Rumor: The founder of Intrepid Studios spent some of the Kickstarter funds on a personal chef, cigars, and antiques — Sharif himself denies this

A scandal continues to unfold around the creators of Ashes of Creation studio.

Ashes of Creation

YouTuber NefasQS claimed potential financial misconduct by Intrepid Studios founder Steven Sharif, asserting that he reviewed the team’s financial records from 2015-2026.

In his latest video, NefasQS reminded viewers that in 2017 Intrepid Studios held a successful Kickstarter campaign for the MMORPG Ashes of Creation, raising $3.27 million. However, not all the funds reportedly went into the game’s development—hundreds of thousands of dollars were allegedly misappropriated by Sharif for personal use.

According to the YouTuber, this allowed Sharif to lead a luxurious lifestyle. For instance, he spent $81,000 on renting a mansion and $42,000 on participating in antique auctions. Additionally, the founder of Intrepid Studios was actively purchasing expensive cigars and collectible cards and was also spending money in Fortnite. One of his most notable expenditures was hiring a personal chef who was initially supposed to cook for the entire studio but ended up working only for Sharif’s family.

However, Sharif has already denied the YouTuber’s claims. In a statement to the media, he stated that not only did he not misappropriate funds, but he also invested a significant amount of his personal funds into the development of Ashes of Creation.

“NefasQS received false and defamatory information from individuals who are pursuing their own selfish goals,” Sharif explained.

Currently, Sharif is engaged in a lawsuit with Intrepid Studios’ investors, who accused him of fraud. Previously, Sharif himself publicly criticized the studio’s board of directors, who, according to him, put Intrepid Studios in a difficult financial position and led to the loss of many experienced employees.