View Full Version : Another Person Indicted for Stealing From Veteran Charity
I doubt if very many of you follow NASCAR, but this gal dated/lived with Kurt Bush for a while and then accused him of DV. During the very public proceedings NASCAR gave a lot of press to her charity and ultimately suspended Bush.
I figured then she was just riding the charity pony to line her own pockets. Hmm, seems I was right and, karma strikes again:
Kurt Busch's ex-girlfriend charged with stealing from military charity
WASHINGTON -- The former girlfriend of NASCAR driver Kurt Busch was charged Tuesday with stealing from a military charity she led.
Court documents don't say how much prosecutors believe Patricia Driscoll took from the District of Columbia-based Armed Forces Foundation, whose mission is to support service members, veterans and their families.
But a 2014 tax form for the nonprofit says that the "foundation has become aware of suspected misappropriations" by Driscoll totaling more than $599,000 for the years 2006 to 2014. It says she misused money for meals, travel, parking tickets, makeup and personal gifts.
Driscoll, 38, was indicted on seven federal charges: two counts each of wire fraud, mail fraud and tax evasion, and one count of attempts to interfere with administration of Internal Revenue laws. She also faces a first-degree fraud charge under District of Columbia law.
Driscoll is expected to surrender and enter a plea on Wednesday.
The indictment alleges Driscoll falsely categorized and caused others to falsely categorize expenses in the foundation's books and records as being for veterans and their families, "when in fact they were for her own private benefit." She is also accused of concealing from the foundation's accountants money she took from the charity, such as foundation funds being spent on office space in a building that she co-owned.
Driscoll was part of "a scheme" to allegedly use "forged documents, false accounting entries, inflated donation amounts, and false statements in order to convince donors to give money to the AFF, thereby enriching herself," according to the indictment.
Patricia Driscoll and Kurt Busch had a very public breakup in 2014 after she accused him of physically and verbally abusing her about a week after they split. AP Photo/Terry Renna
Driscoll declined to comment when reached Tuesday, referring questions to attorney Barry Pollack.
"It's a sad day that this matter has progressed to criminal allegations," Pollack told ESPN. "The charges are completely unproven. Ms. Driscoll looks forward to having the opportunity to contest them in court."
The joint FBI-IRS investigation began in 2015 after ESPN's Outside the Lines reported on questionable practices by Driscoll during her 12-year run as executive director of the foundation, which has ties to sports-related entities, including NASCAR.
Among the practices raised in the Outside the Lines reports:
• Documents show the Armed Forces Foundation had, in effect, been repeatedly used as a bank to lend money for or pay various personal expenses, including bills for a private company Driscoll owns.
• The nonprofit's federal tax filings and audit reports in some instances failed to match, resulting in unexplained discrepancies about the amount of cash on hand, the mismatches totaling in the hundreds of thousands of dollars.
• Until May 4, 2015, the foundation paid Driscoll and another person $96,000 in annual rent for its headquarters -- a building they co-owned -- which is operating in apparent violation of Washington zoning regulations.
Documents also showed personal expense issues: The foundation wrote a $15,000 check toward Driscoll's legal fees to a law firm involved in her child-custody case; it paid $6,315.22 for an infrared security camera shipped to her Maryland residence; and it picked up the tab for personal expenses on vacations to Paris and Morocco.
Alongside Driscoll's $171,027 foundation salary, documents show she received substantial bonuses for fundraising -- none of which was declared on the foundation's tax filings or audit reports reviewed by Outside the Lines.
In addition, records show that, for 17 months in a 19-month stretch in 2012-13, the foundation paid the credit card bill of Driscoll's private security business, Frontline Defense Systems. The FDS charges totaled more than $100,000 and included massage treatments, dermatology visits and other personal medical expenses, toy store purchases and grocery bills, among others.
Driscoll and Bush had a very public breakup in 2014 after she accused him of physically and verbally abusing her about a week after they split. Driscoll said Busch smashed her head into a bedroom wall and choked her in his motorhome at Dover International Speedway in Delaware.
Law enforcement officials said there was not enough evidence to bring criminal charges against him, but a family court commissioner in the state ultimately granted her request for a protective order requiring Busch to stay away from her.
As a result, NASCAR suspended Busch two days before the Daytona 500. He sat out the first three races of the 2015 season before being reinstated.
http://www.espn.com/racing/story/_/id/17597295
Recently this seems to be a fairly common problem with charities allegedly formed to support the troops.
Of all the people I could plan to steal from, I think combat vets would be pretty near the bottom of the list.
Averageman
09-21-16, 08:04
It would appear the AFF became her little bank roll.
They funded trips to spas, channel sunglasses, kept her business afloat and even paid to have her floors refinished.
Celebrity Spokesperson, Hmmmmm.
It would appear the AFF became her little bank roll.
They funded trips to spas, channel sunglasses, kept her business afloat and even paid to have her floors refinished.
Celebrity Spokesperson, Hmmmmm.
Most charities are scams that spend 70% of donations on administrative costs. But again, if I were going to scam a group, it probably wouldn't be a bunch of mostly disgruntled people with combat experience. You'd think at some point fear / caution would override greed / stupidity.
Most charities are scams that spend 70% of donations on administrative costs. But again, if I were going to scam a group, it probably wouldn't be a bunch of mostly disgruntled people with combat experience. You'd think at some point fear / caution would override greed / stupidity.
This is one of the angles I can't quite get people to see regarding the Clinton Foundation... The Foundation supports their lifestyle all the while the money coming in is tax free. They do distribute a bare minimum to charities. So they divvy out 10% on $400 million to charities rather than pay roughly 40% in federal income tax.
This is one of the angles I can't quite get people to see regarding the Clinton Foundation... The Foundation supports their lifestyle all the while the money coming in is tax free. They do distribute a bare minimum to charities. So they divvy out 10% on $400 million to charities rather than pay roughly 40% in federal income tax.
Clinton Cash comes to mind.
This is one of the angles I can't quite get people to see regarding the Clinton Foundation... The Foundation supports their lifestyle all the while the money coming in is tax free. They do distribute a bare minimum to charities. So they divvy out 10% on $400 million to charities rather than pay roughly 40% in federal income tax.
On top of that, operating costs of the Foundation are tax deductible. So that 10% is more than recouped by deductions against their remaining tax commitment. If you run it at a loss, you actually pay no taxes but you own any tangible item purchased for the foundation. This includes real estate, vehicles, wardrobe, etc.
And of course "events" are completely tax deductible. Lavish dinners where you dress up and entertain your friends to promote the foundation. Meanwhile the average American considers themselves lucky if they get a couple grand back at the end of the year after letting the government use $10,000 to 12,000 of their earnings in withholding of which they keep about 10,000.
How much more income would the average family have if they were allowed to invest that 10,000 every year even if they had to surrender the principal at tax time? Even if you only saw a 25% return your income tax refund would double.
SeriousStudent
09-21-16, 20:09
And we're the "deplorables".
Lovely.
Most charities are scams that spend 70% of donations on administrative costs. But again, if I were going to scam a group, it probably wouldn't be a bunch of mostly disgruntled people with combat experience. You'd think at some point fear / caution would override greed / stupidity.
Some are even worse than 70%. I've beat this drum for years, even having some people tell me I'm a piece of shit for being a disabled veteran that is against WWP. Well I felt pretty damn vindicated when their tax returns from 2013 were posted, it was ****ing shameful.
Virtually any "non-profit" you see getting some hefty air time and high dollar ads during peak viewing times or using celebrity endorsers you can guarantee is one of these setups where a very small amount of people are going to get rich while contributing 10% or less of the funds towards their cause.
I don't want to sound like one of these millenial faggots bitching about a CEO's nice house and car. I firmly believe in anarcho-capitalism but I don't like dishonesty. Just put in your ad that .05 of every dollar given goes to your cause while the rest goes in your pocket.
And we're the "deplorables".
Lovely.
Bingo.
Some are even worse than 70%. I've beat this drum for years, even having some people tell me I'm a piece of shit for being a disabled veteran that is against WWP. Well I felt pretty damn vindicated when their tax returns from 2013 were posted, it was ****ing shameful.
Virtually any "non-profit" you see getting some hefty air time and high dollar ads during peak viewing times or using celebrity endorsers you can guarantee is one of these setups where a very small amount of people are going to get rich while contributing 10% or less of the funds towards their cause.
I don't want to sound like one of these millenial faggots bitching about a CEO's nice house and car. I firmly believe in anarcho-capitalism but I don't like dishonesty. Just put in your add that .05 of every dollar given goes to your cause while the rest goes in your pocket.
This is why just about everyone earning $500,000 or more has a wife who runs a foundation or charity. It's a way of cancelling out your tax debt by spending the money on travel, dinners, cars and clothes. Meanwhile after you essentially pay yourself to not pay taxes, you then spend the rest of your time patting yourself on the back and telling "working Americans" about the important work you do for the underprivileged and act like you are better than everyone else.
And if somebody doesn't donate to your cause or foundation, they are just an asshole.
But rest assured, should I ever find myself in that tax bracket I will IMMEDIATELY start "The Second Amendment Foundation For Kids." I'll even actually do stuff like organize shoots, take kids camping, hiking and shooting and stuff like that. Of course I'll have to pay myself an administrative salary that amounts to 40% of all donations. And if any member of Congress fails to contribute less than a $1,000 annually, I'll blog about how they hate kids and gun rights.
I'll get some inner city kid named Felipe Hernandez and go on and on about how we tried to take him on our summer retreat but the funding just wasn't there despite appeals to people who make more than $500,000 a year. Guess those assholes in Congress are just a bunch of racists.
Thankfully the kids I hand pick will get a free summer vacation and some MP5 time. We'll take lots of pictures and act like it's all we do.
I don't support organizations where 85% doesn't go to ground zero. I also don't support ANY charity that sells my name.
ramairthree
09-21-16, 23:56
Someone please lay out for me how you set up a charity that saves you 100k or more in federal taxes.
Seriously.
If I could send that money to what I consider worthy vets instead of FSA I'm in.
As has been heavily noted,
Charities line a lot of pockets before it gets to anyone.
Then take the money going to the vets,
Most of that goes to free game tickets for reservist that did one tour on the FOB with GERD,
Some ****ers faking PTSD and TBI,
And then some turds with low back pain and obstructive sleep apnea.
Seriously,
If I could pick paying the vet bills for the guy adopting his MWD and marriage counseling for the guys with real PTSD and home mods for the amputee,
And pay them instead of my taxes I want in.
This is why just about everyone earning $500,000 or more has a wife who runs a foundation or charity. It's a way of cancelling out your tax debt by spending the money on travel, dinners, cars and clothes. Meanwhile after you essentially pay yourself to not pay taxes, you then spend the rest of your time patting yourself on the back and telling "working Americans" about the important work you do for the underprivileged and act like you are better than everyone else.
You couldn't be more right about that. I recently did a (very regrettable) stint in California and I noticed this shit was the norm, I had not seen much of it in Texas. Out there every small to mid level venture capitalist I met had a wife running a "charity" and yes, I was the asshole for speaking my mind and giving zero. Many of these types would only agree to an initial meeting (not even guaranteeing any business) until a 5-15k donation was made to their foundation. Needless to say I made no long term customers and didn't stay long.
Someone please lay out for me how you set up a charity that saves you 100k or more in federal taxes.
Seriously.
Well for starters you have to be making enough money that your tax commitment is $100,000 or more. If you are an "ordinary person" whose entire salary is less than that then the same opportunities simply don't exist for you.
As for finding a legit charity where 85% of the money goes to those in need? I don't know if such an animal exists. And in the height of irony, where you to start such a charity where it was documented that a minimum of 85% of all donations would reach those in need, you probably could expect to be heavily investigated by the IRS and they'd probably consider it a money laundering scam rather than a legit charity.
That is just how this shit works in the real world. I can think of a dozen disabled vets I know personally who have been audited for deductions that were disallowed because they weren't considered to be legitimate medical expenses. This includes things like acupuncture to manage pain and similar things. The result was they had to cough up the deducted amount and a few hundred bucks in fines. So they pay their taxes, they pay their co pay and they pay for "non covered" treatments out of their own pockets.
But I don't think I've met a Boca millionaire yet who didn't have a Boca wife running a charity or foundation that allowed them to travel and party in lieu of of paying heavy taxes. I'm talking about people whose annual income is more than a million dollars and when all is said and done pay something like $25,000 in taxes or less than 4% of their income.
Btw, without the charity, the tax commitment would be more like $350,000. For a regular person to pay $25,000 in taxes they'd only have to make $125,000 a year which is way short of a million. Sadly this is all SOP as far as the IRS is concerned. The only time it actually gets worse is with politicians because they don't simply dodge their tax commitment, they use their foundations to gain political capital. The fact that a nation of retards votes for them because they believe the foundation in question shows how sincere a candidate is and how much they want to help "the needy" truly borders on the obscene.
ramairthree
09-22-16, 10:45
Yes, I am not rich.
In general,
To be rich without being born with the assets,
You have to make money off of the efforts and money of others.
And if you are truly rich,
Much of your compensation is tax deferred,
And much of it benefits you don't pay taxes on.
You have a corporate provide home, car, etc.
Now,
No longer getting military pay.
I am affluent.
I make money based on my own efforts and labor.
I do not have write offs.
Unlike a rich person,
I pay taxes, then buy my car, gas, etc.
A rich person would be skimming profit off of a couple dozen guys like me with his company providing his car, fuel, clothing, etc.
So, let's look at how affluent people can start getting the benefits that build wealth like a rich person does.
One way is business ownership. Guys get tons of write offs, discounts, etc. A former friend is building his way to being rich buying foreclosed homes, renovating and selling or section 8'ing them. He pays himself a small salary that is taxed, but has a ton or write offs, etc.
But if your job is income based on a salary, hourly wage, etc. you are not going to have a bunch of write offs.
I don't know where the profit point is,
But say you are paying greater than 100k in federal income tax.
How do you turn that 100k into your wife's car, help for veterans, and good for the community instead of an NEA funded sculpture of a guy that became a female transvestite wearing a strap on while buggering a female that became a post op male?
Or being used to move Somalian Muslims refugees to a nearly all white neighborhood outside of Fort Benning?
I would really like to know how this works.
Let's say my wife wants to help vets taking care of dogs and horses.
If she sets up a charity where donations/ fundraising is done to help pay vet bills or adoption/rescue fees,
And actually gives all the donation money to the vets,
How does that benefit us?
I don't want to skim or take the money for the vets.
Is her truck and horse trailer used to help move animals now a write off?
Again, let me be very clear.
I would not want the donation money going anywhere but to the vets.
I will happily watch federal income taxes be shifted from where they are going.
Is this how the concept is done?
So, let's say yo
I would really like to know how this works.
Well it's different state by state but basically involves a knowledgeable accountant, a lawyer and some serious guidance regarding small business startups. Too many variables involved to coach someone on the internet. Tax advice is like legal advice.
If you are going to have Great Gatsby Wolf of Wall Street parties, fine. I'm always down for half naked women running around shooting off guns in the air while some guy plays piano.
Just pay your taxes like I have to. A charity should be because you actually care about people. Not an easy way to get a tax break.
Averageman
09-22-16, 19:29
If you are going to have Great Gatsby Wolf of Wall Street parties, fine. I'm always down for half naked women running around shooting off guns in the air while some guy plays piano.
Just pay your taxes like I have to. A charity should be because you actually care about people. Not an easy way to get a tax break.
When my Dad retired from the Military in the early Seventies, he wanted to settle in and get a job and have a somewhat normal life.
Getting a Home Loan even with the VA helping wasn't easy. Being a resourceful guy he figured out how to salvage old woodwork, lumber and brick from many of the turn of the century homes being destroyed to make way for Shopping Malls in the Mid West. Eventually this turned in to flipping houses.
He would get together with Veterans he met locally and he built a Rolodex full of guys with various skills and off they went. I would guess by 1977 they had co-op'ed about twenty houses altogether.
A lot of Families got their homes built and financed through this mutual agreement and some tight friendships were bonded.
You know, when I retire again I would certainly like to do the same thing and do it in my Dad's good name.
If I could do it and turn a profit that would allow me to send some of those seriously downtrodden and disabled guys kids through college and to make this sort of thing a legacy that would follow on to another generation?
You betcha, I would.
When my Dad retired from the Military in the early Seventies, he wanted to settle in and get a job and have a somewhat normal life.
Getting a Home Loan even with the VA helping wasn't easy. Being a resourceful guy he figured out how to salvage old woodwork, lumber and brick from many of the turn of the century homes being destroyed to make way for Shopping Malls in the Mid West. Eventually this turned in to flipping houses.
He would get together with Veterans he met locally and he built a Rolodex full of guys with various skills and off they went. I would guess by 1977 they had co-op'ed about twenty houses altogether.
A lot of Families got their homes built and financed through this mutual agreement and some tight friendships were bonded.
You know, when I retire again I would certainly like to do the same thing and do it in my Dad's good name.
If I could do it and turn a profit that would allow me to send some of those seriously downtrodden and disabled guys kids through college and to make this sort of thing a legacy that would follow on to another generation?
You betcha, I would.
Yeah. That's just being a decent fellow and passing it on.
But Steyr and one other person was referencing these Hollyweird "foundations" that don't really do anything.
They have million dollar balls to get black kids in a poor school a few hundred dollars worth of crayons and books then spend another million having another tax write off party kissing each other's ass over it.
A far cry from your dad networking and helping fellow Joes
Averageman
09-22-16, 20:40
Yeah. That's just being a decent fellow and passing it on.
But Steyr and one other person was referencing these Hollyweird "foundations" that don't really do anything.
They have million dollar balls to get black kids in a poor school a few hundred dollars worth of crayons and books then spend another million having another tax write off party kissing each other's ass over it.
A far cry from your dad networking and helping fellow Joes
Yeah, but I'm not opposed to using the same sort of tactics, even if it includes and evil tax doctor to make it work.
I don't need a boat load of hookers and blow to have a party. My Dad's idea of a good time was a New York Strip Steak or a Rack of Ribs and a bottle of Johnnie Walker Black.
Had he known what he could of done by pulling this in as a Charity and actually multiplying what he did do in to what he could have done, he would have likely cried about it.
I learned a couple of lessons from him. One Christmas I helped him carry cases of liqueur he had driven half way across the state to a Military Class VI, in to the house. The idea was that each case had a mix of what was wanted by each "guy". Each case got put back in to a 70's era "Shag o Wagon" van and delivered. Those cases went to people who were in charge of, or were building inspectors. I saw him fold a Franklin in to a handshake one time and the building inspector never left the drive way to check the wiring of a house he wired.
You know what I learned at like 14? Everybody has an angle and if you need something, likely they do too. That's a powerful lesson at that age, everything is negotiable.
I just think he would have likely left his job, a job he loved to continue building houses with other Vets.
Everything is a scam to some degree. It's what you do with the scam you're running that makes the difference.
ramairthree
09-22-16, 21:37
I think you are missing the point firefly.
I am not trying to turn my taxes into profit for me.
I want to see how how you redirect your federal income taxes into local people and things you give a crap about.
Say, if instead of 10kngoing to the fed,
10k of my money goes the vet bills for veterans rescuing GSDs and Mals,
I think you are missing the point firefly.
I am not trying to turn my taxes into profit for me.
I want to see how how you redirect your federal income taxes into local people and things you give a crap about.
Say, if instead of 10kngoing to the fed,
10k of my money goes the vet bills for veterans rescuing GSDs and Mals,
It can be done, but again it's not something you can really learn how to do over the internet.
Then there is the savage Catch 22 that your accountant can't really tell you how to do it anymore than a lawyer is allowed to tell you what to say on a statement. They both simply represent you and there are laws similar to insider trading nonsense that can get your accountant in hot water if anyone deems he's coaching people on how to set up a tax shelter. They can help you file taxes, help you be more organized and can even make a few suggestions but they can't give you a business model to start with.
So you need something like a small business consultant, who cannot also be an accountant, and you need a good one. And SBCs vary in quality information to the same level as say hunting guides, some are really useful and worth every penny and others just cost you money and don't provide any useful information at all.
As for finding a legit charity where 85% of the money goes to those in need? I don't know if such an animal exists. And in the height of irony, where you to start such a charity where it was documented that a minimum of 85% of all donations would reach those in need, you probably could expect to be heavily investigated by the IRS and they'd probably consider it a money laundering scam rather than a legit charity.
Just google 'Charity Navigator Four Star Charities' and you'll come up with a bunch. Although I'd be willing to bet you won't be sending much to Doctors Without Borders, USA.
Just google 'Charity Navigator Four Star Charities' and you'll come up with a bunch. Although I'd be willing to bet you won't be sending much to Doctors Without Borders, USA.
Pretty sad that the "National Education for Assistance Dog Services" is doing better than every charity I've ever heard of. Although their criteria for high scores don't equate to how much of donations get to the end user, one of the criteria is "financial health" which means running a profitable charity.
Performance Metric Two: Administrative Expense Percentage
Average Administrative Expense Percentage* = Average Administrative Expenses* ÷ Average Total Expenses*
(When Calculating Using Form 990) = Average of Part IX line 25C* ÷ Average of Part IX line 25A*
As with successful organizations in any sector, effective charities must recruit, develop, and retain talented people. At the same time, they should ensure that these administrative expenses remain reasonable and in line with the organization's total functional expenses.
We calculate the charity’s average administrative expense percentage over its three most recent fiscal years* and then assign a score using the conversion scale listed in our Financial Score Conversions and Tables.
So they are really scoring "well run" charities that are cooperative (transparency and accountability being the other primary criteria used in scoring).
Certainly it's better than giving money to "fund my lifestyle" nonsense, but a struggling charity that does more actual good to those it's set up to help could end up with a much lower score. Looks like if you set up things in a strategic way, even questionable charities could rate a high score.
Pretty sad that the "National Education for Assistance Dog Services" is doing better than every charity I've ever heard of. Although their criteria for high scores don't equate to how much of donations get to the end user, one of the criteria is "financial health" which means running a profitable charity.
So they are really scoring "well run" charities that are cooperative (transparency and accountability being the other primary criteria used in scoring).
Certainly it's better than giving money to "fund my lifestyle" nonsense, but a struggling charity that does more actual good to those it's set up to help could end up with a much lower score. Looks like if you set up things in a strategic way, even questionable charities could rate a high score.
Point being there are many charities that hit my metric of 85% of monies to services.
I'm happy with the ones I support.
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