WHEN A CHARITY GOES WRONG

The Make-A-Wish Foundation has done wonderful things for dying children for many years. But it seems a former executive director of the charity's Tampa Bay chapter who was arrested for misusing it's credit card to make personal buys spilled the beans to investigators about it's questionable financial practices. The charity's board of directors happens to include some of the area's biggest movers and shakers including former judges and law enforcement officials.

The Tampa Tribune has had a team of reporters doing interviews and research for nearly two years, and has published a two part special which began Sunday and continues today. It's interesting reading; check it out.

A Background of Make-A-Wish's Purpose and History
Behind The Good Wishes
Finances Of Nonprofit Groups Rarely Reviewed By IRS
A Prosecution Driven To Keep Secrets
Charity Hits Big Leagues, Then Card Scandal Hits
From Make-A-Wish To The Hillsborough County Courthouse: Chronology
The Who's Who In This Story

And if you really want to read, Mother Trib includes a 72 page pdf file which includes transcripts of testimony, tax documents, a report from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and probation reports.