Artists Beware - This Company Is Targeting Small Businesses (Kiru Made)

Overview

The video alleges that Curamaid/Kirimade (operating under multiple names and subsidiaries) is a predatory company that targets artists, freelancers, and small business owners. It claims the company leverages the reputations of well-known artists while withholding payments and royalties and using poor documentation to avoid accountability.

Core claims and reported pattern

• No/unclear royalties and missing sales documentation: Multiple contributors say royalties are not reliably sent. They also report that when artists request sales reports, the information is incomplete or not provided, allowing the company to offer payments “arbitrarily” without proof of what is owed.

• Extended non-payment of labor and merchandise:

  • The narrator claims they’ve tried to get paid for two years.
  • Across “dozens” of artists, the video estimates total owed is $100,000+ (likely higher).
  • Typical individual debts are reported around $2,000, with some claims far larger.

• Use of trust and credibility marketing: The company is described as appearing legitimate because it “represents” or collaborates with successful artists, including artists displayed on major retailer sites (example cited: Kidrobot). The video argues this credibility is used as part of the manipulation.

• Freelancer exploitation: One contributor links the operation to hiring freelancers (including a Malaysian 3D modeler) and later failing to pay them. Their work is allegedly reused for mass production without payment.

Case study: “Ange / Pikarar Online” and the toy collaboration

Initial outreach and shifting timelines

• Ange says she was contacted through extensive direct outreach and agreed to collaborate on vinyl toys, believing the company had relevant production experience.
• The deal timeline is described as repeatedly changing, with excuses tied to different convention targets (e.g., Anime Expo → DesignerCon → SJ Made Holiday).
• Later claims reportedly included production issues requiring remakes/corrections.

Reported unit shortfall and disputed inventory

• Ange’s key grievance is that she received only 30 of 250 units initially.
• She later reports being told the rest were discarded or no longer available after her correction requests, while allegedly never receiving proof or images of the remaining inventory.

Event representation and payment disputes

Ange also claims she was used for event representation (booth labor) at:

• Emerald City Comic Con
• Sakura-Con
• Anime Expo

She alleges:

• Emerald City Comic Con: She was not paid, and negotiations allegedly involved deducting profits that she says didn’t exist.
• Sakura-Con: She describes better treatment, but still claims she remained owed money.
• Anime Expo: She says this labor was eventually paid via an invoice, but that it only partially resolved the broader financial disputes.

Alleged use of the toy issue to delay payments

Ange argues the toy dispute was used to delay or reframe payment discussions, and she alleges the company asked her to continue work despite non-payment.

“Hyde” / X post and detailed Google Doc allegations

Another artist referenced as Hyde is said to have publicly warned others after failing to collect payment for about a year of work related to conventions and product promotion.

The video claims Hyde’s Google Doc alleges:

• High expectations for free/low-compensated work, including event-planning-type tasks.
• A disastrous first convention setup due to missing inventory and lack of branding/signage/pricing, requiring the artist to handle much of the setup.
• Delayed or substituted compensation, including clothing orders used to offset wages (Hyde alleges these also never fully arrived or were inconsistent).
• A “get out of jail free” style settlement offer allegedly paying only about half of the agreed amount, followed by further non-payment.
• Additional misrepresentations involving excuses tied to government/bank transfer failures and the alleged inability or unwillingness to provide receipts.

Royalty and consignment/in-store sales allegations

The video suggests the company’s structure may allow unpaid artist revenue to be treated as “profits,” “expenses,” or offsets rather than transmitted as royalties.

It also claims:

• Even when artists’ work sells in consignment/wholesale stores, artists may not receive royalties.
• Some artists reportedly did not even know their work was generating sales.
• Examples are provided of artists not receiving money for multiple years, including a cited claim of at least one artist missing earnings for four years.

Broader conclusion and warnings

The video concludes there is a consistent pattern of:

• delaying tactics,
• withholding payment,
• lack of proper records (sales reporting),
• shifting blame,
• and using credibility from famous artist collaborations to attract more victims.

It warns that the company appears to keep recruiting artists and that consumers may unknowingly have purchased products made or curated through the operation.

The video emphasizes:

• taking precautions,
• confirming payment terms in writing, and
• checking for red flags—even if the company markets itself through well-known artists.

Presenters or contributors

• Narrator (unnamed in subtitles)
• Ange (also referred to as Pikarar Online, co-owner of Happy Hue’s)
• Hyde (artist contributor; posted warnings on X and is referenced as the source of a detailed document)
• “Ez” / Ez (referenced as Ez / Ezra, director of Quremed)
• “S” / S (referenced as a director/primary contact in parts of the account)
• Kiramade/Kirimade freelancer/3D modeler (named only indirectly; contributor testimony references the unpaid freelancer via a Facebook warning)
• Kiro Chong / Kiri Chong (referenced as the author of a public Facebook warning about a client who didn’t pay freelancers)