Un*******believable

my miss storm cat · #1 12-05-2010, 04:28 PM

http://www.lehighvalleylive.com/phil...illipsbur.html

NJ Horse Angels of Phillipsburg, two trustees accused of stealing donations intended to save horses

Express Times Staff

A Phillipsburg area horse rescue group has been sued for allegedly misusing donations that were supposed to save the animals from being killed and processed into pet food.

The Office of the Attorney General and Division of Consumer Affairs filed the suit in state superior court in Essex County against NJ Horse Angels and its two trustees, Sharon Catalano-Crumb, 54, and Frank Wikoff, 55, both of Phillipsburg, according to a news release. The suit alleges the unregistered charitable organization used Internet social networking sites to raise approximately $145,132 from donors between September 2009 and September 2010, but then the trustees used a portion of the money to pay personal expenses.

An investigation by the Charities Registration and Investigation Section within the Division of Consumer Affairs found that at least $61,422 in donations were misappropriated by Catalano-Crumb and used for trips to Atlantic City casinos, personal shopping, meals, pre-paid phone cards and cash withdrawals.

She also allegedly bought jewelry for Wikoff, who is her boyfriend and a convicted felon, and also sent cash to her son who is serving a life sentence at Trenton State Prison, authorities say. An additional $9,000 is presently unaccounted for, as the investigation continues.

The investigation by the Division of Consumer Affairs found that Catalano-Crumb commingled donations in her personal bank account and that some of the donations were used to rescue, transport and care for horses.

Catalano-Crumb and Wikoff are charged with multiple violations of the state’s Charitable Registration and Investigation Act. The lawsuit seeks restitution for donors, closure of NJ Horse Angels and the barring of Catalano-Crumb and Wikoff from working for any charitable organization in New Jersey, in addition to the imposition of civil penalties.

NJ Horse Angels operated under several different names, including NJ Horse Angels Rescue, NJ Killpen Horses, Horse Angels of Facebook, Camelot Auction Horse Angels and The Forgotten Angels. The common claim was that horses fated to be sold and sent to slaughterhouses for processing into pet food would be saved and then cared for by NJ Horse Angels through donations. NJ Horse Angels had more than 4,900 registered friends on one social networking website.

“This case illustrates how con artists can use sad stories and photos posted on social networking sites to defraud donors,” says Thomas R. Calcagni, acting director of the State Division of Consumer Affairs. “Our Charities Registration Unit is a resource that consumers can use to steer clear of individuals who mask their scams under the pretense of being a charity.”

Calcagni says registered charitable organizations are required to file annual financial disclosures with the Division of Consumer Affairs. A searchable database that lists the approximately 20,000 charitable organizations registered by the N.J. Division of Consumer Affairs can be found online.

Riot · #2 12-05-2010, 05:25 PM

That's sad. And infuriating. Donator beware and do some checking. On the e-mail lists they will put out a sad story about a particular horse, it tears out your heart and you send them $25. Really easy to get money this way.

It's really common in Kentucky to be a "501-C rescue org" charity for small animals (dogs, cats) - and if you look past the website it's one lady hoarding dogs and cats and living off donations in a hovel.

You have to be really careful with the equine charities, as it's so expensive (relatively) to buy hay for the winter, keep pastures up, vet work, etc. You have to know what you are doing with horses. And you can't readily place horses in pet or light use homes this day and age, too many people are broke and thousands of horses are free to good home.