New York Paralegal Blog

When the leaders of a charity like VDARE use its money to benefit themselves or their families, it's a serious violation of the public trust and the law. This practice is known as self-dealing. What is Self-Dealing? Self-dealing occurs when a person in a position of authority at a nonprofit organization—like a director, officer, or trustee—uses the charity's assets or influence for their own personal gain. In the case of VDARE, New York Attorney General Letitia James has alleged that its leaders, Peter Brimelow and his wife, Lydia Brimelow, used charitable funds for their own benefit. This can include: Selling property to the charity at an inflated price. Renting property to the charity at a rate that's higher than the market value. Giving themselves excessive salaries or "consulting fees." Transferring the charity's assets to companies they own. The core issue is that the individual is putting their personal financial interests ahead of the charit...

After the earthquake that rocked Japan’s northeast coast and triggered a widespread tsunami last week, the Federal Trade Commission is urging consumers to be cautious of potential charity scams. The FTC, the nation’s consumer protection agency, warns consumers to carefully consider urgent appeals for aid that they receive in person, by phone or mail, by e-mail, on websites, or on social networking sites.