Charity fraud

These people are the worst:

Cancer charities bilked donors out of $187 million, government says

Quote:

A group of four cancer philanthropies bilked donors across the country out of $187 million, the Federal Trade Commission charged Tuesday in what the agency called one of the largest government actions against charity fraud. The four groups named in the civil complaint are the Cancer Fund of America, Cancer Support Services, the Children’s Cancer Fund of America and the Breast Cancer Society. Their operations from 2008 to 2012, which were called a “sham” by the FTC, relied on emotional appeals to help women and children with cancer. The scheme was a family effort, according to the complaint. Each of the charities was run by either James Reynolds Sr.; his ex-wife, Rose Perkins; or his son, James Reynolds Jr. “Cancer is a debilitating disease that impacts millions of Americans and their families every year,” Jessica Rich, director of the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection, said in a statement. “The defendants’ egregious scheme effectively deprived legitimate cancer charities and cancer patients of much-needed funds and support.” The charities solicited donations through telemarketing and Web sites, telling donors that their money would help patients by paying for their pain medications, hospice services and other care. . . . But the “overwhelming majority” of the money benefited only the charities’ organizers, their friends and fundraisers, according to the complaint from the FTC and the attorneys general of all 50 states. Less than 5 percent of the money went to gifts and financial assistance for patients, the complaint said.

I'm sure this is just the tip of the iceberg:

Quote:

The charities evaded scrutiny for so long because they were part of a tsunami of new charities that have been formed in the past 15 years, experts said. Thanks to the ubiquity of technology, a foundation can be created with a few mouse clicks, and it can then solicit donations through telemarketers or other types of professional fundraisers.

via International Skeptics Forum http://ift.tt/1eeSxZq