banks]

Seriously, I'd go if 100% went to GU,

hell it aint like I'd be seeing any of that money anyway haha

well that's actually the problem, it would be up to the winner of said tournament to decide if they want to donate their winnings. Because technically it would mean the winner of a tournament giving their winnings to M2K to make up for the winnings of another tournament, since GU is more interested in getting the winners their money.

I'm all for having an event set up specifically for fundraising for GU though, or open donations.

 

[nevershootme]

what about increasing the door fee by a bit with either portion donating to GU

 

[da K.I.D.]

I for one have no problem with M2K/ADHD coming to a tourney, winning it and donating the money they win to themselves so that they get their SNES money...

 

[DarkDragoon]

I for one have no problem with M2K/ADHD coming to a tourney, winning it and donating the money they win to themselves so that they get their SNES money...

Yea, but they do. Smash is their job, quite literally, and they would need the money from THIS tournament in addition to Gameunicon's.
-DD

 

[The Irish Mafia]

Son of a *****.

 

[Scar]

they don't NEED the money

if the tournament didn't take place they wouldn't be making anything, right? and if in advance they know they won't be making anything they'll just go to something else, right?

and i'd be willing to do that if i thought it would make a difference, but the community at large really is only capable of donating 600 dollars at a time if we sacrifice our winnings. they need like 20 to 30 thousand dollars to break even off of this thing.

at the same time, i appreciate that every little bit helps

 

[th0rn]

Open donations is the best way to do it. (or side tourney etc) Don't FORCE people to donate.

Stealing money from smashers to make up for stolen money is dumb.

 

[Scar]

esp cause im gonna win first place