A First: Acknowledgement of Fraud In The Charity Sector

by Gary Snyder

On the heels of the splash in the Washington Post on the prevalence of massive  charity fraud, the Independent Sector is acknowledging that that charity fraud exists. They had no choice.  After hearing about the omnipresence of malfeasance, Congress finally became interested and wants to conduct a hearing...possibly multiple. Independent Sector, a significant spokesperson for the sector, is suggesting your attendance at a 1 1/2 day workshop on how to handle a fraud allegations or investigations. 

The denial on the part of  the charity sector leadership, the enforcement agencies, regulator agencies, Congress and boards of agencies has been noteworthy because such seminars have not existed under their auspices.  Its ironic that the words fraud, embezzlement, theft, malfeasance virtually never appear in their resource material including the multimillion production of The Principles for Good Governance and Ethical Practice or the Strengthening Transparency Governance Accountability Charitable Organizations.

Kudos for the small step! Hopefully it will be the first of many. Too bad that it took headlines in the national media to recognize the contagion of malfeasance coupled with a decrease in trust.   

Nonprofit Imperative gathers its information principally from public documents...some of which are directly quoted. Virtually all cited are in some phase of criminal proceedings; some have not been charged, however. Cites in various media: Featured in print, broadcast, and online media outlets, including: Charity Navigator, Vermont Public Radio, Miami Herald, National Public Radio (NPR), Huffington Post, The Sun News, Atlanta Journal Constitution, Wall Street Journal (Profile, News and Photos), “Betrayal”, (a movie), NBC (on Charity Fraud…TBD), FOX2, ABC Spotlight on the News, WWJ Radio, Marie Claire, Ethics World, Aspen Philanthropy Newsletter, Harvard Business Review, Current Affairs, Charity Navigator, The Chronicle of Philanthropy, St. Petersburg Times, Board Room Insider, USA Today Topics, Accountants News, Newsweek.com, Responsive Philanthropy Magazine, New York Times, Portfolio Magazine, The Virgin Islands Daily News, NANKAI (China) BUSINESS REVIEW, National Religious Broadcasters newsletter, The Charity Governance Blog, American Chronicle, Palm Beach Post, Detroit Free Press, Oakland Press, Nonprofit World, Socially Responsible Business Forum, PNNOnline, Ohio Nonprofit Resources, Nonprofit Good Practice Guide, Nonprofit Startup Guide, Nonprofit Blog, National Coalition of Homeless Newsletter, Finance and Administration Roundtable Newsletter, MichiganNonprofit.com, CORP! Magazine, Crain’s Michigan Nonprofit, ncrp.org, PhilanTopic, Nashville Free Press, Nonprofit Law Blog, Seniors World Chronicle, Carnegie Reporter, Assoc. of Certified Fraud Examiners Examiner, msnbc.com, Worchester (MA) Telegram and Gazette, Carnegie Corporation of America, EO Tax Journal, Wikipedia: Non-profit Organizations; Parent: Wise Austin, Accountants News, Veterans Today, Answers.com, Far-roundtable, #Nonprofit Report, nonprofithelpnews, nonprofit news; National Enquirer, Northwest Herald, The HelpWise Daily, The #Nonprofit Report, Wikipedia (Nonprofit Organization), Answers.com, Nonprofits: On the Brink (2006) Silence: The Impending Threat to the Charitable Sector (2011)