You Deserve Answers

Accusations of embezzlement and charity fraud led to a criminal investigation into the Open Hand Foundation, prompted by content creators. While the investigation concluded without finding evidence of fraud, the speaker admits to serious moral mistakes, including misleading statements about donations and a significant delay in disbursing funds. The speaker details the foundation's origins, the personal struggles involved, and the complex process of navigating charitable giving and public scrutiny, emphasizing that no money was stolen.

The speaker addresses controversies surrounding Twitch revenue, claimed expenses, and the foundation's tax status, asserting that all donor funds were accounted for and ultimately went to charity. The narrative also delves into personal attacks and conspiracy theories spread by the creators, including false claims about family matters and the speaker's mother's death, all while highlighting the speaker's personal journey of accountability and a desire to rebuild trust and continue creating content.

• Accusations of embezzlement and charity fraud against the Open Hand Foundation led to a criminal investigation.
• The speaker admits to moral mistakes, including misleading statements and delayed donations, though no evidence of fraud was found.
• All donor funds, totaling $459,129.90 from Indie Land efforts, were accounted for and intended for dementia research.
• The speaker refutes conspiracy theories and personal attacks, explaining the complexities of charitable donations and organizational expenses.
• Despite personal and professional fallout, the speaker aims to rebuild trust and continue creating content, acknowledging past errors.

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Origins of the Open Hand Foundation and Personal Motivation [4:04]

• The Open Hand Foundation was officially launched in 2013 after the speaker's mother passed away from frontotemporal dementia after a 16-year battle.
• The foundation's mission is to raise awareness and funds for dementia research, educational tools, and to support affected families.
• The family's frustration with how their contributions, both financial and biological, were handled by UCSF contributed to the foundation's inception.
• The speaker personally became involved in the foundation when they felt their platform could make a significant impact.

This is where the Openhand Foundation began. And with it, the need for knowing how charitable contributions actually get spent.

Indie Land and the Discovery of Undonated Funds [5:26]

• In 2018, the speaker and friends created Indie Land, a live stream event to play and promote indie games, raising money for charity.
• Indie Land ran for 6 years, involving physical challenges and community engagement.
• After the fifth show in November 2022, the speaker learned that the Open Hand Foundation had never made a contribution since its founding, with all raised money untouched and unaccounted for.
• A disagreement arose between the speaker and their family regarding the immediate donation of funds versus establishing contracts for bulk, restricted donations.

Only then did I learn that the Openhand Foundation had never made a contribution since its founding, and there were no official partners.

Family Dynamics and Personal Responsibility [9:03]

• The speaker grew up in a first-generation Lebanese immigrant household, with a dominant father who had strong expectations for their career path (engineering or law).
• The speaker's choice to be a video producer and gamer was a departure from these expectations.
• Despite not having the final say on major decisions for the Open Hand Foundation, the speaker accepts full responsibility for the outcomes due to donors' trust in them.
• The core issue identified is that nobody embezzled or touched any money; no crime was committed or covered up.

Regardless, the outcomes were absolutely my responsibility because all of you at home donated your hard-earned money and time and did so with your trust in me in mind.

Public Accusations and Criminal Investigation [10:41]

• Shortly after Indie Land 2023, content creators Carl Jops and Mudahar released videos accusing the speaker's family charity of not making contributions and making misleading statements.
• The creators directed viewers to report the charity, leading to a criminal investigation by the Department of Justice.
• The speaker felt terrified during a call with Carl and Mudahar, struggling to be transparent about family infighting and donation challenges.
• The creators acknowledged there was no evidence of embezzlement, offering a sliver of hope for resolution.

The rest of what's publicly available to all of you is essentially me having a panic attack while trying to be transparent with two creators I respected at the time, all at the behest of throwing my friends and family under several buses.

Donation to AFTD and Subsequent Investigation [13:51]

• On November 29th, 2023, the Association of Front Temporal Dementia (AFTD) received $600,000 from the Open Hand Foundation.
• The day after the donation, the Open Hand Foundation received a notice of investigation from the California Department of Justice.
• The speaker's priority was ensuring that the $459,129.90 raised by Indie Land donors would go towards dementia research.
• Legal counsel advised everyone to remain silent regarding the ongoing investigation.

All receipts were being sent over and per legal advice, everyone's mouths were to be kept shut.

Personal Fallout and Apologies [15:51]

• Following the response video, financial, legal, and community support disappeared, leading to the dismissal of employees and the closure of the office.
• The speaker admits to hiding the truth and not taking full accountability, causing further harm.
• Apologies are extended to moderators, fans, donors, past employees, friends, and collaborators for the hardship and betrayal caused.
• The speaker expresses deep gratitude to friends who were instrumental in Indie Land and TOVG's ambitions.

I put all of you in an unbelievably difficult situation. And for that, I am deeply sorry.

Impact of Donations and Future Commitments [19:13]

• In July 2024, AFTD provided a report detailing how the Open Hand Foundation's contribution was used.
• An outside party matched $200,000 to the donation, bringing the total to $800,000 for dementia research, education, and care.
• This funding supported various grants for researchers and a respite care financial assistance program, providing direct cash grants to 753 families.
• The Open Hand Foundation has committed to continued donations to AFTD for years to come.

For whatever it's still worth, I want to genuinely thank each and every one of you who donated over the years.

Addressing Misconceptions: Donation Process and Twitch Revenue [22:31]

• The speaker clarifies that donating directly through a website's donate button or Venmo/PayPal was not feasible for the foundation, as restricted donations were necessary to ensure funds went to dementia research and avoid administrative costs.
• Negotiating with organizations is difficult for smaller sums, and $600,000, while significant to the community, is considered small in the broader charity world.
• All Twitch bits and subscriptions received during Indie Land were donated to the charity. While Twitch income is taxable, the equivalent amount was donated in real-time to ensure accuracy and that dollar-for-dollar, everything went to charity.
• Revenue for Twitch bits and subs for every year of Indie Land is available, with $459,129.90 contributed to the Open Hand Foundation.

Simply put, it was functionally impossible for us to just donate the money in a website's donate button section while being responsible to the people who donated to us and the cause that we represented.

Expenses and Company Contribution [26:39]

• The claim that Indie Land was used to earn money through claimed expenses and gain clout is refuted.
• Indie Land became increasingly expensive to produce, with "That One Video Gamer" shouldering all expenses, totaling approximately $88,000 over six years.
• This cost did not include the tax burden from processing Twitch bits and subscriptions or the hundreds of man-hours from employees.
• The team volunteered additional time, driven by their passion for indie games and support for dementia victims, not for clout.

In short, we spent tens of thousands of dollars of my company's own money to run a charity that we did not get paid for, not for clout, but because we cared.

IRS Delinquency and Detractor's Conspiracy Theories [29:46]

• The Open Hand Foundation's delinquency status with the IRS was due to legal counsel being instructed by the Department of Justice to withhold tax filings during the investigation, not non-compliance.
• This delinquency status has since been corrected, serving as proof of cooperation with the investigation.
• The speaker addresses the creators' perpetuation of conspiracy theories, including personal information leaks, stalking, and harassment.
• One conspiracy theory alleged that the family donated personal funds to cover stolen donor money, which is categorically false, as no evidence of embezzlement existed.

This delinquency status is the charity equivalent of an unpaid parking ticket and gets cleared whenever OpenHand files a specific form, which they've already taken care of.

Addressing Family and Personal Conspiracies [32:21]

• An outrageous conspiracy alleged the speaker's father poisoned their mother to worsen her condition or cause her diagnosis. The speaker shares their mother's autopsy report to confirm she died of frontotemporal dementia.
• The speaker addresses a personal matter regarding their father dating his current wife while still married to their mother, clarifying that it was a complicated situation and his current wife helped care for their mother.
• The speaker asserts that creators Carl and Mudahar are not journalists but YouTubers who have perpetuated misinformation without issuing corrections.
• These creators have incorrectly cited laws, requirements, and charity rules, and have not admitted to any errors.

The truth is that despite what they claim, Mudahar and Carl are not journalists, accountants, lawyers, or even engineers. They're YouTubers just like me.

The Path Forward and Personal Reflection [42:22]

• The speaker acknowledges that life has fundamentally changed, with shattered friendships, different family dynamics, and a damaged public image.
• This marks a new beginning for the speaker and "The Completionist," with a focus on making new kinds of videos and streaming on Twitch.
• The speaker is now working alone, without their company or team.
• Hard lessons have been learned, and the speaker hopes to earn back trust and make supporters proud.

This is a new me, a new adventure, a new chapter. I learned a lot of hard lessons these last few years.