Silvervale Can't Hold Tears Sharing Her Experience With VShojo & Gunrun...

0:00 It's better the truth is brought to the light than letting it fester deeper. Yeah, exactly. Um, okay. I don't really know how to start it, so I guess I'll just kind of go right into it. Um, I know people probably have a lot of questions and have been wondering a lot of things. Um, and have wanted to know my side. Um, it feels really weird to be able to finally talk about this. Oh, I was in B showjo for 2 years and 5 months and that is a really long time, but it was a really long time ago. And I was just kind of fully resigned to think that I'd never be able to talk about my experiences and what went on in the company. Oh, it's been years and I guess I accepted that I would probably take it to my grave because of the legality of

0:46 it and I thought I could never talk about it and it's kind of crazy to be talking about it now. Um, I just tried to stay positive and appreciate where I am now and this fantastic community that I've built over the years and I love you guys so freaking much. Uh, it was an experience that me up a lot. Um, but I learned a lot from uh, in the long run. I mentioned earlier on Twitter that I had signed a really strong NDA and I didn't want to say too much. Um, but after doing some research, I feel like it might be okay to talk about it under the circumstances of where the company is right now. So, uh, against my better judgment, I'm going to talk about some things. Um, I know all the news has been surprising to everyone and my heart goes out to every

1:32 single talent who's been affected by this. This has been crazy and the communities who had their trust broken because Vishojo was really special to a lot of people despite everything that happened. It was a big deal to a lot of people, but Vishojo was scummy for a long time. Um, but I never ever could have imagined they would do something this up. Like I'm livid. I'ming livid that they had the audacity toing steal from a charity. Like not only stealing from their members, which is up in itself, obviously, but stealing from a charity is like soing vile. Like that's literally the worst thing you could possibly do. And no one deserves to have their trust abused like this. And VTubers make the agency, not the other way around. And I'm pissed that they kept taking advantage of the people that they were supposed to protect. And I I didn't think that it was still going on

2:18 and I'ming pissed. Sorry. Um I think everyone wants to know how this happened and where the money went and I don't want to think it's out of malice more than incompetence. But with everything coming out, it's hard not to wonder. Like this is reallyed up. I don't know who to blame and I wish I did. I don't know if we'll ever find out. Uh Bisho's staff wasn't all evil. Um, it was made up of a lot of good people who were really passionate and tried their best with what they had. And I had a lot of good memories with a lot of them. I think there was just a lot of mishandling things in the business and people running things that definitely should not have been running them. There were so many internal issues and technical issues and a lot of things

3:04 that just weren't ran professionally at all. There was a lot of incompetence and a lot of a lot of things wrong. It didn't start that way though. I was one of the founding members of Ishojo and in the beginning it was everything I could have ever dreamt of. We got to be cool idols and have cool merch and be this cool official group, a group of people you could look up to that inspired others. And it was dude, it was so special. Like we were a family. We thought of a name together. We were told so many big promises and cool projects and events that we would do. Like I can't even list them all out. They were so cool and there were so many of them. and we didn't do half of them. It was the biggest opportunity of my life. The first months were amazing, but

3:49 I was young, naive, and just excited, and I didn't think anything was wrong. I don't like it feels like a totally different lifetime thinking back on it. Honestly, I was just so excited to be a part of something, you know? Like, I'd only been streaming for a really, really short time. Like, I think like a year, like a really short time, and I'd worked minimum wage jobs for my whole entire life. So being able to be a streamer and be a part of something so cool on top of it was huge. And the original contract was pretty predatory, but like I had no idea at the time, you know, like I was way too trusting. I think we all were. Like we were all so new to this. We were new to the industry. We had no idea. I did notice there wasn't an exit clause. Uh which should have been a huge red flag. Uh

4:35 because that's crazy. But I was really excited and I got them to add the exit clause to all the girls contracts even though it was baffling that it wasn't there in the first place. Like that's if you don't know what an exit clause is, it's the clause that lets you leave the company if something's wrong and that was not there in the beginning. From what I've seen so far, uh, every current talent hasn't been paid on time. Correct me if I'm wrong, but from what I've seen, uh, everyone hasn't been paid, which is crazy. Before I left beh um they owed me tens of thousands of dollars. Like a metric ton of money. Like a lot. Like a lot a lot of money. Like an insane amount. Um like a ton of money. I think originally

5:21 they just hope that we wouldn't catch on to the missing funds. Like I would repeatedly ask how the sponsor payments were going and they would just always say it was in the works or they were waiting on the sponsor. Like so many different excuses. And I know people probably wonder like why didn't you know this earlier? But it took them months to pay out sponsors. So it was easy to lose track and like I didn't know at the time that that wasn't normal. That they weren't supposed to take that long and it was easy to lose track of them. And like you wouldn't have even considered that they would be doing something like that in the first place. Like they're your your your place of work. People you trust. You would never think these people might be not paying me money. Like you would you would never just assume that. So, it took it took a while to notice. And I was livid when I went through all my payment history near the

6:08 end and saw just how much it was withheld from me. It was crazy. And like I always put my whole heart into sponsors. You guys know that. I love them. Um I care a lot about them and they're a big deal for me. And to find out that I haven't been paid for them felt horrible. It's kind of funny and like really sad and up because we've had people over the years come in and be like, "Oh my god, you're Scotty from Smite. Oh my god, I love your Smite skin. Oh my god. And I was never allowed to say that. I never got paid for it. And that really sucked. I was never paid by Vojo for the Ironside PC, Advanced GG, like tons of other sponsors over the years. I forgot about Yeah, I'm Scotty. And uh I never I never got that money. The very first sponsor I even got uh I

6:54 was so excited for it. I think I cried like when I got my very first sponsor. I don't know if you guys remember that. Um, and obviously I cry really easily, so it's not saying a lot, but like it was it was a huge deal to me. And it was the first sponsor that I had after a year of being a V Showjo, which honestly was kind of nuts in itself that it took so long to get one uh when getting sponsors was their main job. And it took them a year to get me one. That's kind of insane. It wasn't even like a big game, but it was my very first official sponsor. And like I was so excited. And that was in 2021. And I didn't get paid for that one either. Like it was it was years. It was years of of this. Uh to put it in perspective, I made more money in the first few months in Mythic than I made in my whole entire time in Bishojo. And I was there for two 2 and 1/2 years

7:42 almost. It's crazy. Yeah. All the way back to 2021 is it was a long long long time. Um and I left I left around when new contracts were being given. Uh, and I contacted someone I knew professionally who introduced me to a lawyer and they were absolutely fantastic and I'm so thankful for them uh, for navigating such a crazy situation. Like this was insane. Um, she said the contract they wanted me to sign was the most predatory she'd ever seen and she like specializes in this kind of stuff. So that was really telling. I had asked Visha to adjust the contract and they refused. Um, which was I wasn't asking for a lot to be changed. Uh but V show was so upset that we had lawyers helping us with leaving and looking over the

8:28 contract and like we were belittled and shamed the to the other talents for using a lawyer which is crazy. Like we were made to look evil and greedy when it was a perfectly logical thing for us to want to be paid what we're owed and for wanting to be careful with something as serious as your livelihood. But we were we were like villainized for that. And um before I left, I reached out to all of the talent that would listen. Um and I suggested they check their payments and I told them that I was owed money and they might be too. I warned as many people as I could. I tried my hardest. I told them as much as they could about everything. And I think it was eye opening for them, but like they had their own reasons for not wanting to leave. uh like wanting to give it more

9:15 time or thinking it wasn't happening to them or like staying for the other members or new members that were coming soon that they wanted to to be a support system for and I completely understand that but I tried I tried my hardest to warn them to warn who I could like I cuz I I I wouldn't have not told them something like that like just as a precaution like just just check you know but I could never have warned anyone publicly um and frankly like if I did who would have even believed me. Bishojo was a huge brand and they had so much power and sway. Like they were terrifying. You may not realize it, but they were they were terrifying. Like the threat of them suing me was very real and it haunted me for a really really really long time. Um like even before it was announced that I was leaving. Uh, I

10:02 had just mentioned in my Discord just like casually that I was stressed and I needed to cancel the stream and they contacted my lawyer because of that and threatened to sue me if I hinted that I was leaving or unhappy at all just because I said I was stressed. So, imagine me saying anything else. Yeah, it was it like they were watching me like a hawk. I think they were watching all of us cuz we were the first ones. We were the first ones to leave. And I love this agency, dude. Like or what I had imagined it would be. It was really special to me and I loved all the memories I made there with all of the girls. It was it was really special. But the internal workings of the agency just got to be so messed up and it was so much emotional torment for us. Like we were lied to and misled for a long time. We were pitted against each other and

10:48 told different things so that if anyone if anything went wrong, we blamed each other instead of the agency. They had leaderboards like internal leaderboards to make us compete against each other. You were considered a problem person for rocking the boat or voicing any concerns. We were told not to discuss sponsorships or what staff told us to each other. They did everything everything they possibly could to compartmentalize all of us and make it feel like we were nothing without them. The internal culture just made it feel like you had to work for brownie points in hopes of like getting their support and adoration. They had convinced us that we were working for them when they were supposed to be working for us. Like, I can't I can't stress enough how trapped it felt like we were. Oh, sorry.

11:37 I got to blow my nose. Hold on. Sorry, guys. This is a lot. I hope it makes sense. Um, I'm just kind of I'm just kind of rambling, but it was it was it was really bad. And we were lied to and misled for a really long time. And I don't think I don't think we realized how bad it was or that this wasn't normal cuz we just wanted them to like us and we wanted to do a good job in a place that was taking advantage of us but we had no idea like I can't explain it but in the moment it didn't like it felt it felt like that's how it was supposed to be even though it was so messed up and I'd wanted to leave um for a while after noticing the lack of payments um but like the culmination of how I was treated really solid

12:23 solidified me leaving and when all of the wizard game stuff was happening, if you guys remember that. Um, I know a lot of people think that I had no support and you can't imagine how true that was. I was put into a call with Gun, the CEO of the company, like someone that I admired and I looked up to and I wanted to please, someone that I thought was the coolest person ever. And he told me that I was a damage to the brand, that I was a disappointment. I was told that me being harassed was an inconvenience to the other talents and not to talk to them. Optics were more important than their own talents wellbeing. And I was suspended from streaming. They said it wasn't a suspension because they weren't

13:09 that kind of agency, but what else do you call being told not to stream? Talent freedom, right? And this broke me. Like it it shattered my perception of everything and it shattered my trust and it just it justing broke me man. Like I have been a part of this agency since the beginning, the literal beginning. Like I was a founding member. I had put in so much effort and time and love into like seeing it grow and to be treated so harshly with no remorse by someone so important to me just ruined me. And when I needed their support the most, I was met with contempt. And that just that just broke me. Sorry. I know I know it was like really heavy [ __ ] but it's just it's just a lot. And um I

13:56 later, of course, reached out to some of the talent and and told them. I don't think I was supposed to, but I told them uh about that and they said they didn't agree, that they were on my side, that they were surprised that I was treated that way. And when we left, they of course discredited us to the staff and the other members as soon as we left. Like they they painted us as troublemakers and problem people that we were greedy and asked for more money. There's like so many horrible things just to avoid the truth that they were stealing from us. And they intentionally announced Vay and I leaving at the same time so it looked like we left together even though Nen wanted to leave at the same time. and they refused to let her leave at the same time because they wanted to look better for them. Like

14:42 it's not like we were all jumping ship at the same time. They literally held her hostage so it would look better for them. And they they advised the towns to stop associating with us. And um I later found out that um they had been slandering me to musicians and artists that I had worked with through V Showjo and um slandering me to companies and ruin potential business partnerships that I was really really excited for for some of my like dream collabs that were going to happen. And like Staff was known to ask which were everywhere. Like they even run some of the really large Btuber clip channels. Um like they they were everywhere. and they had they had their hand in every pie and there was a lot of

15:27 speculation and accusations and like they did everything they could to discredit us. So, and like no one no one know that anything was wrong and all of our concerns were downplayed and lied to and lied about and like we could never speak up to say anything different because like we had a we had a non-disparagement agreement but that that went both ways like but I never would have been able to handle that legal battle ever and they knew that like they were a huge huge company with a lot of money and a lot of power and and we were nothing compared to that and like every time we showed it was a is this like amazing agency that that everyone loves so much. It just made me sick knowing that they were doing this and not being able to stop it or say anything. And I I don't know. I just

16:12 kept hoping that things were better there. New members and current ones weren't being mistreated. And obviously they were, but I just kept hoping that like it got better after we left and they learned not to do that. And I don't know if I can really put into words how much all of this devastated me. Like I'm a really emotional person as you guys know. Um I wear my heart on my sleeve. Um and I feel things really strongly and I can't help it. But like this was the darkest place I had ever been because of this. like I I don't really like too heavy or like depressing or anything, but like um I was in I was in a really really dark place and I was thinking about a lot of

16:57 really dark thoughts and acting on them and like I hope you can grasp just how horrible my mental state was like this. I had lost everything and like my world was torn apart. Like this is the worst experience I'd ever gone through. I had no support. like my world was just destroyed and like I felt so isolated like my own agency had drilled into my head that I wasn't valuable and turned everyone against me and convinced me I was alone that I didn't deserve anything like that they could steal from me and get away with it and it was honestly I was I was so burnt out and I was so sad and I was I was struggling really bad and like I tried really hard not to show you guys but I'm sure you can see the friends.

17:43 But it was it was it was really hard. It was a really dark time. And hopefully you guys can understand that um that how I acted initially after having dealt with all of this like isn't indicative of my character or who I am. Like there was so much going on behind the scenes that affected me so negatively that I couldn't I could never ever talk about it. Like I could never say the [ __ ] that was going on. And it just it felt impossible to navigate it, you know. And I hope, dude, I hope that all the girls can get the money they're owed. I don't know if that's possible. Uh but I hope so. And have some closure from all of this. And I hope they know that they have they have so much support without this stupid agency. Like we all thought

18:29 it would give us value and make us special when we're the ones that made it special since the very beginning. And all of this has been so awful for everyone involved. But, you know, hopefully it can it can bring change for the future and I hope everyone can get closure and it's been it's been heartwarming to see everyone come together and supporting each other. So glad I could finally say this. Hi, Sou. Thanks. Sorry, I have to blow my nose again. I'm sorry. You're the most vulnerable person out there. So strong. Thank you, Sou. I really appreciate it. But like it's not it's not just me. Like we've all been through so much garbage. We've all been through so much. This whole thing has been a nightmare and like it's crazy that that we can talk

19:16 about it. It's been it's been a lot and like I just it just it just sucks, dude. I feel so bad for everyone. Thank you. Thank you guys. And I don't know. I'm I'm glad that I could finally talk about it because like I could never say the full extent of like everything that happened and why I felt the way I did and just how how it was, you know? Yeah. And like it's it's terrible. It's terrible what that it was still going on for so long. Sure feels good to find that out. It does. Yeah. I I feel like I'm in an alternate reality. Like I never thought I never thought this would happen. Yeah. Like and I would I would

20:03 love to know. I don't know if they're going to make a statement. If they're going to I have I have no idea what they're going to do. I don't know if they're just going to like disappear or if they're going to say something. I have no idea. Um I I want to know like where the money went, if it went to like operational costs or like what happened. I uh I don't know. It's crazy. It's crazy that that it all happened this way. Went to the yacht fund. Dude, I hope not. Yeah, it's I mean it's it's baffling. It's baffling that they were still stealing from everyone. Like every single one of the talents they stole from and it's still from charity on top of that is just it's just insane. Like I don't know how they thought they could

20:48 get away with that. And I just I feel so bad for like everyone that was going to join and the people that got strung along and all the people that got lied to and manipulated. It's just crazy. Yeah. Like they have the audacity to do that is nuts. It's just it's insane. And uh yeah, it's it's heartbreaking. It's horrifying for everyone, I think. And it's just it sucks so much. Like I can't even explain. Like but at least you know people can can get closure and know that like it's not okay. The committed crimes. Yeah. Like charity fraud is a big crime. But like we were we were held under that NDA for so long and they were always threatening legal action on

21:33 everything. So like we never knew, you know, that we'd ever be able to say anything. Yeah. Now there's embezzlement. So it's just it's crazy. It's insane. the Oh, yeah. They have my mom sign one. I forgot to mention that. Um, she's not my manager or anything. She's literally just my mom. Um, but she's come on stream with me. And I guess they just wanted to NDA her so she couldn't say anything either because she knew what was happening and what I was going through. So, they wanted to like cover their bases so that she wouldn't say anything either. They didn't find any of my brother though. Um, but yeah, they they ndated my my mother, which is crazy. Um, and I think that was really shady in the first place. Uh, yeah, they

22:22 wanted they wanted to cover their bases every way they possibly could. Like they did not want us to say anything. They did not and I don't I don't think we realized like the full extent of just how up everything was. It was It was a lot. Yeah, it was it was shady. It was shady. It was scummy. It wased up. It's been a lot. I hope you guys can understand that like it was it was a crazy time and we were we were going through a lot and like we didn't know how bad it was until it was too late, you know? Like I I don't know. I I want to think it was incompetence, but at this point it's like how can it just be incompetence, you know? Like especially with the charity just I I don't know. I would love to know. I would love to know. Maybe I don't want to know like what

23:08 what they were thinking like these were the people that you were supposed to protect and support and take care of like that agency was such a big part of their lives. Like when I was in it was it was a huge part of my life. Like I dedicated so much of my mental of my heart to that agency and then they just manipulate and abuse you like that and take advantage of you. Like they I don't know. They had to know. Like it's ridiculous. It's insane. None of you deserve any of that. No one deserves that. No one. No one deserves anything like that. It's just it's so it's so malicious. And like I hope I hope that the other the other girls can get out of their contract.

23:54 Like it's one thing to say like I'm leaving, but like you have to actually get out of that contract. And I really hope that that they're able to. And I don't know. emotion. It's just scary. I mean, yeah, K I think that JP's different. Kan got to just leave just like that. Um, I love her so much. She is so sweet. Um, and it's awesome that she got to just bail out on stream, but I think I think it's a little different on the JP side. But she's wonderful and um it's been really nice to talk to her again and she's been really supportive and sweet and I just I adore the heck out of her. He is so fantastic. So, um she she has a lot of really nice

24:39 things to say and this whole thing has just been crazy. She's like the angry mom you don't mess with. Yeah. Like the fact that they messed with with all these all these talented sweet people like I I don't know. You would you would think that after three of us left because of this that they would stop, you know, like if oh, if some of our talents found out, maybe we should stop doing it. We're more will leave. Like what the Yeah, especially the founders. Like we were founding members and I just I don't know. I don't know where the money went. Where did it go? How many yachts did you buy? Like were they made out of gold? Like what what the [ __ ]