4 Cancer Charities charged with stealing 187 million.

[combustiblefuel]

http://www.forbes.com/sites/robertwo...t-for-charity/

In a rare cooperative effort, the Federal Trade Commission and 58 state and local law enforcement agencies charged four sham cancer charities and their operators with scamming well-meaning consumers out of $187 million. The joint action by the FTC and the states says James T. Reynolds Sr., his ex-wife and son raised the money through their charities: The Cancer Fund of America in Knoxville, Tennessee, and its affiliated Cancer Support Services; The Breast Cancer Society in Mesa, Arizona; and the Children’s Cancer Fund of America in Powell, Tennessee.

The FTC claims that Reynolds and his family used much of the $187 million–collected for cancer patients–to buy personal cars, gym memberships, luxury cruise vacations, pay college tuition, and employ family members with six-figure salaries. Donors were assured they were helping cancer patients, but instead, 97% of the money went for the perpetrators, their families and friends. The defendants allegedly used telemarketing, direct mail, websites, etc.

[Street Pharmacist]

Sickening, but more common I'm sure than we know

[T@T]

Originally Posted by combustiblefuel

http://www.forbes.com/sites/robertwo...t-for-charity/

I wish they would go after all these "sponser a child in africa" charities where about 1 penny of the dollar goes to the kids.

I actually met a guy who bragged that he spent 4 hours handing out food and clothing in a Kenya village and then got a 4 day $8000.00 Safari tossed in for his hard work.

As I got up from the table I told him "excuse me, I need to puke"

[AcGold]

Not surprised one bit.

[Daradon]

Yeah, a lot of charities are in the 5 percent or less club (as in money actually making it to the cause. Isn't even the Calgary SPCA around 1 percent?

Not that that makes this any better. Just that people should research their charities for sure. It's an easy thing to get fooled on. We expect people working for charities or non profits to be honest and moral. Not so much often.

[combustiblefuel]

I have been personally involved with many charities over the years and will not give a dime. I will however give endless donations of my time tho.

[T@T]

Originally Posted by combustiblefuel

I have been personally involved with many charities over the years and will not give a dime. I will however give endless donations of my time tho.

/this
I have spent thousands over the years with charities but other than the canada cancer society I'm always there in person to see it enjoyed.

Nothing on this planet is more rewarding than seeing the big smiles on faces that have hard times and few smiles.

[para transit fellow]

Originally Posted by combustiblefuel

I have been personally involved with many charities over the years and will not give a dime. I will however give endless donations of my time tho.

Endless donation of time?

I know a few groups that can use 40 hr/wk help

Do you have any particular skills?

[CaptainCrunch]

No pit in hell is deep enough

[ikaris]

Originally Posted by Daradon

Isn't even the Calgary SPCA around 1 percent?

A one second Google search would demonstrate how far from the truth that is.

http://www.charityintelligence.ca/ch...humane-society

[ericschand]

The part that gets me is that they settled.

But because of Perkins’ inability to pay, her $30 million judgment will be suspended entirely. The proposed final orders against BCS and Reynolds II impose a $65,564,360 judgment, the amount consumers donated between 2008 and 2012. The $65.5 million judgment against Reynolds II would be suspended after he pays $75,000.

The proposed final order against Effler will impose a judgment of $41,152,231, the amount consumers donated to CSS between 2008 and 2012. The judgment will be suspended upon payment of $60,000.

So, one can't pay, so she's off scot free. The second pays $75,000 and has a suspended judgement? The third has to pay $60,000.

$135,000 out of $187,000,000 in fraud. That'll teach 'em!

ers

[Reaper]

Originally Posted by ericschand

$135,000 out of $187,000,000 in fraud. That'll teach 'em!

Crime does indeed pay.

[Byrns]

Originally Posted by T@T

I wish they would go after all these "sponser a child in africa" charities where about 1 penny of the dollar goes to the kids.

I actually met a guy who bragged that he spent 4 hours handing out food and clothing in a Kenya village and then got a 4 day $8000.00 Safari tossed in for his hard work.

As I got up from the table I told him "excuse me, I need to puke"

The major ones like Plan, World Vision, Compassion, etc are rated well by the various Charity "watch" sites.

Must've been a pretty sketchy charity, or that guy you met was full of it.

[CaptainCrunch]

Personally, since they aren't going to repay the money, instead of jail time the judge should have been able to give them a bullwhipping in the public square.

People like this are scum, and now that they've basically gotten away with it, they're going to start looking for their next victims.

[llwhiteoutll]

Originally Posted by T@T

I wish they would go after all these "sponser a child in africa" charities where about 1 penny of the dollar goes to the kids.

I actually met a guy who bragged that he spent 4 hours handing out food and clothing in a Kenya village and then got a 4 day $8000.00 Safari tossed in for his hard work.

As I got up from the table I told him "excuse me, I need to puke"

Which charity was it that he worked for?

[GGG]

I think the worst ones are the rides and weekends. They meet all legal requirements but the ride to conquer cancer only gets about 50% of the dollars to research. So if you donate to riders you are really paying half for their fully supported bike ride and half to cancer.

Cant find the source anymore though with a quick google.

[Chingyul]

Originally Posted by GGG

I think the worst ones are the rides and weekends. They meet all legal requirements but the ride to conquer cancer only gets about 50% of the dollars to research. So if you donate to riders you are really paying half for their fully supported bike ride and half to cancer.

Cant find the source anymore though with a quick google.

Same can be said for the charity lotteries.
Having said that, they still fulfill a goal of raising money.
From their perspective, 50% of something is still better than 100% of nothing if people aren't donating.

I am glad that there are site like Charity Intelligence where you can see how much donated money is reaching the intended purpose though.

[GGG]

I agree that some level of advertising increases total donations but at some point donations steel from each other. If i donate to buddy riding a race or buy a lottery ticket do I not donate directly?

[para transit fellow]

Originally Posted by Chingyul

Same can be said for the charity lotteries.
Having said that, they still fulfill a goal of raising money.
From their perspective, 50% of something is still better than 100% of nothing if people aren't donating.

I am glad that there are site like Charity Intelligence where you can see how much donated money is reaching the intended purpose though.

I find this site is the best site to look at charities

http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/chrts-gvng/.../menu-eng.html

donations are a personal matter but I feel seeing the original T-3010 filings is the way to research

[combustiblefuel]

Originally Posted by GGG

I think the worst ones are the rides and weekends. They meet all legal requirements but the ride to conquer cancer only gets about 50% of the dollars to research. So if you donate to riders you are really paying half for their fully supported bike ride and half to cancer.

Cant find the source anymore though with a quick google.

See that makes sense tho. You got to have insurance (This is the big chunk of cost), pay medical staff, fuel. Water stations etc... They are not buying jets and luxury Items for personal use.