Rizin Atomweight Champ Seo Hee Ham Alleges She’s Victim of Embezzlement

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2007年、日本で初試合をしました。その後諸岡秀勝社長とその奥様であるイー・ユンシックさんと日本の団体ガ提供する大会に出ました。今まで、この15年間二人だけを通じて日本の団体が提供する試合に出ました。 いつも私のことを“娘と同じだ”とおっしゃてましたので、私も彼らをお父さん、お母さんだと思いながらちゃんと従いました。 5年ぶりにまた日本で試合をすることになって、また諸岡さん夫婦を通じて試合を提供されたのです。その際、彼らは私に一言も言わずに私のファイトマネーの一部とボーナスを横領していることがわかったのです。その金額がもし10万円か20万円ぐらいだったら私にために苦労をしたのをわかっているにで、その努力について感謝する気持ちもあるのでそんなに深く思わなかったはずです。 二人はいつも私にこう言いました。韓国選手たちに試合を提供しても選手たちから一円も撮っていないと。韓国の選手たちがくるといつも赤字だと鳴き声を出しましたので、私もいつも心が重かったです。 二人についての悪い噂もいっぱい聴きました。でも私はそれを信じなかったのです。それは本当のことではないと思いながら今まで一緒に試合に出ました。 でも証拠が一つずつ見始めたのです。その際15年間重ねてきた信頼が崩れ始めたのです。 彼らは私が日本で7月、10月に二階の試合をする間300万円ぐらいのファイトマネーとボーナスを何も言わずに横領しました。あれを知って今までどれぐらいのでお金を私から横領したのか、韓国の選手たちみんなのお金をどれぐらい横領したのかなっと思いつきました。 今まで15年間お父さん、お母さんだと思っていた彼らだからこんなことを書くことについて深く考えて悩みもしました。私を始め一所懸命トレーニングする他の選手たちが被害を受けないことを望んでこんな話をすることになりました。 今も彼らは謝りたい気持ちもなく新しい選手達を探して試合に出しているのです。反省すらしない彼らに失望しました。彼らと彼らみたいな人たちがこの格闘技業界から排除されることを望みます。そしてそんな人たちに従う選手や関係者たちももう出てこない世界になることを祈ります。

A post shared by 함서희(Seohee Ham) (@ham.zzang) on Jan 1, 2020 at 4:10am PST

Rizin Fighting Federation atomweight champ Seo Hee Ham has gone public with allegations that a management team has been embezzling money throughout her career.

On Wednesday, Ham posted to her Instagram account an allegation that Hidekatsu Morooka, along with his wife, are accused of embezzling money from her since she started working with them at the beginning of her career. In the last year alone, she claims that they have siphoned off upwards of $26,000 in her fight earnings. After her big win at Rizin 20 mere days ago, Ham decided it was time to say something.

In a statement, Ham wrote (via translation from electimes.com):

"I moved into Japanese pro MMA league, making my debut in 2007. Hidekatsu Morooka and his wife, Yoon Sik Lee, were my [management team] and I could made a contract for my fight in Japan through them. They've treated me like a real daughter, so I respected and followed what they said until 2014. Five years have passed since then, and I started to fight in Japan again. And of course, I got reunited with Hidekatsu Morooka and his wife to work with them.

"But recently I figured out that they're embezzling my fight money. If the sum involved is small, I will be able to forgive what they do. Because they always says that they received no extra money to make a fight for Korean MMA fighters in Japan and complain about big deficits. So I appreciated their effort, [feel] sorry for them, and didn't believe the bad rumors about their embezzlement.

"But with recently discovered proof, I have lost all faith in them. They embezzled my fight money twice in 2019, and the total comes out to 30 million Korean Won [roughly $26,000]. I think it's not just me who got mugged, maybe a lot of Korean MMA fighters got scammed by them.

"I hate to say this, cause I believed and followed them for the last 15 years. But I know that I must step up now, [because] I hope there will be no more innocent victims. Hidekatsu Morooka and his wife are still looking for [an] MMA fighter and making a fight in Japan. There was no contrition and no apology, so I'm very disappointed in their actions. I really want them out in the industry, and urge all the MMA fighters to avoid them."

Former Road FC queen Ham won the Rizin atomweight strap against former three-time foe Ayaka Hamasaki at Rizin 20 by split verdict. The four-time Ultimate Fighting Championship vet has not lost a fight at atomweight in her career, including her five bouts prior to joining the Las Vegas-based promotion as well as the six following her release. Since receiving her walking papers from the UFC, Ham has scored four knockouts -- the first four of her now 31-fight career.

Editor's note: This item was updated at 8:25 p.m. ET to clarify that Ham's claim of embezzlement is focused on a management team, and not an MMA promotion.