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Ohayocon Owners Sue Sekaicon for Theft

A fierce legal battle is currently causing a stir in the anime convention scene in Ohio, United States. Two teams, once united in creating successful events, are now facing a major falling out.

The conflict revolves around allegations of trade secret theft and power struggles that could impact the future of conventions.

Lawsuit Allegations and Background

The Cultural Exchange Society (CES), owner of the Ohio-based anime convention Ohayocon, filed a civil lawsuit on January 16th against Sekai Guild – the organizers of the new convention Sekaicon. The lawsuit alleges that former Ohayocon staff members, now working at Sekaicon, unlawfully obtained confidential business information and trade secrets from Ohayocon.

The lawsuit also accuses the former Ohayocon staff of attempting to extort control of the convention from CES President Melissa Ann Phelps – a restructuring attempt deemed fraudulent.

After these attempts failed, the former staff members allegedly used the acquired information to interfere in the business and personal lives of the organizers, publicly defaming them to promote Sekaicon. The lawsuit further reports that Phelps and other members even received death threats online.

Another allegation is directed at Jared Hightower – a former Ohayocon staff member and active member of the "Conventions of Ohio Volunteer Event Network" (COVEN). This group of former volunteers formed to voice concerns about Ohayocon's management.

Hightower is accused of breaching his duty of loyalty to CES by secretly collaborating with COVEN and the "Senior Leadership" to harm CES, and furthermore, cooperating with Sekai Guild to compete with CES.

Example: Theft of Collectible Ribbons

As a specific example of trade secret theft, CES cites the case of collectible ribbons, used in various aspects of the convention.

In a social media post [1], Sekaicon stated that it was "another convention where ribbons play a big role." They also pointed out that other Ohio-based conventions like Colossalcon and Matsuricon also use these ribbons.

The lawsuit seeks damages as well as reimbursement for legal costs incurred.

Event Dates and Personnel Changes

Ohayocon 2025 took place from January 31st to February 2nd, 2025. For this edition, the venue was moved from Columbus to the new Dayton Convention Center in Dayton. In contrast, Sekaicon will be held from April 11th to 13th in Newark, near Columbus.

There have also been changes in Ohayocon's leadership team: In November, Stephen (Fluffy) Baker took over as Conventions Director, while William T. was appointed as Deputy Conventions Director, Xander S. as Head of Operations, and Andrew T. as Head of Social Media, Public Relations, and Marketing.

Background of the Dispute

Ohayocon 2024, which took place in January 2024, ended in a major dispute. Over 91 people – including former senior members and long-time volunteers – boycotted the convention following the dismissal of Cody Marcum, the ">Convention Chairman since 2009 [2], and Erin (last name withheld upon request), the former Marketing Director.

As early as March 2023, discussions began between COVEN and the board of CESI (Cultural Exchange Society International). The demands included, among other things:

Faire compensationA ban on CESI board members receiving above-average compensation compared to other non-board executivesThe immediate implementation of a mandatory code of conductIncreased transparency in financial mattersUpdated work guidelinesThe full purchase and transfer of all Ohayocon trademark materials, including the logo and mascot

Lawsuit Document

Nerd and Tie [3] have reported on the lawsuit (Hamilton County Court Records [4] – Case A 2500277). Initially, the logo was a red cross in a circle on a white background, which was interpreted as a violation of the Geneva Conventions. A new "Sakura" logo – also round and red, but with a white cherry blossom in the center – ultimately led to Marcum's dismissal.

At the request of the Red Cross, the logo was briefly given a blue background, but this was deemed insufficient by the former leadership. After Marcum changed the logo without approval and refused to grant access to social media channels and important login information, the decision was made in October 2023 to remove him and former Marketing Director Erin from the team.

These events ultimately led to the resignation of several senior members and the boycott of last year's event. According to Ohayocon, nine executives submitted their resignations in protest. However, some staff members who had signed the COVEN manifesto were later reinstated to the team.

Summary

The ongoing legal battles in the anime convention scene highlight that legal conflicts can have far-reaching and serious consequences. This case underscores that lawsuits are not a game – they carry risks that can shake trust in established structures and have a lasting impact on both professional and personal environments. A cautious and careful approach is essential here.