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

[Spife]

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

Unfortunately, I completely agree.
Eh, there should be another Super Mass Bros soon, mentioned it to ace but if we get enough people (and trust me, the venue is ****ing great) to have any extra money from venue, I would want to donate all of it.
So everyone should go to that, no taking from the pot.

 

[ilikezelda]

Guys John Keough is in jail for 30 years..... no need to worry about next years tournament hahahahaha.....

 

[GameUnderground]

Yeah... we had no friggin idea. WHY THE HELL WOULD ANYONE DO SOMETHING LIKE THIS TO TEENAGERS AND KIDS? ****.

This is how it went down for those of you that may not know... We put the word out in the Halo scene that Game Universe was looking for companies to start sponsoring our tournaments. John saw it and started coming to our Halo and other tournaments selling XS Energy Drinks. He did this for a few months and everything seemed great. He comes to us and says "Hey I believe that video games could do something bigger let's have a Convention." It was our plan since day one to hold a convention and we told him we can't afford it yet. He said his company would put $10,000 into the convention and that XS had promised to put $10,000 in just for prize money alone. We are psyched that we can do a convention and though everything was on the up and up. He then proceeded to con us for 6 months. I knew he was lying about some stuff but I always just thought he was trying to create more hype or to motivate me somehow... not that he never really had the money.... Dammit.

HE LIED TO US ABOUT HAVING A TV DEAL DONE! The fact that the convention happened is amazing at all.

We also currently have a theory that he broke the light in the hotel himself, and his plan was to stop the convention right then, not pay tournaments and blame it on the kids so he wouldn't have to pay them out. This is just a theory not an actual fact. However, we found out later that day that the hotel never said they would shut us down and had no intention to. He just freaked out for no reason. At the time we just chalked it up to him being under so much pressure from running stuff that weekend. However, now knowing what kind of person he is this seems to make sense.

We also believe he stole XBOX 360 systems from us and rare games. He also may have stolen the lolgu hard drive that has all the Rock Band DLC content that we bought over the last couple of years. We told him the content was worth a TON of money but in my opinion ANYONE ELSE that was at that convention would know that you can just recover your gamertag on another XBOX and get all of your songs back. John being the POSER ***** he is would have no idea of this. Unfortunately, ummm the person who made that gamertag ... can't remember the password so we lost ALL THE SONGS THAT EVER CAME OUT FOR ROCK BAND. Dammit....... Ugh.

You guys are amazing and I really wish I could do or say more right now.

 

[DarkDragoon]

Yeah... we had no friggin idea. WHY THE HELL WOULD ANYONE DO SOMETHING LIKE THIS TO TEENAGERS AND KIDS? ****.

This is how it went down for those of you that may not know... We put the word out in the Halo scene that Game Universe was looking for companies to start sponsoring our tournaments. John saw it and started coming to our Halo and other tournaments selling XS Energy Drinks. He did this for a few months and everything seemed great. He comes to us and says "Hey I believe that video games could do something bigger let's have a Convention." It was our plan since day one to hold a convention and we told him we can't afford it yet. He said his company would put $10,000 into the convention and that XS had promised to put $10,000 in just for prize money alone. We are psyched that we can do a convention and though everything was on the up and up. He then proceeded to con us for 6 months. I knew he was lying about some stuff but I always just thought he was trying to create more hype or to motivate me somehow... not that he never really had the money.... Dammit.

HE LIED TO US ABOUT HAVING A TV DEAL DONE! The fact that the convention happened is amazing at all.

We also currently have a theory that he broke the light in the hotel himself, and his plan was to stop the convention right then, not pay tournaments and blame it on the kids so he wouldn't have to pay them out. This is just a theory not an actual fact. However, we found out later that day that the hotel never said they would shut us down and had no intention to. He just freaked out for no reason. At the time we just chalked it up to him being under so much pressure from running stuff that weekend. However, now knowing what kind of person he is this seems to make sense.

We also believe he stole XBOX 360 systems from us and rare games. He also may have stolen the lolgu hard drive that has all the Rock Band DLC content that we bought over the last couple of years. We told him the content was worth a TON of money but in my opinion ANYONE ELSE that was at that convention would know that you can just recover your gamertag on another XBOX and get all of your songs back. John being the POSER ***** he is would have no idea of this. Unfortunately, ummm the person who made that gamertag ... can't remember the password so we lost ALL THE SONGS THAT EVER CAME OUT FOR ROCK BAND. Dammit....... Ugh.

You guys are amazing and I really wish I could do or say more right now.

D: Just hang in there! We'll do what we can to pull through for you guys!
*goes back to harassing WPI for a tournament*

-DD

 

[Isatis]

So apparently Keough wasn't acting alone.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qKfLxp3j2o8

 

[DarkDragoon]

So apparently Keough wasn't acting alone.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qKfLxp3j2o8

ffs.

I hate humans.
-DD

 

[nevershootme]

did u guys do research about him prior to all the buildup to GameUnicon.

 

[marth126]

What about a tourney to help game unicon stay in business?

 

[Banks]

 

[MdrnDayMercutio]

Unfortunately, I completely agree.
Eh, there should be another Super Mass Bros soon, mentioned it to ace but if we get enough people (and trust me, the venue is ****ing great) to have any extra money from venue, I would want to donate all of it.
So everyone should go to that, no taking from the pot.

I am planning something to help benefit Game Universe. It may not be much that it ends up helping, but EVERY LITTLE BIT CAN HELP. I'm probably going to sacrifice any left over cash from venue fee that I usually take to as payment as I lose a day of work when I host, and put in a good amount of work, to GU, as well as I'll be accepting cash donations of however much at the venue. I may tie in my costume contest idea to benefit as well.

I figure I may not gather much, but that combined with NikoK's tourney, and Jake's paypal account may help them raise something. If it doesn't save the store it will at least help Jamie achieve his goal of wiping any debt that the convention itself owes.

I don't personally care what they use it for, I just really wish to help someone who's been more than willing to give for the Smash Community, and video game communities in general.

 

[Dastrn]

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

http://www.keoughenterprises.com/

Dude he was with Amway. Those ****ers...

Anyone dumb enough to work in a MLM is also probably dumb enough to try the **** he's pulled with this event. What an idiot.

 

[Max Ketchum]

I'm slightly disappointed that nobody looked into his records when he started talking fishy. He did time in prison a while ago, so I understand, for bank robbery? Jesus. :/ Oh well, I guess you didn't have real reason to suspect anything.

 

[Zombie Lucille Ball]

Con men like to con people.

 

[GameUnderground]

I'm slightly disappointed that nobody looked into his records when he started talking fishy. He did time in prison a while ago, so I understand, for bank robbery? Jesus. :/ Oh well, I guess you didn't have real reason to suspect anything.

Yeah we thought he was just a liar on some stuff..... not an insane lunatic. Any time we confronted him on lies he would cause such a huge problem that we just avoided confronting him. We were so deep in with the Convention that we had to work with him.


I totally don't like Sawyer from Lost as much I did before... lol Seriously, this Con keeps making me think about how Sawyer did stuff to people on that show..

 

[balwin]

lol at derp megaman....

can you really feel bad for his wife if she married the scum while he was in prison? what really sucks is that she was running around during the con making sure a lot of the crap happen on time.

 

[ilikezelda]

I guess Jamie doesnt have to worry about getting paid since he'll be right next to John for the next 30 years.

 

[Zombie Lucille Ball]

um what .

 

[Greene Archer]

Yeah..... Jamie didn't do anything wrong, other than trust the wrong guy. He shouldn't be charged with anything.

 

[Max Ketchum]

I guess Jamie doesnt have to worry about getting paid since he'll be right next to John for the next 30 years.

...what?

10wtfs

 

[So Fatal]

I guess Jamie doesnt have to worry about getting paid since he'll be right next to John for the next 30 years.

hey go kill your self. thanks

 

[nevershootme]

more like spam accounts need not posted and to be banned

 

[AtotheZ]

So they just basically trusted a guy they knew nothing about...

 

[noodles]

He worked with the store for a couple of months promoting his energy drink. I guess they felt comfortable with him since hes been around. Itd probably be much different if someone random showed up and ask if they can be partners for a convention.

 

[Spife]

Also it's really easy to trust people. I bought his energy drinks, he seemed legit. He seemed like a guy trying to get ahead. Who else talked to him during those months and thought nothing was up?

 

[The Irish Mafia]

I helped sell his energy drinks

He seemed like an honest and legitimate guy, it's hard to explain. If you'd have talked to him you wouldn't think "There's a good chance this guy's robbed a bank", you'd think "wow what a nice handshake"

He was good at what he did, unfortunately

 

[Greene Archer]

I always had my suspicions, but never really thought anything of it. I did know that XS energy was an Amway product, and that that sort of thing gets really sketchy really fast. Also, I could just kinda feel something wasn't genuine about him, although I'm kinda paranoid, so...

Any real news lately?

 

[Zombie Lucille Ball]

I've been to almost every single mass madness and do not remember him AT ALL... maybe my old man beard skills have trained me to ignore sketch dudes.

 

[Ballistics]

XS energy drink? thats an energy drink used by a pyramid scam company

 

[MattDotZeb]

Also it's really easy to trust people. I bought his energy drinks, he seemed legit. He seemed like a guy trying to get ahead. Who else talked to him during those months and thought nothing was up?

I thought he was.... weird, but I didn't think anything bad was up.

 

[So Fatal]

I saw this guy mainly at the halo 3 tournaments back when I use to enter, I remmber being like, oh hey free energry drinks, cause I thought it was like a free promotion, and he was like NO free drinks, 3.75 for a can and I was like no thanks and he told me to screw off.. I knew something was up with that freak

 

[JCav]

wow this is bad...

 

[Dacvak]

I can add a few more names to the "he owes me" list.

He personally owes me about $75 in reimbursed fees which I figured a long time ago I'd never get back. He also owes my roommate, Mew2King, about $500 in tournament winnings due to bounced checks.

I talked to the guy many times at the event, and he didn't seem shady... Maybe dodgey, though. It was hard to pin the guy down and ask him about my reimbursement. In the end, all he did was give me his personal email and said to contact him after the convention. I did that, and at first he said he'd be paying me back. After a while, he stopped answering my emails, though.

Perhaps they don't have computers in prison.

 

[GameUnderground]

I guess Jamie doesnt have to worry about getting paid since he'll be right next to John for the next 30 years.

YAY I LIKE ZELDA!!!

....

Sorry I will be busy taking the last stand in Massachusetts to keep the video game scene alive....

At the very least I have zero contracts with Keough. None whatsoever not even to get paid.

 

[Rain(ame)]

The best idea outside of the legal suggestion from like page is to take this to the news. I don't know if it's CBS or ABC news that gets to the bottom of that stuff, but usually they make things happen quicker.

The thing about it, is that appealing to the public usually gets things done in general. Once people see how bleak the situation is, the right people will be helped. I feel horrible for the people that got caught up in this mess...business and players.

Another thing would be to write the governor of MA. If that doesn't expedite things, then write to your congressman, and finally the president. I know this seems like a far-fetched idea, but it worked in the past. My mom was getting screwed over on her disability and she took these steps.

Please take these suggestions into consideration, as they are the best I can suggest until I can look further into the situation. I know plenty of people that know how to work the system when they are getting screwed over. (Adversity is one b-word to overcome.) I'll help in ANY way I possibly can.

 

[GameUnderground]

Yeah we called all of the RI news stations that covered the Keough story... they didn't seem to care.

I'm trying to talk to lawyers as I type this actually...

 

[Rain(ame)]

Nah, you need bigger than that. You need news stations that are known country-wide. It won't happen unless you do that. Keep trying, because it's gotta pull through. Also....the writing to the government officials should work as well. Send them all of the information, and wait.

 

[Yuna]

What an extremely unfortunate circumstance for all of the involved parties to have unwittingly (all except for John Keough, that is) walked into. However, the thread title is a bit misleading. It claims Keough is a convicted bank robber.

For one thing, he's not convicted yet (because I've never heard of someone being convicted within 2 days of their arrest. Also, he's not an alleged bank robber. Just a heads up.

 

[Alex Strife]

he was already convicted on a previous charge.

 

[Zombie Lucille Ball]

The thread title says that because apparently Keough had been convicted of bank robbery ("armed robbery related to bank robbery") earlier in his life.

NINJA'D BY ALEX >_<

 

[Yuna]

OIC. Well then, I guess the lesson here is to always run a background check on people when dealing with anything that costs four figures or more.