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Charities Cheated of Funds

3 February 2004

NORTHERN OHIO -- As reported by the Beacon Journal: ``James Lenahan thought the few thousand dollars his charity -- Akron's Vision Support Services, formerly Akron Blind Center -- got back from Rittman's Michael Moneypenny was a little low. After all, people had packed the charity's Vegas night that Moneypenny ran.

``…Cuyahoga County authorities came up with a reason late last week: Moneypenny, 46, his wife Milinda, 37, along with his 21-year-old son, Michael Jr. plus 26 other people and one corporation -- Reel EFX, Inc. -- ran what was in essence a traveling casino, complete with professional dealers, who ran Vegas nights around Northern Ohio during the past 18 months.

``…The 30 face charges in Cuyahoga County related to racketeering, money laundering, gambling, operating a gambling house and theft.

``The essence of Moneypenny's operation, authorities said, was this: Charities are limited to the number of casino nights they can do, where they can do them and who can work there. So if Moneypenny did one for his charity, for example, that's all he could do for a fixed time period. However, if he organized them for other charities, he could do them for several weekends.

``Charities, though, have to use volunteers to work the tables at the Vegas nights, Soucie said. The problem with Moneypenny is that he had the same people working each Vegas night, Soucie said. On a typical weekend the events would clear about $100,000. Charities were lucky to see 10 percent or 25 percent of that haul, Soucie said, with the rest going to Moneypenny…"

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