NEWARK
– The Office of the Attorney General
and Division of Consumer Affairs have filed
suit to dissolve the “9/11 Rescue Workers
Foundation, Inc.” of Kinnelon, New Jersey
after state investigators identified more
than $75,000 in illegal expenditures during
a forensic accounting review.
Last
August, the Division revoked the registration
of the foundation, enjoined it from soliciting
in New Jersey and barred Frederick Parisi,
its founder and president, from acting as
an officer or director of any charitable organization
operating in the state.
The
state’s lawsuit, filed in Superior Court
in Morris County, also seeks to have Parisi,
and Jean Street, Parisi’s mother and
former treasurer of the foundation, return
the money they used for non-charitable purposes
so that the court can award it to another
charity with a similar purpose.
“It
is outrageous that Parisi and Street solicited
donations under the pretense of helping rescue
workers who suffered health problems after
responding to Ground Zero but in reality spent
the funds on themselves and family members,”
Attorney General Anne Milgram said.
State
investigators identified 87 transactions where
Parisi or Street signed checks or approved
withdrawals that served no apparent charitable
purpose. The transactions included checks
for $27,000 and $20,000 that Street made out
to herself, checks to pay private school tuition
and other expenses for Parisi’s children
and numerous payments to “cash.”
Each
of the more than 23,000 charitable organizations
operating in New Jersey is required to register
annually with the Division. The annual registration
process includes the submission of financial
information by each charitable organization.
“The
state registers charities to provide regulation
and oversight and we remain vigilant against
those con artists who attempt to enrich themselves
under the guise of seeking donations to help
others,” said David Szuchman, Consumer
Affairs Director.
Deputy
Attorney General Joshua T. Rabinowitz of the
Consumer Fraud Prosecution Section is representing
the state in this action.
An
online directory of charitable organizations
registered in New Jersey can be found at http://www.state.nj.us/lps/ca/charity/chardir.htm.
Consumers also can call the Charitable Registration
Hotline at (973)504-6215.
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