Where Most Needed

Acorn: Where's the Oak?

Pulled down by an embezzlement scandal and a lightning rod for right-wing attacks, the deeper tragedy at Acorn is how Wade Rathke turned community organizing into a personality cult that prevented the emergence of a new generation of leadership. 

Unusually Large Charity Fraud—in Alaska!

Alaskans are unusually generous—or there's something else going on—for an embezzler to make off with $75,000 from local chapters of two name-brand charities. 

Trial Spotlights Lapses in Cleveland Diocese Oversight

The first of two federal trials accuses a former assistant treasurer of the diocese of conspiring with the CFO in an overpriced outsourcing arrangement for accounting and computer services that included kickbacks to the CFO.  But when the CFO was found out, he went to work for the Columbus diocese.  The defense claims that these arrangements were business as usual in Cleveland. 

Seaport Museum Ex-Board Chair Keeps His Other Plum Nonprofit Position

Two scandals at the Independence Seaport Museum don't touch its former chair M. Walter D'Alessio, as the long-time real estate mogul stays put as chair of Philadelphia's secretive economic development nonprofit. 

Indictment Says Nonprofit Was Founded with Millions in Fraud Loot [Updated]

Alan Fabian is charged with using some of the $32 million gains from a phony computer leasing scheme to start the Centre for Management and Technology, a high-profile Baltimore organization using technology to help nonprofits.  (But the Daily Kos may have it wrong: he's not necessarily the same guy listed as a supporter of a certain GOP presidential candidate.)  And the Mitt Romney campaign confirms that he's resigned as co-chair of his national fundraising committee. 

Salvation Army Manager Fakes Voids & Pockets Cash

Since 1999, according to the police report, she was able to walk away with an average of $500 a month, because cross checking procedures were not observed.

Attorney Claims Priest Embezzlement is Internal Church Matter

Defense lawyer argues for dismissal of an indictment relating to a million dollars said to have been diverted by a parish priest for the support of his secret family forty miles away from his parishes in rural Virginia. 

Shriners: Bookkeeping for Clowns

New York Times finds lax controls in local Shrine clubs yielding little benefit overall for the Shriners Hospitals, which rely on a huge endowment and direct contributions. 

Serial Embezzler Burns Nonprofit on the Rebound

Less than six months after pleading guilty to forgery and receiving a suspended sentence, she went to work for a nonprofit and picked up where she left off. 

Museum in Transition Hit with Embezzlement

Turn-around plan hits a pothole but the new leadership maintains a confident air and are conducting an internal investigation without involving the police.