Wyclef Jean's organization under scrutiny over Haiti charity

Haiti News.Net
Saturday 16th January, 2010

Washington, January 16 : Wyclef Jean's organization 'The Wyclef Jean Foundation Inc.' has come under scrutiny over charity work for earthquake victims in Haiti.

Groups that vet charities have pointed out mischief in the foundation's accounting practices.

The foundation has raised more than 2 million dollars via text message in two days, but experts claim there is no accountability.

"It's questionable. There's no way to get around that," Fox News quoted Art Taylor, president and chief executive of the Better Business Bureau's Wise Giving Alliance, as saying.

Taylor reviewed Internal Revenue Service tax returns for the organization also known as Yele Haiti Foundation from 2005 through 2007.

He hinted that the poor accounting practices was apparent, as three years of returns were filed on the same day - Aug. 10 of last year.

Also, in 2007, the foundation's spending exceeded its revenues by 411,000 dollars.

Taylor added: "Here's the bottom line: for an earthquake of catastrophic proportions, do people really believe that this organization is in a position to do anything right now?"

A 7.0 magnitude earthquake devastated Haiti earlier this week.

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