I have a VERY serious CRIMINAL complaint for the staff of this convention:

[kiyomonster]

 >:(
I volunteered for this convention as I have in the past, only after buying and waiting for my badge, do I find out that the required amount of volunteer hours have doubled without notice,, making it impossible for me to have my badge refunded. However, as inconvenient as this is, it is NOT what I'm complaining about:

On Sunday, May 29th, after an INCREDIBLY stressful and disappointing convention experience that had included a lost badge, I was negotiating with a member of Fanime registration staff (I believe her name was "Samantha" ,she was Asian) for a printed replacement to my volunteer badge without having to pay another 80 or more dollars, as I can't possibly afford that, ONLY so0 that I could attend the B&W ball with my partner and that we could have a single dance together, be able to forget about everything bad that had happened to us over the weekend, and then be able to leave the convention on a high note, despite all that had occurred beforehand.

She,(the Asian female staff member at reg named Samantha) and her Fanime staff superiors demanded a form of collateral from me for this, and as I have no ATM or Credit cards, I was forced to relinquish my California EBT card, for which I receive public assistance including food stamps. I was told to tell no one about this arrangement and return the badge tomorrow morning to get my food stamps back.

Yes, you read that right.

The staff of Fanime, San Jose's largest anime convention, is holding a low-income person's public food benefits hostage over a ticket to their (now since ended) Japanese cartoon convention.

I told them quite clearly: "Without this card, I will starve or have to beg or steal, because I am poor, and I need it to eat." I could not have been clearer.

Needless to say (and many of you already know what happened), my partner's dress attire was *somehow* disqualified after waiting so long and taking for so much trouble to somehow attempt to save what was turning out to be the worst convention experience of our lives with a single, romantic gesture: one, formal, dance.

But that never happened, because the cloth black hoisery that we had selected to accompany her Chinese style red dress were deemed "leggings", a thing strictly verboten by fanime gestapo! (specifically a large, very heavy set caucasian female staff member who remained seated in front of the dance, barring us access, and making threats and calling security) whereas i had seen other females leaving wearing cheap 10$ garter stockings that could have been bought from a local sex shop, but their attire was apparently "classy enough"?

Anyway, that incident ended with us being threatened with security, and then another staff member (female, caucasian, brown hair and bad attitude) used VERY underhanded means to confiscate my replacement badge (without warning and WITHOUT CONSENT) making me unable to return it for my EBT card which I need to eat, because I am poor .

This is only and the final warning I am giving. If I do not receive my EBT food stamps card back from convention staff in five (5) days, I will file a formal complaint of welfare fraud at the social services agency in San Jose on Senter road on June 9th, which is the day I am supposed to recieve the benefits i need to survive, and also is the day i am scheduled to meet with my social worker (yes, I'm so poor that there is someone working in the city of San Jose who's JOB it is is to check in with me regularly and ensure I am still alive and not homeless).

I fully expect this complaint of fraud to be takenseriously. I was bullied and coerced into giving it as collateral., just so i could go to a dance with my romantic partner, and in the end we were not even allowed that. I would like everyone reading this to know that if an immigrant person (like my father) had owned a seven eleven store and had done what offical fanime staff have done to me - had had confiscated a low-income individual's EBT card for collaterol on a debt - that convenience store owner would lose his business and go to FEDERAL PRISON for WELFARE FRAUD.

I am fully 100% serious about bringing criminal and civil charges against FanimeCon, its staff, and its board of directors, starting with welfare fraud, and starting with your registration staff worker Samantha, if this situation is not made right.

I'm going to end this by saying that the nepotism, elitism, cliquishness, selfishness, abuse of power and downright corruption exhibited by all levels of fanime staff has ruined what was once my favorite convention.

Every year for the past three years I have had to complain about this, and be told that staff was 'fixing' things, and that next year will be better. Enough.

Unless systematic, top to bottom changes are made to the operation and management of this convention,  do NOT ever expect a dime from me, or a minute of my volunteer time towards your convention EVER again,  I would rather simply enjoy the convention from the streets outside (and the inside of various hotel rooms).

Thank you for your time,
Kiyo Ouchida-Sharif.

[drzoidburg]

Interesting, so first, from what a recall, a reprint is half the price the first time you lose it, as I legitimately lost mine. Seeing as you said 80, that's a lie, as a full weekend badge is 75 and a half weekend badge on a Sunday, when b&w ball occurred is I believe 65.

Second, volunteer has been 20 hours for a full reimbursement of a full weekend badge for a long time, so unless you are telling me it is now 40 hours for reimbursement, you might as well join staff if that's the case, that's another lie.

Third, I doubt she demanded your ebt card, so you were silly enough to hand over your ebt card. On that note, she gave you a FREE reprint and you're complaining when everyone else that forgot or actually lost their badge had to pay for a reprint? Wow, if Fanime never does charity again, I'll know who to blame. Negotiating for a replacement?

That leads to a fourth point, there is no volunteer badge. From your picture, that's a full weekend badge with what volunteers department gives to attendees to want to volunteer. You are an attendee everywhere else when you're not on shift. So when you were negotiating for a replacement,I say be glad that you got a reprint for free instead of being charged.

Your ebt card that you so willingly handed over is probably with your volunteer head. If you had gone back for it like you negotiated instead of lie and now have two badges for the price of one, you'd have your ebt card, if this story is true at all since you've so far lied throughout it. You probably gave your free badge to your partner.

I get it, trying to play the sympathy card with having one dance with your partner, but don't go blaming other innocent people for your mistakes. From what I saw, registration worked their butts off this year and for you to come and try to demean their work for your petty reasons? Good, don't volunteer,I see they aren't losing much with you not volunteering. I'm glad someone shady like you isn't helping the rest of us register and attend the con. I hope you get black listed for this nonsense.

[Timmy Tommy]

 :-\

[Konekogami]

So, I'm in agreement with drzoidburg, and I have a few things that I would like to add.

1. The staff did you a favor.  They allowed you to get a new badge without having to pay for it.   How were you forced to hand over your EBT card?  The way I see it.. what most likely happened was you went, gave some sob story about how you can't afford a new badge, and someone was kind enough to give you one. Even if collateral was involved.. that's not forced.  You agreed to it.

2. Unless you made a scene, I highly doubt that they threatened to call security.  Avoiding this would have been simple.
Don't meet the dress code? Oh well. Like go back to the hotel and watch a movie? meander the con hall? Maybe politely ask if there's anything you could have done to meet the dress code?  ( By the way, using words like "gestapo" making comments about someone's weight, and saying that people look liked they got their clothing from a sex shop is.. well quite vulgar )

3.  You claim that a staff member used underhanded means to confiscate your badge (without warning and without consent ).... They don't NEED your consent to take your badge.  it says right on the back of it that qualified staff may revoke your badge and access to the convention at ANY TIME FOR ANY REASON.

4. You're missing the part of the story where you made an effort to get your EBT card back.  Because even without your badge, it would have been as simple as going to registration, showing your ID and explaining your situation.   .. Unless your going to claim that you have no ID.

[drzoidburg]

I just read something very interesting on ebt cards. It's from the front page of their website.

"REMEMBER:
Do not sell, trade, or give away your food benefits, EBT card, or personal identification number (PIN).
Do not allow a retailer to buy your food benefits in exchange for cash.
Do not let someone else use your food benefits or EBT card.
People who do not follow the rules for the CalFresh Program, formerly known as Food Stamps and federally known as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), may be disqualified from the program, fined, put in prison, or all three, and may be required to pay back any misused food benefits."

You just stated you gave away your ebt card for a $38-75 item. As stated by the Food Stamp Act (7 U.S.C. 2024), you just admitted to committing a misdemeanor. Thank you. Your post has been screen shot and you picture of your badge had been saved. Have a nice day.

https://www.ebt.ca.gov/caebtclient/reciplogin_client.jsp

[kiyomonster]

you are an idiot, i didnt trade anything, i was coerced into relinquishing the only collatoral i owned by you people believing i would be getting it back. i admit i made the mistake of trusting any of you.

i cant believe the ammount of contempt for the ppoor but oh wait right these are forums my god

i am literally down to cherios anyway I just the fucking thing back so i can get some god damn beans.

no one is responding to my calls and texts.

the con is over

give me my card back. dont pretend youre a lawyer. i am dealing with this through this with my case worker now and i know exactly who has my benefits card.

i did nothing wrong other than trusting pathetic priviliged little shits like you to have a shred of moral decency or integrity in dealing with other people.

i hope you fucking go hungry some day. i hope it hurts. i hope you are unable to sleep at night. i hope you have to face the very real prospect of choosing between a full stomach and basic neccesties like clothing and shelter.

i hope you suffer a long, chronic, painfull and fatal illness that you cannot afford to treat which causes you and your loved ones horrible pain and suffering.

I just read something very interesting on ebt cards. It's from the front page of their website.

"REMEMBER:
Do not sell, trade, or give away your food benefits, EBT card, or personal identification number (PIN).
Do not allow a retailer to buy your food benefits in exchange for cash.
Do not let someone else use your food benefits or EBT card.
People who do not follow the rules for the CalFresh Program, formerly known as Food Stamps and federally known as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), may be disqualified from the program, fined, put in prison, or all three, and may be required to pay back any misused food benefits."

You just stated you gave away your ebt card for a $38-75 item. As stated by the Food Stamp Act (7 U.S.C. 2024), you just admitted to committing a misdemeanor. Thank you. Your post has been screen shot and you picture of your badge had been saved. Have a nice day.

https://www.ebt.ca.gov/caebtclient/reciplogin_client.jsp

[kiyomonster]

I am fully prepared to identify myself, I have ID, and the card can be returned to my case worker by mail, we dont ever have to deal with each other or speak. It's that simple.

I have nothing to hide

[drzoidburg]

Um, i'm not part of the convention... And to wish so much ill will on someone who is simply stating the flaw in your argument, that's quite vindictive and childish.

You went to the ball Sunday... If your card, which gives you the ability to stay alive, is so important as you've stated several times, why didn't you return Sunday night after being turned away, or all of Monday to get back your card? Did you go to retrieve your card at all? You have yet to tell any of us if you went to get it back. If you went and they refused to give you your card, that's a different story, but from what you've told us, you didn't do that at all. You kept your free badge and forgot about your ebt card. Did you email the department you were working under, as in the volunteer department?  Instead of throwing a tantrum at people on the threads, email volunteers and ask if they have your card that you willingly gave away.

If I gave my epipen as collateral to get my gf into the ball, I'd get my epipen back as soon as possible as without it, if I had an allergic reaction, I'd die. I wouldn't wait 7 days and then post on a forum about it. Your priorities seem a bit flawed.

I pretended to be no one, I simply read directly from the government website with the link I provided. Anyone with basic knowledge of the Internet can find that information. You assume too much in your claims and insults.

you are an idiot, i didnt trade anything, i was coerced into relinquishing the only collatoral i owned by you people believing i would be getting it back. i admit i made the mistake of trusting any of you.

i cant believe the ammount of contempt for the ppoor but oh wait right these are forums my god

i am literally down to cherios anyway I just the fucking thing back so i can get some god damn beans.

no one is responding to my calls and texts.

the con is over

give me my card back. dont pretend youre a lawyer. i am dealing with this through this with my case worker now and i know exactly who has my benefits card.

i did nothing wrong other than trusting pathetic priviliged little shits like you to have a shred of moral decency or integrity in dealing with other people.

i hope you fucking go hungry some day. i hope it hurts. i hope you are unable to sleep at night. i hope you have to face the very real prospect of choosing between a full stomach and basic neccesties like clothing and shelter.

i hope you suffer a long, chronic, painfull and fatal illness that you cannot afford to treat which causes you and your loved ones horrible pain and suffering.

I just read something very interesting on ebt cards. It's from the front page of their website.

"REMEMBER:
Do not sell, trade, or give away your food benefits, EBT card, or personal identification number (PIN).
Do not allow a retailer to buy your food benefits in exchange for cash.
Do not let someone else use your food benefits or EBT card.
People who do not follow the rules for the CalFresh Program, formerly known as Food Stamps and federally known as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), may be disqualified from the program, fined, put in prison, or all three, and may be required to pay back any misused food benefits."

You just stated you gave away your ebt card for a $38-75 item. As stated by the Food Stamp Act (7 U.S.C. 2024), you just admitted to committing a misdemeanor. Thank you. Your post has been screen shot and you picture of your badge had been saved. Have a nice day.

https://www.ebt.ca.gov/caebtclient/reciplogin_client.jsp

[Konekogami]

I fail to see how you could have been coerced into giving away your EBT card.

Coerced-persuade (an unwilling person) to do something by using force or threats.

So what did they threaten you with? .. Not being able to attend the con?   I'm actually serious about this question.  How were you "coerced" as you put it?

You couldn't pay.  The staff allowed you to get a new badge FOR free.

And you didn't answer the question.. during Fanime, did you make any attempt to get your EBT card back? Because, like I said before, even without your badge, you should have still been able to get it back ( I assume your EBT card has your name on it, correct?) by showing your ID.   Now then, if you went to the staff, showed them your ID and asked for your EBT card back.. and they refused, then you have all the right to complain!  But as your story goes.. you made no attempt to get your card back until now.



( Also, personally I live well under the poverty line, and I'm on welfare.  I manage to go to Fanime by saving up, doing jobs like baking, house sitting, pet sitting, etc, and using part of my tax return after I pay for necessities or any home repairs.  So I hardly have contempt for the poor.  I just have contempt for people who have bad attitudes. )

[M]

This thread has gone too far. We have received your report and will look into it. Due to legal threats, I am unable to comment on any of this.

Please refrain from attacking anyone on these forums.