Posted on 10/06/2006 12:59:00 PM PDT by John Jorsett
Two former executives at a government-funded youth organization whose finances were scrutinized after it diverted money to the liberal radio network Air America were charged Thursday with misappropriating $1.2 million of the non-profit's funds.
Charles Rosen, a former executive director at the Gloria Wise Community Center, and his former assistant director, Jeffrey Aulenbach, face charges of grand larceny and obstructing governmental administration. Rosen was also charged with forgery.
New York City's Department of Investigation, which investigated the nonprofit for two years, said the men improperly took more than $290,000 from the organization for their personal use, on top of their already unusually large salaries.
The money -- described in the non-profit's books as business expenses -- went to pay for home renovations and furnishings and new cars, among other things, according to a Department of Investigation report released Thursday.
City investigators said the pair also improperly transferred $875,000 to Air America, which was co-founded by one of Gloria Wise's executives.
At the time, the Gloria Wise center ran a school and youth programs in the Bronx, and was affiliated with the Boys & Girls Clubs of America, but most of its money came from government grants and contracts.
The public disclosure of the club's "loan" to Air America prompted heavy criticism and charges of hypocrisy from conservative commentators in 2005.
Air America blamed the transaction on its former chairman, Evan Montvel-Cohen, who was ousted in 2004 amid questions over the validity of his investments in the network.
The radio network has since repaid the money. Under a recent agreement, the bulk of it was returned to New York City agencies. Some was returned to the Gloria Wise organization, which reorganized, took on new management and continues to operate a nursery school program.
Did you mean to write, "A liberal aquaintance of mine..."?
Media Schadenfreude and Media Shenanigans PING
"most of its money came from government grants"
I want to see them serve jailtime. They are as crooked as the Enron execs.
Meanwhile the media is not trumpting this story as they are Hastert's involvement in "Foleygate".
No schaedenfreud (sp?) at all. These two creeps apparemntly were allowed to cop a sweetheart plea deal that apparently immunizes them from other NY state charges, no jail time, and lets them off with total fines and restitution of less than half of what they stole. See my post at No. 18. The DemonRats are really taking care of their own.
Uh-huh.
Under a recent agreement, the bulk of it was returned to New York City agencies.
Another source of plunder was located so more unionized bureaucrats could buy fur coats, Cartier jewelry and condos in the Hamptons.
Some was returned to the Gloria Wise organization, which reorganized, took on new management and continues to operate a nursery school program.
They moved the deck chairs around, put new thieves in charge and then re-opened the buffet for their liberal friends. I wonder if they're still gundecking the kids' vaccination records?
agreed!
Exactly. NY AG Spitzer had to do something about this so he put together a sweetheart deal that allows these two pieces of human waste to keep most of the profits of their crimes and probably immunizes them from further state prosecution. It would be nice for the Feebies to step in and really take them to the cleaners here and include Spitzer in the investigation, but the "new tone" that's emanated from the Bush WH all these years causes me to believe such real justice will come just a little after pigs start to fly without the aid of airplanes.
What did Al Franken know?
And when did he know it?
I'm hoping that Rosen gets Bubba for a roomie in jail.
Gundecking is a Navy term for falsifying records, usually on required maintenance. One of the charges against the Gloria Wise day care was that they were faking vaccination records for their kids, claiming that the kids had received shots they never got.
Steal $290,000, pay back $81,000 in fines and restitution, and keep $209,000, no jail time - nice work, if you can get it. Someone should notify O'Reilly or Hannity about this.
And I'll bet they never pay back one dime of the money.
Meanwhile the media is not trumpting this story as they are Hastert's involvement in "Foleygate".
ABC, CBS, CNN, and PBS aren't there looking into this? I'm stunned. But then again if Rush or Hannity had done the same - stealing and all - they woudn't cover that either, right? There's no double standard, right?
Can you say "dissolution"? Air America.
Yes and I can say "savant", that should be the name for Air America because that is who is running it.
George Soros made his millions on such deals as Air America
has pulled on this charity.
Jay Leno, Jon Steward, David Letterman - here's a great story.... Anyone out there? anyone? Crickets off in the distance...
I'd love to see proof that it really was repaid...I'd bet that the reporter was just told that it was, and that was good enough...no need to verify that fraudulently stolen money was ever repaid...right?
Frankenstein is being paid by ill-gotten gains.....does he pay it back??? HA!!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.