1/ On this observance of Veterans Day, a cautionary tale for those who may receive a phone call from a group asking for money in the name of helping veterans.
While many vets orgs spend a lot of $$ helping vets, a few notably don't. This is a story about the latter.
While many vets orgs spend a lot of $$ helping vets, a few notably don't. This is a story about the latter.
2/ Last December, @sarahkleiner9 of @publici published this investigation of two sister nonprofit groups and their recently formed political action committee cousin. All were run by the same man, former Army Maj. Brian Arthur Hampton. publicintegrity.org/2017/12/13/213…
3/ As @sarahkleiner9 reported then, most of the millions upon millions of dollars these veterans groups were raising went to one of two places: the pockets of telemarketing firms or the pockets of the groups' leader, Brian Arthur Hampton. publicintegrity.org/2017/12/13/213…
4/ TV programs such as @jaketapper's @TheLeadCNN took notice. And soon after, so did government officials. publicintegrity.org/2017/11/25/214…
5/ First, nonprofit watchdog @CharityNav placed “concern advisories” on Brian Arthur Hampton's Circle of Friends for American Veterans and the Center for American Homeless Veterans publicintegrity.org/2018/01/04/214…
6/ Then, Virginia @AGMarkHerring's office opened an investigation into Brian Arthur Hampton's nonprofit operations, concerned it was misleading donors. publicintegrity.org/2018/02/15/215…
7/ @RepWalterJones, R-N.C., also asked congressional colleagues to look into the matter documentcloud.org/documents/4379…
8/ By April, New York state's attorney general office was investigating Hampton's veterans nonprofits publicintegrity.org/2018/04/18/216…
9/ And last month, a man who used to work for Brian Arthur Hampton filed a whistleblower complaint against Hampton with the Internal Revenue Service: publicintegrity.org/2018/10/24/223…
10/ Among the few politicians who did receive money from Brian Arthur Hampton's political action committee, Put Vets First! PAC, at least half — including @DeanHeller — decided to dispose of the money after @sarahkleiner9 contacted them about it publicintegrity.org/2018/04/23/217…
11/ Brian Arthur Hampton has told @publici that he's done nothing wrong. And his groups continue to raise large amounts of money, spending the vast majority of it on telemarketing firms and salaries. publicintegrity.org/2018/02/12/215…
12/ A breakdown of Brian Arthur Hampton's Put Vets First! PAC finances — not including his two nonprofit groups. publicintegrity.org/2018/10/24/223…
13/ As of today, Brian Arthur Hampton's organizations remain in operation and continue raising money, little of which will go to benefit veterans in any direct or demonstrable way.
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