MAKE-A-WISH CHARITY MONEY SCANDAL
It’s been a long time coming, but today I finally saw Frolic Mills defend his name and that of his business. Earlier this year I was privy to some information with regards to why RubyStarlight Writer ceased working for Best of SL. Ruby herself will be saying that it isn’t anyone’s business, but during her time at BOSL she made her business known to everyone and enjoyed and relished in the notoriety that came with the post. So it’s fair to say that with any sort of high profile position you must be able to take the good publicity with the bad, it’s all part of the SL fame game.
It’s widely known in many circles that Ruby doesn’t like me much and slag’s me off when she gets the chance. She doesn’t realise that most people tell me and then ask me why someone could loathe me so much and yet when they are asked why, Ruby says “Just because...”. Intelligent people tend not to accept this as a reason to hate and tend to delve further. Today for all those who have asked me, and I have declined to comment I think I will tell you all why.
Last December there was a Celebrity Fundraiser Auction for the Make-a-Wish Foundation. A lot of money was donated to this and in total over $7,000 USD was raised. Ruby, using the Wish Sharple account name, was the one responsible for making sure that this money made its way to Make-a-Wish.
In March of this year, I was contacted by many people and informed that they had been told that the money raised had still not made its way to Make-a-Wish. Lots of people had tried and failed to get answers from Ruby and found themselves up against a brick wall. The replies that most received was things like “ I don’t have to explain myself to anyone”. You see, when your handling a large sum of money, I’m afraid you do have to explain yourself, because if you don’t people start talking and accusations get thrown. After 3 months I am sure lots of you can see the point here.
Ruby then posted screenshots and explanations for the delays in money transaction on her flickr. These pictures showed account transactions taking place but still there seemed to be a lot of money that had not made its way to Make-a-Wish. Let’s not forget that the event had taken place December of 2008 and this was now mid March 2009.
For a lot of people, these explanations on her Flickr just weren’t enough, as a lot of people worked behind the scenes on the event and they still weren’t getting the answers they had requested. Ruby had even went as far as telling people she had no access to the Wish Sharple account anymore, in which the money was still held. I figured that since Ruby had decided to be difficult and not give people the answers they were entitled to have, that I would now get involved. I made it known to various individuals, that are known for not being able to hold their own urine, that I was asking questions, knowing that Ruby would be told. Then I sat back and waited.
On the morning of Friday April 17th, I decided I had waited enough. While Ruby was tucked up in her bed asleep (because I am 5 hrs ahead in my time zone), I went for a look at these Flickr pictures of the transaction that had been done in March, there was no other pictures on there. I decided that rather than contact Ruby directly, I was going to post something that would get Ruby to contact me directly.
Just as I had expected, later in the day, a new post arrived on Ruby’s Flickr,with a transaction for March 27th. This appeared to be the same info that Ruby had posted on April 7th.
I knew it would be only a matter of time before Ruby called me herself, as a few of her hangers on had decided to come and try to intimidate me on the post I had made. It was strange they would do so, because the post didn’t mention anything to do with Ruby. All it said was, if anyone knew of the location of the missing cash to call me asap.
My plan was working just how I wanted it to work and sure enough Ruby contacted me. Again, as I had premeditated earlier that day (while Ruby would have been asleep) that she would somehow try to convince me, that the transaction had been on her Flickr the whole time and that me being some sort of an airhead, I would have overlooked this vital piece on information.
The first thing she said to me was to have a look at the link to her Flickr and then I would understand. What I didn’t tell Ruby, was that I had a good idea she would throw something up on her Flickr, so I had already took the liberty of looking about 2 mins after she posted it, 2 hrs before this conversation. I had studied each picture in great detail and I took note of the time aswell.
Ruby explained to me that she didn’t think it was fair for me to write about her and I had to remind Ruby that I hadn’t written one word about her. I had just psychologically played with her and in her own mind she thought I had and had drawn attention to herself by telling everyone I had. What I couldnt understand was why people had taken her word for it, that I had wrote some long winded article about her. Dont people look at things themselves? Wouldnt someone have called her out and asked her the locations of the article? Didn't one, just one of her so called friends advise her that it probably wasnt a good idea not to answer questions about holding charity money? Perhaps people have different types of friends, but if it was one of my friends I would certainly have been advising them?
I could tell why so many people had hit a brick wall with Ruby while trying to get information, because she really didn’t see what the big deal was. She was however a bit more vocal with me, but what choice did she have. While I had assumed from looking at her transaction history and pictures on her Flickr, that there was only $696,000L raised, Ruby informed me that there was actually well over 1million Linden dollars raised and that Make-a-Wish owned the account.
She explained that only $2500USD can be withdrawn in a 30 day period from a sl account. She told me that Make-a-Wish legal counsel was in control also, but I decided not to ask her why then the money was being cashed into HER rl bank account and then forwarded to its destination, rather than that of a legal professional or sent directly via Paypal to the recipients.
She detailed that an arrangement was in place, that the money would go to the charity in 3 lump sums. ONE SUM ONLY of $2500USD had been sent and Ruby told me that the other TWO sums would be sent as soon as possible and that all would be documented.
It was now my turn to talk and I asked Ruby if she could understand why a lot of people who had donated money were angry and had contacted me. She agreed, that in hindsight, she should have been more open in talking to people about the money. I advised Ruby that she should have made the amount, still to be transferred to make a wish, visible on her other screenshots and then there would have been no mix up or no accusations. She agreed and told me that it was now visible on the new one.
I left that conversation on what I assumed was a good note with Ruby, not that I gave a damn either way, as knowing her past reputation I would never have had anything to do with her. I was happy despite probably pissing her off and pissing off her friends, who assumed I was calling her a thief, I had made a difference and helped in some way knowing the money was safe. Ruby actually had the audacity (lol, I know I made a few people smile saying that word) to ask me if my conscious was clear. I had no idea why she asked me this, as I wasn't the one sitting with approx $5000 USD in charity funds in my account. I wasnt the one who hadnt answered peoples questions about its location for the past 4 months. I never asked her to explain why she said it, because I knew she still wasnt understanding what I was talking about and never would. This wasnt about charity money, this was all about image and how people would perceive her.
She had over looked that chairty money thing and was now concentrating on what I was going to say about her to make her look bad. Could I have said anything, that could have damaged her reputation further? Personally I didn't think I could and that wasnt my plan either. My adgenda was to make sure that the money made its way to the charity it was intended for.
I left Ruby logging into this site everyday of her Second Life waiting to read something and I deliberatly gave her nothing.
As I mentioned before, saying you hate someone, without reason, will make people wonder why.
What I have found is that as I become more known, people have started to realise that I am not really a bad person. I just don't have much time for bad, malipulative, devious people. So if you hate me and you don't hand over a reason, most now assume I have called you out on something you dont want to talk about. You see, basically you just shot yourself because people will eventually find out, then you just look bad because you hid the reason.
If I have to sleep in my bed every night knowing she hates me because I made her talk about the where abouts of missing charity money, then that is something I will have to live with, but I will do so with great ease.
I was delighted I had found the location of the missing charity money, that many others had spent 4 months trying to locate or ask questions about. I felt contented knowing that the two thirds of the money that was still in the Wish Sharple account,and would make its way to its intended destination eventually.
What I didn’t get answered was, if there was over 1 million linden dollars raised, as Ruby had told me herself, why was there only $696,000L to cash out of the Wish Sharple account? Where is the rest of the money? Who was responsible for that? Can anyone verify the exact amount raised? Did over 1 million Linden Dollars make its way to Make-a-Wish? If not, why?
Today though, a letter that Frolic Mills had wrote was sent out and it interested me greatly.I havent yet had a chance to speak to Frolic Mills, but I will. I did however try to speak to Ruby directly, as she had advised me to do last time we spoke. However, It will not come as a great surprise to hear that Ruby declined to comment. Below is the letter that was sent out.
Regarding RubyStarlight Writer's false accusations:
===============================
October 06/2009
It has recently come to my attention that RubyStarlight Writer has made a number of accusations against me in a series of posts on Plurk where she claims that I never paid her for services she rendered to BOSL and falsely quoted me as saying that I "only either pay or give credit to BOSL photographers [not both]."
Let it be known that I never offered Ruby a paid position or job. RubyStarlight Writer came to me last year saying that she would love to have the opportunity to help me because she was interested in gaining experience and meeting designers. I accepted her help, and as compensation for her time I offered her an office at THE BEST OF SL BOULEVARD where she developed her MUSIC MANAGEMENT business, as well as an apartment at CASABLANCA HOTEL free of charge.
Ruby grew her own business with my help and by trading on her association with the BOSL name, and despite the introductions I made on her behalf to designers, the office, and apartment, she still maintains that I never compensated her for her help.
She also claims in her plurk that I once told her that I "either pay or give credit to BOSL photographers, but not both." Umberto Giano corrected this statement by commenting in plurk that we both pay AND give credit to photographers that are hired by BOSL. Instead of apologizing for her false assertion, she instead mused that perhaps Umberto changed this policy, because according to Ruby, he knows how to treat people and I do not.
Let it be known that photographers hired by me are always paid and credited for their work. This is my decision, and mine alone, and was in effect before Umberto Giano assumed the role of editor-in-chief of BOSL.
I have no idea why RubyStarlight Writer began publicly disseminating these false allegations about me and BOSL, especially when it is her who has a lot of explaining to do, at the request of many concerned parties, about the administration of the donations she collected for the MAKE-A-WISH foundation. Last time she posted about this subject she had only dispersed to the foundation 700,000 L$ out of the over one million lindens she personally collected, as well as the funds collected by Studio Red which were passed to her. But, what the general public, nor the Make-a-Wish Foundation, may not be aware of is that RubyStarlight Writer also held a silent auction at the PATCH THIBAUD AUDITORIUM (which I donated to her for FREE for almost 3 weeks) where she collected over a million ADDITIONAL L$ for the Make-a-Wish Charity.
Over 7,000 USD were collected for the Make-a-Wish Foundation, and yet she has only shown receipts for 700,000 lindens. I am not accusing her of theft, but, since many designers and contributors put a BIG effort into this, I think we are all entitled to see the complete accounts payable on this matter.
It is not my intention to have a 'payback' childish attitude towards Ruby because of her accusations, but I truly believe that RubyStarlight has acted extremely unprofessional and cruel in making up lies about us.
This is a partial quote from the letter she dropped on me when she left BOSL:
"I am eternally grateful for the platform you gave me to launch my SL career, and I will never forget that, and you will always have my backing and support. I wish you and BOSL all the best, and I sincerely do hope my move does not jeopardize the relationship I've grown to appreciate and respect. Thank you again for everything.
Best Wishes,
Ruby"
Well apparently she did forget, and quite frankly it's a shame.
Best Regards,
Frolic Mills.
I will be looking into this in more detail to find out the missing answers to many, many peoples questions and to finally put this whole matter to rest.I would like to add that no one is being accused of theft. I would like to say that the way the whole matter had been handled by Ruby was totally disgraceful, unprofessional and uncalled for. Let it be known that If you are responsible for large amounts of chairty money and you refuse to explain or show the where-abouts of that money, it is inevitable that people will assume the worst. Dishing out divaesque attitude for 4 months will do nothing for your reputation, especially when a simple few transaction screenshots would have been all it took.
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