Pokemon Voice Actress Rika Matsumoto in Potential Serious Trouble

Gotta Cash ‘Em All! That is the bind that Pokemon voice actress Rika Matsumoto is facing.

Rika Matsumoto has been the Japanese voice behind Pokemon protagonist Satoshi, or Ash as fans in the US know. For all her time as the voice behind the character, she has made quite an impact and has become a role model for others.

A New Meaning To Gotta Catch Em All For Rika Matsumoto

According to a Japanese outlet, Friday reported that Rika Matsumoto is being accused of embezzling COVID relief funds for struggling artists. The story becomes even more sensational when it was revealed that the accusation was started by Matsumoto’s former manager.

Rika Matsumoto allegedly filed an application for a grant that’s meant to help struggling artists who have been impacted by the pandemic. The report also talks about Matsumoto had a team of six other applicants file with her, but two were deemed ineligible for it due to their titles.

Friday’s report explains that Matsumoto had the group deposit their grants in one bank account that she controlled alone. The story is being brought up now due to one of the assistant learning that Matsumato had created the application in their name without being told about it. Here is what Doug Dinsale, a translator known in the gaming world, spoke about the transaction.

“The assistant claimed [Matsumoto] was quick to anger, prone to changing scripts (for which the asst would have to apologize), and if she were to argue, [Matsumoto] would browbeat her in that Satoshi voice and volume. She also claimed over ten assistants quit in four years,” Dinsdale explained.

When the assistant discovered her name on the grant, Rika Matsumoto’s (former) manager reported the scheme to the city. The program had agreed each member should have been paid directly and the manager was never qualified. It looks like the committee is looking to reclaim the $960 ($99,907 Japanese Yen) from the ineligible applicants.

Rika Matsumoto spoke on the allegation so far and claims she was just “holding the money” for everyone, but did a complete denial when speaking to SPORTS NIPPON newspaper. In the article, Matsumoto places the blame on the assistant for providing the creative information to receive the grant. So far, no legal actions has been made by either Matsumoto or the government. The Pokemon Company has not spoken about the issue as well.

What do you think of this turn of events? Will Rika Matsumoto be let go from her work? Let us know in the comment section or let’s chat over on Twitter! Make sure you stay with The Illuminerdi for more news and content.