Kyle Michael Matthews, 31
Charge: Grand Larceny 3rd Degree (Class D Felony)
Details:Arrested at 4:45 AM at 200 W Main St. Matthews, listed as homeless, allegedly stole a 2015 Kawasaki Ninja ZX-6R motorcycle valued at \$9,000 from 233 Mill Street.
Court: Arraigned in Watertown City Court at 9:00 AM
Arresting Officer: Sereenah C. George

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Brooklynn Marie Batsford
Charge: Bench Warrant – Criminal Possession of a Weapon 3rd Degree (Class D Felony)
Details: Arrested by NYSP on 07/23/2025. Allegedly found with a weapon despite prior convictions.
Status: Held for arraignment

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 Aaron Loomis Rutter, 39
Charges:

 Assault 2nd Degree (Class D Felony)
 Criminal Possession of a Weapon 3rd Degree (Class D Felony)
 Details: Arrested at 11:51 PM on 07/24/2025 at 908 Superior St. Accused of striking a victim in the head with a plastic lock sheet holder causing injury.
 Court: Arraigned in Watertown City Court
 Arresting Officer: Hayley E. Maguire

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Billy Joe Barnett-Martin
Charges:

Aggravated Unlicensed Operation 3rd Degree
Operating Without Insurance

 Failure to Stop at a Stop Sign
  Details: Stopped on 07/24/2025 at 8:18 PM. Released with three UTTs.
  Return Court Date: August 12, 2025
  Location: Watertown
  Officers: Joshua M. O’Hearn, Joseph Giaquinto

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Amanda Lynn Serrano, 42
Charges:

Criminal Mischief 4th Degree (Class A Misdemeanor)
Harassment 2nd Degree (Violation)
 Details: Arrested on 07/14/2025 at 4:45 PM at 1011 Huntington St. Accused of damaging property worth \$160 and physically assaulting another person during a domestic incident.
  Arresting Officer: Virginia K. Sherrill

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By Atticus Trash | Trash Media Group

What started as one of VTubing’s boldest experiments—a talent-first agency built on freedom and transparency—has ended in disgrace, bankruptcy, and legal questions that could shake the industry. VShojo, once celebrated for putting creators first, now stands accused of withholding over $500,000 in charity funds, failing to pay its own talent, and leaving fans and vendors out thousands of dollars on unfulfilled merchandise orders.

The collapse didn’t happen overnight. It’s a story of broken promises, mismanagement, and a desperate gamble that turned into the most explosive scandal VTubing has ever seen.

VShojo launched in 2020 with a unique pitch: unlike other agencies that owned talent IP and dictated every move, VShojo promised freedom and fair pay. Its CEO, Justin “Gunrun” Ignacio, a Twitch founding engineer, sold creators on transparency and trust.

For years, it worked—or at least it looked like it did. Talent rosters grew, conventions featured VShojo panels, and collaborations with major brands made headlines. But the seeds of collapse were planted in September 2024, when VShojo’s brightest star, Ironmouse, decided to break records for a cause close to her heart.

On September 2, 2024, Ironmouse launched a marathon Twitch subathon that would shatter all records: over 300,000 subscriptions, millions of views, and a tidal wave of community goodwill. But this wasn’t just a personal milestone.

It was pitched as a charity event. Half of all revenue from the subathon would go to the Immune Deficiency Foundation (IDF)—a cause deeply personal to Ironmouse, who has lived her entire adult life battling a severe immune disorder.

The promise wasn’t rumor—it came straight from VShojo leadership:

This public commitment set the tone for the entire campaign. Fans subscribed, donated, and spread the word, believing they were funding a life-saving mission.

The final tally? More than $500,000 promised to IDF.

But over a year later, the IDF hadn’t seen a dime.

On July 21, 2025, Ironmouse announced her immediate departure from VShojo in a heartbreaking statement, citing “broken trust” and confirming that the promised charity donation was never delivered.

Her words were blunt:

“I cannot continue to be part of an organization that has withheld funds raised for a charity so close to my heart.”

Fans were stunned. Other VShojo talents began quietly removing branding from their profiles. Rumors of NDAs and unpaid wages poured in. And then the dam broke.

Two days later, Justin Ignacio released a statement admitting full responsibility for VShojo’s failure and announcing the company’s shutdown.

“I acknowledge that some of the money spent by the company was raised in connection with talent activity, which I later learned was intended for a charitable initiative… At the time, we were working hard to raise additional investment capital

to cover our costs… We were unsuccessful.”

But here’s the problem: Justin knew. The receipts don’t lie. That October tweet promising charity wasn’t a misinterpretation. It was a deliberate, public pledge.

This isn’t just bad optics—it’s potential misappropriation of charitable funds, a serious legal and ethical violation.

As more creators broke silence, a grim picture emerged:

Kson: unpaid since September 2024.

Projekt Melody, Zentreya, Haruka Karibu, GEEGA, Henya: reported late or missing payments, forced silence under strict NDAs.

VeiBae: exposed internal secrets after NDAs collapsed, confirming a toxic, financially desperate environment.

What started as one person’s fight for accountability became a mass exodus.

If you thought it ended there, think again. Enter MKRO + Infinikey, the companies behind VShojo’s high-end keyboard collabs. Their July 24 statement revealed a new layer of the scandal:

“All sales and transactions were managed exclusively through the VShojo store… At this time, we have not received an order from VShojo and are actively working to gain clarity.”

Translation: VShojo took fan money for merch, never paid the vendor, and never delivered product details. This includes:

Pre-orders for Projekt Melody and Henya keycap sets.

Earlier in-stock sales for Ironmouse, Zentreya, and Haruka—likely including anime convention sales.

Fans are now scrambling for refunds, with many turning to chargebacks. This isn’t just mismanagement—it’s edging into consumer fraud territory.

By July 25, it was over. VShojo formally announced it was shutting down, citing lack of funds after burning through $11 million in investment.

Justin’s final words to the community?

   “I am deeply sorry… You did not deserve this.”

But apologies can’t erase the fact that talents were unpaid, fans were left hanging, and charity funds never reached their destination.

Justin’s Oct 2024 Tweet: Promises half of Ironmouse’s subathon revenue to IDF.

Justin’s July 2025 Shutdown Statement: Claims he only “later learned” funds were for charity.

Both can’t be true. And the timeline suggests something worse: VShojo used earmarked donations as a last-ditch lifeline to keep the lights on.

So what comes next for Vshojo now that operations have ceased?

Legal Trouble: Misuse of charitable funds can trigger state AG investigations and lawsuits.

Civil Liability: Fans and vendors may pursue action for unfulfilled merch orders.

Industry Impact: Sponsors will rethink deals. Creators will demand transparency—and agencies will face scrutiny like never before.

Meanwhile, Ironmouse has raised over $1 million for IDF through a new Tiltify campaign—proving the community’s faith in creators, even as agencies fail them.

VShojo promised a revolution. Instead, it delivered the biggest betrayal VTubing has ever seen. Let this be the warning: without transparency and accountability, even the brightest stars can be dragged into darkness.

Trash Media Group © 2025

Amber Lee Burns, 34, Homeless – Charged with Trespass after officers observed her unlawfully remaining on posted city property at Factory Square Park. She was issued an appearance ticket returnable to City Court on July 28 at 9:00 a.m.

James Stuart Davis, 46, of 204 Winslow St, Watertown – Arrested on multiple occasions:

• • July 21: Charged with Menacing in the 3rd Degree following a domestic incident in which he allegedly threatened a woman with a vacuum cleaner tube.

  • July 21 (later the same day): Charged with an additional count of Menacing in the 3rd Degree after reportedly yelling threats to kill the same woman, causing her to barricade herself.

  • July 23: Charged with Criminal Contempt in the 2nd Degree for violating a stay-away order of protection. Davis was found in the protected party’s bedroom.

Xavier Emillel Mantock, 33, of 245 Central St, Watertown – Arrested July 21 and charged with:

• • Obstruction of Governmental Administration 2nd

  • Criminal Possession of a Weapon 4th

  • Disorderly Conduct
    Officers responded to a complaint involving a knife; Mantock reportedly resisted a lawful frisk and was observed chasing a male with a knife and pole while yelling threats.

Christopher Allen Jesmer, 48, of 526 Curtis St, Watertown – Arrested July 21 and charged with:

• • Petit Larceny for stealing a bicycle from the roof of a vehicle.

  • Criminal Mischief 4th for slashing the tires of the same bicycle.

Billy Joe Kyne, 48, Homeless – Arrested July 22 and charged with Reckless Endangerment in the 1st Degree, a Class D felony. Kyne is accused of pushing a full-sized refrigerator off a third-story balcony, placing individuals below at grave risk.

Colby James Lacomb, 41, of 119 Girard Ave, Watertown – Arrested and charged with:

• • Harassment 2nd: Physical Contact

  • Endangering the Welfare of a Child
    Lacomb allegedly struck a 12-year-old with a charging cable, leaving visible injury.

Kshaun Tyrone Murphy, 31, of 515 Bradley St, Apt 6, Watertown – Arrested July 23 for Criminal Trespass in the 2nd Degree after entering a condemned and clearly marked residence.

Jonathan Eric Labarge – Arrested July 23 on an active bench warrant issued by Watertown City Court for Disorderly Conduct and Resisting Arrest.

Daniel Eugene Keruskie, 47, of Glen Park – Arrested for Petit Larceny after allegedly stealing merchandise valued at $19.99 from Ace Hardware.

Kelly Marie Devoe, of Watertown – Cited for Operating a Motor Vehicle Without Insurance and Driving with a Suspended Registration. She was issued traffic tickets and released, with a court appearance scheduled for August 6.