Olympic scheme an ice-capade (Families Giving Back in trouble)

[MrScroogeMcDuck]

The feds have put a 9/11 charity run by an Olympic figure-skating champion's agent on ice.

Ice princess Tara Modlin, who reps flashy bronze medalist Johnny Weir, latched onto the credibility of a 9/11 dad, Lee Ielpi, to start the charity, 9/11 Families Giving Back, a year after the attacks.

The agent claimed to have raised over $600,000 to provide scholarships and aid to terror victims.

But tax records show no beneficiary ever got a dime.

The IRS just stripped the group of its tax-exempt status for failing to file income reports.

The purported charity, later known as the Heritage Foundation of 9/11, held major fund-raisers called "Stars, Stripes and Skates" events that drew figure skating's biggest names.

...

She blamed a volunteer accountant for not filing tax documents from 2003 to 2009. Those income disclosures were ultimately filed together in 2010.

"People make mistakes, and this was a ginormous one," she said.

Read more: http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/olympic_scheme_an_ice_capade_gmV6wxsTJep2bpqNjdPgmN#ixzz1R6s641oe

 

[Violet Bliss]

Six-figure consultant and a volunteer accountant?

So is Johnny Weir an Olympic Champion or a Bronze medalist?

 

[MrScroogeMcDuck]

So is Johnny Weir an Olympic Champion or a Bronze medalist?

Yeah, I thought that was quite amusing, especially since Johnny's bronze is from worlds, not the Olympics.

 

[Violet Bliss]

And what has Olympic got to do with this "charity"?

Olympic in the headline and Weir's photo in the article just to grab attention. The NY Post should be audited and indicted as well.

Figure skating does not need this kind of publicity right now, or ever. :disapp: Maybe some DUI or sex tapes, but not this.

 

[Violet Bliss]

Todd Eldridge's Statement on the IRS Investigation of Families Giving Back


Sarah Hughs' father John, a lawyer, has also issued a statement.

Father of Olympic Skater sets record straight on 911 Charity Fraud investigation


Todd refers to the show as Tara and Johnny's and he calls them "their" shows. Either he connects the two because of their close assiciation or Todd knows something more the we do. :confused2:

 

[Olympia]

What an unsettling story.

I must be really tired. When I read the headline of "Olympic scheme," I first thought of the British meaning of the word rather than the American. In the U.S., the word has negative connotations. A scheme is always a plan that is illegal or harmful. In the U.K., it's "a plan developed by a government or large organization to provide a particular service to people." Several members of the royal family, for example, have "schemes" to involve young people in community activities. So I thought, oh, there's a new skaters' charitable organization to help children in Japan or somewhere.

Instead, it turns out to be this unsavory-sounding set-up.

 

[dorispulaski]

It appears that neither Eldredge nor Hughes have ever been involved with this show.

John Hughes' document includes a statement that Sarah was never involved with the show because she could not figure out what its mission was.

I recently listened to a rebroadcast of one of the shows. The announced purpose of the show & charity was to educate people about 9/11 (as if that were needed). However, I suppose they could argue that merely by being broadcast and talking about 9/11, however briefly, could count as 'education'.

There is a cancer 'charity' that uses a similar 'education' approach and still has not lost its 'charitable' designation. It includes a foul recipe for fowl and broccoli, and claims that healthy eating leads to less cancer in its fund raising letters. That's it for the 'education' mission.

 

[Jaana]

And what has Olympic got to do with this "charity"?

Olympic in the headline and Weir's photo in the article just to grab attention. The NY Post should be audited and indicted as well.

It seems that Weir (a two-time Olympian) IS connected with this "charity" show, why else would Eldredge mention it as Modlin and Weir´s show?

 

[Dee4707]

Yikes!!! Will Johnny be wearing an orange jumpsuit in the future???

 

[Violet Bliss]

Yikes!!! Will Johnny be wearing an orange jumpsuit in the future???

The good news is that some prisons have adopted Johnny's favorite, pink, as the calming colour in their decor.

 

[Tonichelle]

here's a "special message" from the organization's website (which is "under construction"): http://www.starsstripesandskates.org/Special_SSS_Message.pdf

 

[fairly4]

okay also Michelle kwan never skated in the Stars/Stripes either.
All of the named skaters skated in the 2001 Usfsa Version , which i think the media is getting confused.
i thought sarah skated in the 2002 because in a magazine her name was listed, but thankfully she got out.
Michelle never skated in the Stars and Stripes either.
i just wish the media /whoever would get their facts straight.

 

[dorispulaski]

From the link Toni posted:

In fact, I became aware some time ago that the foundation’s annual returns from 2007 to 2009 had not been filed properly with the IRS, as they should have been in order to comply with the PPA.

I immediately took steps to correct this, and filed all necessary income disclosures with the IRS in 2010. Unfortunately we still landed on the auto-generated list, but are currently completing the steps necessary to satisfy the IRS and return to 501(c)(3) status. All appropriate tax returns have been filed. I inadvertently missed the filing recertification deadline for the 501(c)(3) of May 2010.
Absolutely no one has been prejudiced by this oversight. No contribution was made by anyone or received by the foundation in 2010. The foundation’s 501(c)(3) status will be restored and in place shortly.

I would remind you all that the New York Post is owned by that same Rupert Murdoch

http://www.nypost.com/p/news/regional/item_6kLi3RbVBSCGchKuGxW57M

currently under investigation in the UK over the crimes committed by employees of his News of the World newspaper.

http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Back...acking-scandal-could-take-down-key-executives

for bribing police, hacking into people's phones and computers. Victims included murder victims & their families, the royal family, and ex prime minister Gordon Brown.

So it is not too far fetched of Modlin to cast aspersions on the Post, either.

 

[Violet Bliss]

The NY Post article is obviously poorly written. This foundation is picked out mainly because they could get attention with Johnny Weir, the main celebrity in the story, and other more or less known names somehow related to skating and the Olympics are simply thrown in.

Still, the story exposes and raises questions about the purpose and outcomes of the foundation's charitable activities. It has no beneficiaries. Its mission of educating about 9/11 in NY is superfluous. I believe children paid fees to take part in the shows. Now Modlin is putting the blame on the 9/11 families losing interest. :sheesh:

No wonder skaters such as Eldredge and Hughs want to make sure they are not pulled into the muck.