The 50 worst charities, ranked by money blown on soliciting costs
CIR and Tampa Bay Times
Jun 06, 2013
Totals from the latest 10 years of available federal tax filings
Rank Charity name Total raised by solicitors Paid to solicitors % spent on
direct cash aid
1 Kids Wish Network $127.8 million $109.8 million 2.5%
2 Cancer Fund of America $98.0 million $80.4 million 0.9%
3 Children's Wish Foundation International $96.8 million $63.6 million
10.8%
4 American Breast Cancer Foundation $80.8 million $59.8 million 5.3%
5 Firefighters Charitable Foundation $63.8 million $54.7 million 8.4%
6 Breast Cancer Relief Foundation $63.9 million $44.8 million 2.2%
7 International Union of Police Associations, AFL-CIO $57.2 million $41.4
million 0.5%
8 National Veterans Service Fund $70.2 million $36.9 million 7.8%
9 American Association of State Troopers $45.0 million $36.0 million
8.6%
10 Children's Cancer Fund of America $37.5 million $29.2 million 5.3%
11 Children's Cancer Recovery Foundation $34.7 million $27.6 million 0.6%
12 Youth Development Fund $29.7 million $24.5 million 0.8%
13 Committee For Missing Children $26.9 million $23.8 million 0.8%
14 Association for Firefighters and Paramedics $23.2 million $20.8 million
3.1%
15 Project Cure $51.5 million $20.4 million 0.0%
16 National Caregiving Foundation $22.3 million $18.1 million 3.5%
17 Operation Lookout National Center for Missing Youth $19.6 million $16.1
million 0.0%
18 United States Deputy Sheriffs' Association $23.1 million $15.9 million
0.6%
19 Vietnow National Headquarters $18.1 million $15.9 million 2.9%
20 Police Protective Fund $34.9 million $14.8 million 0.8%
21 National Cancer Coalition $41.5 million $14.0 million 1.1%
22 Woman To Woman Breast Cancer Foundation $14.5 million $13.7 million
0.4%
23 American Foundation For Disabled Children $16.4 million $13.4 million
0.8%
24 The Veterans Fund $15.7 million $12.9 million 2.3%
25 Heart Support of America $33.0 million $11.0 million 3.4%
26 Veterans Assistance Foundation $12.2 million $11.0 million 10.5%
27 Children's Charity Fund $14.3 million $10.5 million 2.3%
28 Wishing Well Foundation USA $12.4 million $9.8 million 4.6%
29 Defeat Diabetes Foundation $13.8 million $8.3 million 0.1%
30 Disabled Police Officers of America Inc. $10.3 million $8.1 million 2.5%
31 National Police Defense Foundation $9.9 million $7.8 million 5.8%
32 American Association of the Deaf & Blind $10.3 million $7.8 million 0.1%
33 Reserve Police Officers Association $8.7 million $7.7 million 1.1%
34 Optimal Medical Foundation $7.9 million $7.6 million 1.0%
35 Disabled Police and Sheriffs Foundation $9.0 million $7.6 million 1.0%
36 Disabled Police Officers Counseling Center $8.2 million $6.9 million 0.1%
37 Children's Leukemia Research Association $9.8 million $6.8 million 11.1%
38 United Breast Cancer Foundation $11.6 million $6.6 million 6.3%
39 Shiloh International Ministries $8.0 million $6.2 million 1.3%
40 Circle of Friends For American Veterans $7.8 million $5.7 million 6.5%
41 Find the Children $7.6 million $5.0 million 5.7%
42 Survivors and Victims Empowered $7.7 million $4.8 million 0.0%
43 Firefighters Assistance Fund $5.6 million $4.6 million 3.2%
44 Caring for Our Children Foundation $4.7 million $4.1 million 1.6%
45 National Narcotic Officers Associations Coalition $4.8 million $4.0 million
0.0%
46 American Foundation for Children With Aids $5.2 million $3.0 million 0.0%
47 Our American Veterans $2.6 million $2.3 million 2.3%
48 Roger Wyburn-Mason & Jack M Blount Foundation For Eradication of Rheumatoid
Disease $8.4 million $1.8 million 0.0%
49 Firefighters Burn Fund $2.0 million $1.7 million 1.5%
50 Hope Cancer Fund $1.9 million $1.6 million 0.5%
CIR and Tampa Bay Times
Jun 06, 2013
Totals from the latest 10 years of available federal tax filings
Rank Charity name Total raised by solicitors Paid to solicitors % spent on
direct cash aid
1 Kids Wish Network $127.8 million $109.8 million 2.5%
2 Cancer Fund of America $98.0 million $80.4 million 0.9%
3 Children's Wish Foundation International $96.8 million $63.6 million
10.8%
4 American Breast Cancer Foundation $80.8 million $59.8 million 5.3%
5 Firefighters Charitable Foundation $63.8 million $54.7 million 8.4%
6 Breast Cancer Relief Foundation $63.9 million $44.8 million 2.2%
7 International Union of Police Associations, AFL-CIO $57.2 million $41.4
million 0.5%
8 National Veterans Service Fund $70.2 million $36.9 million 7.8%
9 American Association of State Troopers $45.0 million $36.0 million
8.6%
10 Children's Cancer Fund of America $37.5 million $29.2 million 5.3%
11 Children's Cancer Recovery Foundation $34.7 million $27.6 million 0.6%
12 Youth Development Fund $29.7 million $24.5 million 0.8%
13 Committee For Missing Children $26.9 million $23.8 million 0.8%
14 Association for Firefighters and Paramedics $23.2 million $20.8 million
3.1%
15 Project Cure $51.5 million $20.4 million 0.0%
16 National Caregiving Foundation $22.3 million $18.1 million 3.5%
17 Operation Lookout National Center for Missing Youth $19.6 million $16.1
million 0.0%
18 United States Deputy Sheriffs' Association $23.1 million $15.9 million
0.6%
19 Vietnow National Headquarters $18.1 million $15.9 million 2.9%
20 Police Protective Fund $34.9 million $14.8 million 0.8%
21 National Cancer Coalition $41.5 million $14.0 million 1.1%
22 Woman To Woman Breast Cancer Foundation $14.5 million $13.7 million
0.4%
23 American Foundation For Disabled Children $16.4 million $13.4 million
0.8%
24 The Veterans Fund $15.7 million $12.9 million 2.3%
25 Heart Support of America $33.0 million $11.0 million 3.4%
26 Veterans Assistance Foundation $12.2 million $11.0 million 10.5%
27 Children's Charity Fund $14.3 million $10.5 million 2.3%
28 Wishing Well Foundation USA $12.4 million $9.8 million 4.6%
29 Defeat Diabetes Foundation $13.8 million $8.3 million 0.1%
30 Disabled Police Officers of America Inc. $10.3 million $8.1 million 2.5%
31 National Police Defense Foundation $9.9 million $7.8 million 5.8%
32 American Association of the Deaf & Blind $10.3 million $7.8 million 0.1%
33 Reserve Police Officers Association $8.7 million $7.7 million 1.1%
34 Optimal Medical Foundation $7.9 million $7.6 million 1.0%
35 Disabled Police and Sheriffs Foundation $9.0 million $7.6 million 1.0%
36 Disabled Police Officers Counseling Center $8.2 million $6.9 million 0.1%
37 Children's Leukemia Research Association $9.8 million $6.8 million 11.1%
38 United Breast Cancer Foundation $11.6 million $6.6 million 6.3%
39 Shiloh International Ministries $8.0 million $6.2 million 1.3%
40 Circle of Friends For American Veterans $7.8 million $5.7 million 6.5%
41 Find the Children $7.6 million $5.0 million 5.7%
42 Survivors and Victims Empowered $7.7 million $4.8 million 0.0%
43 Firefighters Assistance Fund $5.6 million $4.6 million 3.2%
44 Caring for Our Children Foundation $4.7 million $4.1 million 1.6%
45 National Narcotic Officers Associations Coalition $4.8 million $4.0 million
0.0%
46 American Foundation for Children With Aids $5.2 million $3.0 million 0.0%
47 Our American Veterans $2.6 million $2.3 million 2.3%
48 Roger Wyburn-Mason & Jack M Blount Foundation For Eradication of Rheumatoid
Disease $8.4 million $1.8 million 0.0%
49 Firefighters Burn Fund $2.0 million $1.7 million 1.5%
50 Hope Cancer Fund $1.9 million $1.6 million 0.5%
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Why This Website
Stutz Artiano Shinoff
& Holtz v. Maura
Larkins defamation
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Castle Park Elem
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& Holtz
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Why This Website
Stutz Artiano Shinoff
& Holtz v. Maura
Larkins defamation
SDCOE
CVESD
Castle Park Elem
Law Enforcement
CTA
CVE
Stutz Artiano Shinoff
& Holtz
Silence is Golden
Schools and Violence
Office Admin Hearings
Larkins OAH Hearing
Charity’s Ex-Chief Is Charged
With Stealing Millions
The New York Times
By WILLIAM K. RASHBAUM and
RUSS BUETTNER
September 24, 2013
Shortly after William E. Rapfogel
became the leader of one of New
York City’s most influential social
service organizations in 1992,
prosecutors say, he began to
steal.
He received envelope after
envelope, stuffed with skimmed
cash kickbacks, according to a
criminal complaint filed on
Tuesday. Also cited were a
$27,000 check written to a
contractor working on his
apartment, roughly $100,000 to
help his son buy a home, and a
campaign finance scheme that
manipulated the city’s matching-
funds formula, fraudulently
increasing campaign contributions
to favored city politicians who
provided government grants to
his organization.
Over two decades at the nonprofit
Metropolitan New York Council on
Jewish Poverty, Mr. Rapfogel and
two confederates stole more than
$5 million, much of it taxpayer
money, said the complaint, which
detailed the schemes and
charged Mr. Rapfogel with grand
larceny, money laundering and
other crimes.
Some of the money went to the co-
conspirators, who were not
named in the complaint; some of it
was directed to politicians and
political organizations. Mr.
Rapfogel, a man whose deeds
and connections made his name
almost synonymous with the city’s
Jewish philanthropic causes, was
accused of keeping more than $1
million for himself.
The cash-stuffed envelopes
clearly added up. Investigators
found $400,000 squirreled away
in his Lower East Side apartment
— a sizable chunk in his closet —
and in his home in Monticello, N.
Y., according to the complaint and
a person briefed on the matter.
Mr. Rapfogel acknowledged
unspecified wrongdoing when the
charitable organization, known
widely as Met Council, uncovered
the financial improprieties and
fired him last month, issuing a
statement saying, “I deeply regret
the mistakes I have made that led
to my departure.”
On Tuesday, Mr. Rapfogel,
dressed in a blue suit with a white
shirt and no tie, was arraigned in
a brief proceeding before Judge
Kevin McGrath in Manhattan
Criminal Court. He did not enter a
plea and waived his right to a
speedy trial, suggesting that he
was or would be involved in plea
negotiations. Judge McGrath
released him on $100,000 bail.
After the hearing, Mr. Rapfogel
declined to speak to reporters
outside the courtroom. But his
lawyer, Paul L. Shechtman, said:
“Mr. Rapfogel hopes for a fair
resolution of this case and will
continue to make amends to Met
Council. It’s a sad day, but happily
people who know Willie well are
still in his corner.”
The charges, which the complaint
said were in some measure based
on investigators’ interviews with
Mr. Rapfogel and the two people
referred to as co-conspirators,
stem from an inquiry by the state
attorney general, Eric T.
Schneiderman, and the state
comptroller, Thomas P. DiNapoli.
They began to look into Mr.
Rapfogel’s stewardship of Met
Council after the organization
detected the improprieties and
alerted state authorities.
“It’s always sad and shocking
when we discover that someone
used a charity as their own
personal piggy bank — but even
more so when that scheme
involves someone well respected
in government and his
community,” Mr. Schneiderman
said in a news release
announcing the charges.
Mr. DiNapoli said, “The scale and
duration of this scheme are
breathtaking.”
Their investigation revealed that
Mr. Rapfogel conspired with Met
Council’s insurance broker,
Century Coverage Corporation, to
pad the agency’s insurance
payments by hundreds of
thousands of dollars a year,
according to the complaint.
The two co-conspirators set up
the scheme before Mr. Rapfogel
joined the council as executive
director, but under his watch, the
amount artificially added to the
annual cost for insurance steadily
increased.
As part of the scheme, officials
said, Mr. Rapfogel directed a co-
conspirator at Century to make
the political donations on behalf
of Met Council, using money
obtained from the padded
payments. That co-conspirator
delivered regular checks for the
campaign contributions to Mr.
Rapfogel, who in turn passed the
checks on to various politicians
and political organizations.
The complaint said that Mr.
Rapfogel brought his political
savvy to bear in a way that
increased the benefit to favored
candidates — almost like
campaign contributions on
steroids. The complaint said that
for certain political contributions,
Mr. Rapfogel directed that
separate checks in smaller
amounts should be obtained from
multiple donors rather than one
large check, to maximize the use
of city’s matching-funds program,
which provided a six-to-one
increase with public funds.
Because the program included a
cap of $1,050 per contribution, a
$600 donation would garner
$1,050 while four $150 donations
would bring in a total of $3,600.
With Stealing Millions
The New York Times
By WILLIAM K. RASHBAUM and
RUSS BUETTNER
September 24, 2013
Shortly after William E. Rapfogel
became the leader of one of New
York City’s most influential social
service organizations in 1992,
prosecutors say, he began to
steal.
He received envelope after
envelope, stuffed with skimmed
cash kickbacks, according to a
criminal complaint filed on
Tuesday. Also cited were a
$27,000 check written to a
contractor working on his
apartment, roughly $100,000 to
help his son buy a home, and a
campaign finance scheme that
manipulated the city’s matching-
funds formula, fraudulently
increasing campaign contributions
to favored city politicians who
provided government grants to
his organization.
Over two decades at the nonprofit
Metropolitan New York Council on
Jewish Poverty, Mr. Rapfogel and
two confederates stole more than
$5 million, much of it taxpayer
money, said the complaint, which
detailed the schemes and
charged Mr. Rapfogel with grand
larceny, money laundering and
other crimes.
Some of the money went to the co-
conspirators, who were not
named in the complaint; some of it
was directed to politicians and
political organizations. Mr.
Rapfogel, a man whose deeds
and connections made his name
almost synonymous with the city’s
Jewish philanthropic causes, was
accused of keeping more than $1
million for himself.
The cash-stuffed envelopes
clearly added up. Investigators
found $400,000 squirreled away
in his Lower East Side apartment
— a sizable chunk in his closet —
and in his home in Monticello, N.
Y., according to the complaint and
a person briefed on the matter.
Mr. Rapfogel acknowledged
unspecified wrongdoing when the
charitable organization, known
widely as Met Council, uncovered
the financial improprieties and
fired him last month, issuing a
statement saying, “I deeply regret
the mistakes I have made that led
to my departure.”
On Tuesday, Mr. Rapfogel,
dressed in a blue suit with a white
shirt and no tie, was arraigned in
a brief proceeding before Judge
Kevin McGrath in Manhattan
Criminal Court. He did not enter a
plea and waived his right to a
speedy trial, suggesting that he
was or would be involved in plea
negotiations. Judge McGrath
released him on $100,000 bail.
After the hearing, Mr. Rapfogel
declined to speak to reporters
outside the courtroom. But his
lawyer, Paul L. Shechtman, said:
“Mr. Rapfogel hopes for a fair
resolution of this case and will
continue to make amends to Met
Council. It’s a sad day, but happily
people who know Willie well are
still in his corner.”
The charges, which the complaint
said were in some measure based
on investigators’ interviews with
Mr. Rapfogel and the two people
referred to as co-conspirators,
stem from an inquiry by the state
attorney general, Eric T.
Schneiderman, and the state
comptroller, Thomas P. DiNapoli.
They began to look into Mr.
Rapfogel’s stewardship of Met
Council after the organization
detected the improprieties and
alerted state authorities.
“It’s always sad and shocking
when we discover that someone
used a charity as their own
personal piggy bank — but even
more so when that scheme
involves someone well respected
in government and his
community,” Mr. Schneiderman
said in a news release
announcing the charges.
Mr. DiNapoli said, “The scale and
duration of this scheme are
breathtaking.”
Their investigation revealed that
Mr. Rapfogel conspired with Met
Council’s insurance broker,
Century Coverage Corporation, to
pad the agency’s insurance
payments by hundreds of
thousands of dollars a year,
according to the complaint.
The two co-conspirators set up
the scheme before Mr. Rapfogel
joined the council as executive
director, but under his watch, the
amount artificially added to the
annual cost for insurance steadily
increased.
As part of the scheme, officials
said, Mr. Rapfogel directed a co-
conspirator at Century to make
the political donations on behalf
of Met Council, using money
obtained from the padded
payments. That co-conspirator
delivered regular checks for the
campaign contributions to Mr.
Rapfogel, who in turn passed the
checks on to various politicians
and political organizations.
The complaint said that Mr.
Rapfogel brought his political
savvy to bear in a way that
increased the benefit to favored
candidates — almost like
campaign contributions on
steroids. The complaint said that
for certain political contributions,
Mr. Rapfogel directed that
separate checks in smaller
amounts should be obtained from
multiple donors rather than one
large check, to maximize the use
of city’s matching-funds program,
which provided a six-to-one
increase with public funds.
Because the program included a
cap of $1,050 per contribution, a
$600 donation would garner
$1,050 while four $150 donations
would bring in a total of $3,600.