OKLAHOMA CITY – About a dozen dance moms wondering what happened to their cash.
“Ultimately he’s stealing from the kids,” mom, Annie Brooks, said.
The guy accused of fouling up is former Oklahoma State Basketball standout, Obi Muonelo, who launched his fashion line, Young Lad Young Lass, back in 2013.
His latest troubles stem from a botched apparel order.
Star Steps studio owner, Liz Parks, tells the ‘In Your Corner team Muonelo was unorganized, made excuses, and missed deadline after deadline.
“Absolute chaos from the first day,” Liz said.
Checks were cashed, but more than 7 months later there is no sign of the girl’s warm ups.
“They are really disappointed,” Liz said. “[For] a lot of them that was their Christmas present because they were expensive.”
On December 20th Muonelo apologized to Liz in a text message saying, “I will find a way to make this up to you. We will pay. I am sorry.”
So far he hasn’t put his money where his mouth is and there are more complaints.
At least two local retailers say Muonelo approached them about selling his clothing line, “Young Lad Young Lass.”
They allege he took off with thousands of dollars in sport coats that he still hasn’t paid for.
One of those shop owners showed us boxes of Muonelo’s shirts and shorts that never sold and still haven’t been picked up.
We asked the former basketball player for a meeting.
He initially said yes, but canceled on us last minute, so we got him on the phone.
“I’ve been trying to get this order fulfilled for Star Steps, spending all of my time on that,” Muonelo said.
Muonelo claims the warm ups arrived months ago from China.
“I have the evidence. I have all the garments, everything,” he said. “[The order] was done wrong.”
Muonelo provided us with this invoice for 32 jackets and 14 pants from a company called Splendid Speed Limited that he says proves the order was placed, although there’s no mention of any payment information.
“I would like him to know the parents here are hard working parents,” mom, Annie, said. “A lot of us are on one income, sometimes two income families, but $92 for us is a lot of money.”
The clothing line owner assures us he’s doing everything he can to save face and come up with refunds.
He said, “This has been the hardest thing for me as business man in my whole time.”
Muonelo says a car accident and losing a bunch of business made for a really tough year in 2016.
He claims he found new employment, but it could take him awhile to pay back the dance moms.
He also denies owing the local retailers any money and claims the sport coats were a gift and his to keep.
We asked Muonelo if the company from China did in fact mess up the order why they won’t just refund him payment.
He told us that’s the risk you run with doing business with a company from China.
