The World Martial Arts Federation, Inc. Moo Sool Won Scam for $10,000 for Martial Arts Classes Los Angeles, Buena Park, California

I was charged $10,000 for tuition at the World Martial Arts Federation Inc. A.K.A. Moo Sool Won. I was promised to receive personal training and unlimited classes for 3 years. Initially, the program was being sold for $15,000. I refused that offer several times because there was no way I could afford that. I was told by the owner Ari J. Moon that The World Martial Arts Mission would sponsor me fro $5,000. I found out later that the mission was being run by Ari Moon, the person who sold me the Black Belt Club program.
After I made the first payment of $5,000, I immediately asked for a refund and was refused. I was mostly trained by students at the World Martial Arts Federation Inc. with a higher belt ranking, not by qualified instructors. One time, one of the students who instructed me was a 6 year-old black belt. Whenever I expressed disagreement, I was told to be silent and follow the orders from the owners and the manager. I asked for a refund several times and was refused.  I wanted to get a written agreement and a receipt from the World Martial Arts Federation but was refused until the remaining balance was paid off.


After I made all the payments, I still was not provided with a written agreement for another week. On Feb. 9, 2010 at around 8:30 P.M., after the owner refused to communicate with me completely, I was taken to a separate room by the manager and given a completely different agreement for only one year. I was told that the money would not be refunded in any case. My only option was to sign that agreement or I could leave with no reimbursement.
The contract said that I was entitled to unlimited classes. I was also told that my instruction would be semi-private. However, after I signed that contract, I was told by the owners and the manager to come to classes allowed by them. After I asked for a refund, I was told that I should leave the school if I had a problem. One time, I was physically harassed by the owner because I complained. After I told other instructors about the incident, I was instructed to apologize because the owner had the right to physically harass me because of his higher belt ranking.
I had my own uniform and sparring gear, but I was forced to buy the school’s uniform and sparring gear, or I would not be permitted in class. I was given one belt after another very quickly whether I knew the required techniques or not. All of the instructors at the school were aware of that. Then, I was told by the owner that as soon as soon as I get my black belt, I would have to start paying higher fees for further certification. The test fee for a 2nd degree black belt was $1,600., 3rd degree - $3,000 and 4th degree - $5,000. I was constantly pressured by the owner to buy food products through her. I was advised to attend the church the business owners go to. The pastor there has an “honorary” black belt from the business owners. Yong Moon, the CEO, charges $1,000 for his private lessons and Ari Moon, the sole proprietor of the property the school is located in - $300. Even though I have never asked for any private instruction from them, I was always told that somehow I owe them for their attention and I would be charged even more money. I filed a complaint with the Better Business Bureau. The business owners failed to respond twice. I was kicked out of school, because according to the owners and the manager, I was disrespectful and I had no right to file a complaint with the BBB or a small claim against them. I was not given any reimbursement and the owners did not respond to my mediation offer so far.

     

I was charged $10,000 for tuition at the World Martial Arts Federation Inc., A.K.A. Moo Sool Won. I was promised to receive one-on-one training with different instructors and unlimited classes. Initially, the program was being sold for $15,000. I refused that offer several times and said that I was a low-income individual and could not afford that. After I said that, I was told that I got a $5,000 scholarship from The World Martial Arts Mission. I found out later that the mission was being run by Ari Moon, the person who sold me the Black Belt Club program. After I made the first payment of $5,000, I was mostly trained by students at the World Martial Arts Federation Inc. with a higher belt ranking, not by qualified instructors. One time, one of the students who instructed me was a 6 year-old black belt. Whenever I expressed disagreement, I was told to be silent and follow the orders from the owners and the manager. I asked for a refund several times and was refused.  I wanted to get a written agreement and a receipt from the World Martial Arts Federation Inc., but I was refused until the remaining balance was paid off.

After I made all the payments, I still was not provided with a written agreement for another week.
     On Feb. 9, 2010 at around 8:30 P.M., after the owner refused to communicate with me completely, I was taken to a separate room by the manager and given a completely different agreement for only one year. I was told that the money would not be refunded in any case. My only option was to sign that agreement or I could leave with no reimbursement. The contract said that I was entitled to unlimited classes. I was also told that my instruction would be semi-private. However, after I signed that contract, I was told by the owners and the manager to come to classes allowed by them. After I asked for a refund, I was told that I should leave the school if I had a problem. One time, I was physically offended by the owner for complaining. I was instructed to apologize because the owner had the right to physically offend me because of his higher belt ranking. I had my own uniform and sparring gear, but I was forced to buy the school’s uniform and sparring gear, or I would not be permitted in class. I was promoted from one belt to another very quickly whether I knew the required techniques or not. Then, I was told by the owner that as soon as soon as I get my black belt, I would have to start paying black belt fees. The test fee for a 2nd degree black belt was $1,600., 3rd degree - $3,000 and 4th degree - $5,000.
      I was constantly pressured by the school owner to buy food products through her. I was even told to go to the multi-level marketing seminar in Torrance, CA under the pretense of learning about the philosophy of oriental medicine.  I filed a complaint with the Better Business Bureau. The business owners failed to respond twice. I was kicked out of school, because according to the owners and the manager, I was disrespectful, not a real kung fu student, poisoning positive atmosphere at the school, not following the rules of the school and I had no right to file a complaint with the BBB or a small claim against them. I was not given any reimbursement and the owners did not respond to my mediation offer so far.

At this point I am waiting for the company to respond to mediation

Our goal:

To enhance the community through positive personal development skills.

To provide a safe haven of positive energy and support for the student's mental, physical, and spiritual growth.

To cultivate responsibility, discipline, confidence, positive thinking, respect, courage, balance, harmony, and overall well-being in the students.

To teach with love in shaping the next generation of leaders in this world.

WWW.MOOSOOLWON.NET

Delusional.  It is a shame how these days anyone can go online and write whatever they want about others.  The person who wrote this complaint was suspended from the martial arts school because he refused to follow school rules.  Just because you pay tuition does not mean you can do whatever you want.  Spoiled.  He never recieved a black belt degree from any proper testing from us.  He is not a disciple of our school.  Every staff member tried to help him but he just whined and complained.  He took us to small claims and he recieved a refund.  20 years in Los Angeles and he is the first and only complaint.  Young man who is lost spiritually wants to be an actor and be in show business.  Good luck.  Number 1 lesson should be to keep mouth shut when you have nothing good to say.  Bad mouthing others will get you no where.  We tried teaching him manners and respect but still needs a lot of maturity.  Kung Fu takes time and he was only at our school for less than a year.   Hope he can be a positive person.  Be happy and healthy.  Peace be on you.

this info is from an employee at this school who is brainwashed by the school's religion and is not aware of what the real business practices are or chooses to remain delusional. they owners set me up to have my first lesson with him when i came in on oct. 21, 2009 and then told me that he will be the one teaching the class. later on, it turned out that it was not true and the class was actually filled with children and taught by another student who is supposed to higher belts in exchange for training. please do not buy into the whole spirituality and purity that this business is trying to surround itself with. at the end of the day,  all of this is done for money. i was actually attacked by the owner for trying to get a refund. there is a police report on that. the owner's name is yong moon, who claims to be a 10th degree black belt from china. i asked for supporting documents, but was told that their attorney advise them against showing anything like that. there are no records of complaints because most customers are of korean descent and it is not typical in this community to sue or to file complaints. everything actually did happen and there are court documents and contracts that one can look up at Los Angeles Superior Court Case #10M04637.
I was actually told at the school that i am a bad person and that i don't have a mind to make my own decisions ever since i got there. that's how they brainwash you. i've observed most people there and talked to a lot of student, and the concerns seemed similar but most were already locked into their contracts and were afraid to say anything. There is no record of these people in any other martial arts organization and i would be very cautious about trusting their degrees. i have a feeling that they were awarded by themselves and have no validity. i tried to get a refund from the beginning as soon as i signed up but had no legal experience did not know how to even file a lawsuit. the first cheque was cashed right away and i couldn't even cancel it from my bank account. i tried to get a refund but the school owner ari moon refused. i kept asking for my money back over and over again but was told to keep quiet and that this was for my own good. i was threatened to either drop a claim against the business or i will be thrown out. i chose not to drop anything. these people know exactly what they are doing and know how to swindle people out of money by manipulating religious and spiritual concepts and basic human emotions. Beware. Whatever belts i got there were fake and i got them in a period of a couple of weeks, one after another.
these incidents happened multiple times before. these black belts seem to mean something in the community because of the prestige that a black belt hold but they cannot be backed up by actual skill level or martial arts experience. Stay away and remember you can always check this info with other schools and check into numerous martial arts resources. You can ask for opinions from other martial arts experts or try to call up different martial arts organizations to find out more about these people. there are kung fu organizations in the united states and overseas and there are also other kung fu schools and Korean martial arts schools that may know more about these people. Moo Sool Won is officially owner by Ari Moon. the CEO of the world martial arts federation Inc. is Yong Moon. The World Martial Arts Mission is owned by Ari Moon who claimed that i got a $5,000 sponsorship from the mission to get me to pay tuition to Moo Sool Won. That sponsorship never came through, and i believe was probably a false statement on behalf of the school owner to get me into a more expensive program. You can follow this blog and i will be updating on future lawsuit resolutions and posting more documents.