The voice actress for Ash (called Satoshi in Japan) Rika Matsumoto has been accused of embezzling government funds intended for COVID-19 relief.

Initially reported by Friday with more context provided by translator Doug Dinsdale; Rika Matsumoto allegedly gathered multiple acquaintances and encouraged them to submit for a COVID-19 grant reserved for creatives. Two of the six members of the group reportedly were ineligible in the first place.

Matsumoto allegedly tried to get the government to deposit the grant for all six members in a single account, despite the grant requiring the money be given to each creative independently. One member of the six person group allegedly left Matsumoto’s employ before the application for the grant was even submitted.

Rika Matsumoto is a Japanese voice actress who has been the voice of Satoshi in the Pokemon franchise since 1997. The government has since asked for the return of the allegedly illicit funds that had been granted.

Image: Pokemonblog