Mich. Man Charged in Alleged $100,000 Charity Scam
September 10, 2012 | Read Time: 1 minute
A West Bloomfield, Mich., man was arrested on charges that he pocketed more than $100,000 raising funds for supposed veterans charities with names similar to established national nonprofits, the Detroit Free Press reported Friday.
Neil Thrasher, 37, used telemarketing to solicit donations for the Paralyzed American Veterans and Disabled Veterans of America, groups he created in the Michigan towns of Farmington Hills and Southfield, according to the Michigan attorney general’s office. Authorities allege he used most of the money collected from January 2009 through April 2012 for personal expenses.
The names of Mr. Thrasher’s groups echoed those of the national charities Paralyzed Veterans of America and Disabled American Veterans. A third group with which he was associated, the Veterans of America Foundation, was shut down by Attorney General Bill Schuette in April.
