Update: Jake’s Network of Hope issued a new statement that verifies Fatu returned the money in June 2024. A spokesperson for the charity says they “overlooked” the payment from him.
Jake’s Network of Hope has issued a statement on an alleged incident in which Jacob Fatu canceled a charity appearance and didn’t repay the booking fee.
Last year, NBC 26 (Wisconsin) spoke with Jake’s Network of Hope Director of Development, Jenn Harper, who claims MLW star Jacob Fatu no-showed its “Hits For Hope” fundraising event. Jake’s Network of Hope provides toys and hygiene products, among other items, to a variety of organizations.
Harper said Fatu was booked for the event but later said there was a family emergency preventing him from appearing. The organization asked for its money back since Fatu didn’t show up, but he “ghosted” them and didn’t return the payment.
Has the issue been resolved?
The issue resurfaced when a Reddit user on the Squared Circle subreddit posted about the matter, asking if it was ever resolved. As the story got more attention, a man whose wife worked for the charity said that Fatu still has not paid them back.
In a statement to Sports Illustrated, the charity acknowledged that it was dealing with the manner privately with Fatu, and that the WWE Superstar had already apologized for the incident. However, the non-profit did note that the full amount owed “hasn’t yet been repaid,” but did say that they commend Fatu for taking the appropriate steps necessary to fix things.
“Jacob Fatu and our organization are addressing this matter privately, beginning with a phone call and heartfelt apology back in May,” said the company in a statement. “While the full amount owed hasn’t yet been repaid, we appreciated Jacob’s acknowledgment. It can be tough to face up to your wrongdoings, and we commend him for taking steps toward confronting his.”
