#staffsalt

here's ember's parting message to the staff server. lots to unpack - i split it up for ease of reading. See also:

Their message to the main Sancord [here]

The news post addressing this [here]

CJs announcement in the staff server [here]

Some of CJs dms to Ember [here]

Former staff member Sky's statement [here]

Former staff member Keshi's statement [here]

Staff shittalking players [here]

edit: CJ has allegedly issued chargebacks for all work Ember has done for Santae, in addition to the $15k invoice.

here is proof, including dms and screenshots

and here is a message from crumble in the staff discord shortly after this post went live. update the next day: crumble has resigned.

Hi again, it’s Brillows! I have been seeing a lot of misinformation surrounding Fife. I think everyone should know that she also did NOT get paid by CJ for the last assets she made. She had made several unreleased HA items, and new pet colors which I have seen myself. She also was doing dev work of the minimal collection that many of you have probably seen because CJ leaked them without her permission. She didn’t reach out about the GoFundMe is because she wanted it to go to artists who needed it more. She just wrote it off as a loss and moved on with her life irl. She reported a post with some leaked resignation letters that were shared without permission. For example, I am still filing a small claims suit against CJ unless he pays and, personally, did not want my resignation leaked just in case it caused some issues, legally. People have reasons for not wanting a post, like a resignation, leaked. Had someone reached out, she would have told her story. I think it’s valid to be upset to have someone tell your story for you without permission. The resignations have since been taken down per our request, and the creator was very kind about it! I appreciate their efforts to bring light to the CJ of it all, but they were still shared without permission. Fife mostly keeps to herself. That doesn’t mean she supports anything CJ does. She has spoken out to CJ before about his behavior. CJ himself told others that he did not like Fife or myself because we were “too outspoken” and “didn’t respect him” enough. This is just one example of us questioning his behavior, where he then later told us he did not want us using reacts anymore because we were “ganging up on him”. Take this conversation how you will, but I think everyone should understand that not everything is simply black and white. I don’t like CJ, but I also don’t hate him. I just think he’s a fucking idiot. ————- Cloudmin - You can post this on the blog if you’d like, and I’m prepared to get some hate from it. However, I don’t think it’s right that people are making assumptions of her and her saying and lumping her in with people, like CJ, who have done actual harm. I asked fife for her permission to post this, but these are my words. Thank you for all that you do! ---------------------- Fife was contacted regarding this post and has confirmed her permission to Brillows. She also confirmed that she was hacked this week (unrelated to Santae) and that nobody in the Santae community has reached out for permission before this, all information about her time at Santae, including her leaked resignation, and anything regarding the GFM, was an assumption or spread without her consent. The owner of the Notion doc did remove the resignations when asked and apologized.

[images]

LatteDragon here again. Former artist (between February 2024 and May 2025), former art director (between June 2025 and July 2025). Long time staff member indeed.

CJ deleted all of the staff resignations from the staff discord (that I left a few days ago), and said it’s “inappropriate to post them in the main discord” (the same thing he said when staff walked out in March), ignored the main discord for days while DMing people, and still owes me $781.00 twenty nine days later. I don’t give a shit about my NDA and screenshots of private communication because you violated my contract on multiple occasions. But of course, you’re only upset about violation of contracts when it’s against your favor.

You want to talk about things that are inappropriate, CJ? Let’s talk about the way you treated me when I put in my resignation and thereafter.

I quit because I live with my 72 year old father who is developing Alzheimer’s and there is no more pay off (gratification or monetarily) any more for working here, and it was in my best mental health to leave.

The moment I became useless to you, you treated me like shit. After I’d been by your side since I was hired in February of 2024.

Friendship means nothing to you if you have no gain from it.

Do not work for this man.

(adding images here as well so I can add alt text. thank you again latte.)

Today, June 2nd, guess what CJ posted in the Discord? The character he doesn't have rights to. See for yourself, art I commissioned of my character over a year ago vs the art CJ posted (and then deleted).

Let it be known: CJ not only has used AI art, he also commits copyright infringement!

highwayphantoms /post/743137669444485121

cj banned this person, they revoked access to the character they had spent hundreds to have put into the game, cj went ahead and posted the character anyway.

...then deleted the post and immediately tried to divert server attention to shiny new regal designs instead.

[link]

First off, the situation CJ has put Ember in is horrifying, I do not wish to take attention away from this appalling selfish act with my post. I cannot fathom what would bring a person to do this to someone they call their friend. CJ should truly be ashamed of himself, this is going way too far. I never really got the chance to interact with Ember, but I am so sorry you are going through this and I hope things work out for you soon.

A little background on me, I have worked for Subeta and MisticPets in the past, and done commission work for various petsites and games. This experience is spread over the last 18 years, so I’ve seen my fair share of drama on these sites. I’ve never witnessed this level though.

I was willing to (and did) put a lot of time and heart into the egg and hatchling art. I was aware of the amount I’d need to draw, and was ready to commit to what I thought was a desired fun feature with really cute art. I had no idea that this mechanic was not wanted, that it had been stated it would never be a feature on this site. And while I know it wasn’t my decision to make this happen, I am so sorry that money was spent on me creating those images. I am saddened that the feedback on this feature wasn’t respected and listened to. At one point, the AI art incident was brought up during a discussion with CJ, and that the NPCs were being revamped. I am strongly against AI art, and I offered to help fast track the revamps by working on some myself. This was turned down, and I was only to focus on the breeding images.

When it was made aware that Whixy was to sadly step down, I was surprised to be offered the position to take over. I probably triple checked that there definitely wasn’t another artist who had been there longer, who wanted to role, and was reassured no one was interested. I accepted the role, and was excited to be closer to the team and feel I was actively contributing more to current events and features. With access to the calendar and full trello, I could see how many events were planned, the artwork we needed, and that we were, in my eyes, quite behind schedule. I want to preface that this was in no part, Whixy or the previous and current artists fault. They are all amazing, and were doing the best with what they could. I expressed my concerns on how much we needed in a short time. I had offered that I could help get us ahead by working on some items, but I was reassured that we were doing fine and once again the breeding artwork was to be my focus. (Despite this claim, CJ then proceeded to assign/reassign tasks last minute to various artists, and I was informed after the decision was made. So I can only imagine what staff members like Ember, Whixy and Ermineleader would have been through during their time, so much respect from me there)

After realising how much CJ continued to mismanage the site and staff, and witnessing his public conduct in front of users on the discord server and beyond (just in the 2 months I was there), I knew I couldn’t align myself with him. I finally looked into this blog and read the staff letter+ the statement on toyhouse, and my heart was heavy. This, along with many long days/late nights dedicated to drawing for the site, and working on my new art director roles, my body and mind kind of gave up. I won’t go into detail, but it was a sign I had to leave. I know I chose to work as much as I did, but I’m a chronic people pleaser/overachiever (and I also needed the extra income).

The art team was not informed that I had left, and it took almost a week before I had the strength to come back and let them know. I still feel some guilt, like I let everyone down during an already rocky time. I’m so sorry I couldn’t help more.

I have my fears in talking openly about this, but I’d love to lift this weight off my shoulder and finally move on. I know my experience is a small fraction compared to what others have endured, but thanks for allowing me the space to share it. An emotional breakdown over a virtual petsite was not on my 2025 bingo card. I hope everyone left on staff, and those negatively affected by the site both past and current are doing okay.

💜 Keshi