Wyclef Jean Uses Charity to Get Paid

By Francisco Alvarado Fri., Jan. 15 2010 at 9:00 AM

Categories: Banana Republican

According to tax documents posted by The Smoking Gun, Wyclef Jean has used Yele for his own gain.

All over Facebook, Twitter, television newscasts, and radio broadcasts, reporters and ordinary folks have been encouraging relatives, friends and anyone who cares to donate $5 to the Yele Haiti Earthquake fund, the humanitarian relief effort spearheaded by the non-profit organization founded by Haitian-American entertainer and part-time Miami resident Wyclef Jean.

According to media reports, Yele is on pace to collect more than $1 million a day. Well, South Floridians should know that the Refugee All-Star has profited from Yele.

Yesterday, The Smoking Gun posted Yele's tax returns for 2005, 2006, and 2007 which show the foundation paid $31,200 in rent to a recording studio owned by Jean and a Yele board member, who together "own a controlling interest" in a company that was paid $250,000 by the foundation for "pre-purchased...TV airtime and production services." In 2006, Yele paid it's founder $100,000, which the tax return stated was below market value, for a musical performance at a benefit concert.

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The Smoking Gun, Wyclef Jean, Yele Haiti

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no one remembers Red cross's questionable tax returns, huh?
If one is not comfortable with Wyclef's organization's activities or intentions then donate to another reputable charity. The point is to DONATE AND HELP these people in dire need. As for asking any "educated Haitian" how they feel about Wyclef, well if you know ANYTHING about Haitians you would know that they typically are not supportive of other Haitians. Look at the history of the country. The point is to just help these people. Humans are suffering.
WARNING!- Be smart about donating!!! pleaseee....donate to Red cross/Salvation Army or any other old reputable organization!!! Dont throw away your hard earned money for other people to get richer !!Wycled is real shady....Yes he has done some good work for Haiti but on the other hand he has profited a lot from his charity! its a fact...he isnt in it for goodwill..he is in it for $$$ .Just talk to any educated Haitian they will tell you that it is true!
I think that it is a good charity and that he has done well with it. I also think that he should never pay himself to do anything ever for it because he will never be broke. Also i feel that he and all that donate should control what they invest or donate and not give it to the government because they just keep the money. Haiti has gotten money for years and has not improved past the Gov. city center. The U S. can go to a foreign country and set up a war in a desert for years but cannot go into Haiti or a third world country and setup the same and build from there to the city center starting with a water treatment plant, a power plant and a distribution center creating jobs and guarding it with military people. hmmmm? Good Question huh. But we can go to Iraq and Afghan and stay for years in a desert Hmmmmm , but i digress why is this? I hate millionaire athletes and entertainers asking for money and donating $50,000 or $5,000 and then spending 3 times that at the club or on cloths hmmmm? Did you know that one of the highest paying jobs in the country is the head of the United way? Millions!!!! Again Schools are important but take the money from the people who don't use it wisely. Where are all of these millions donated now going ? Who is managing it? What bank is it going to? Who will be held accountable? That's where you guys need to focus your attention. oh yeah go and check out my site www. fatherfocus.net i help fathers and teen mothers be blessed!!! i welcome your comments.
What's amazing to me is that everybody is so interested in where Wyclef Jean is spending the donated money. How does the money get spent that Congress siphons off our taxes for ACORN or the SEIU? Talk about corruption to the core! The unions are bankrupting our country. All of the kool-aid drinkers are so enamored with Obama that they let the leftist media lead them down the road, like sheep to the slaughter. Open up your eyes, wake up America, before it's too late...
A little ot-- Speaking of knees, anybody heard of these people: http:/www.betterworldbooks.com. ...
At least he is filing his taxes.
I am trying to grasp the truth behind all of this information that is just now being reported, in the wake of the most devastating event in Haiti. Yele Haiti has been in existence now for several years, and if the reports have any relevance why hasn't this been reported. I would question the intentions of those persons or organizations reporting these accusations. The main focus should be on the support for the citizens of Haiti regardless of which organization has the most contributions. I am sure if you dig hard enough you might find fault all the organizations. @AlYk, You claim to have worked with Wyclef for three years and if you did witness any wrong doing that you did not report. You are just as guilty in my opinion.
Wyclef you fricking suck!!!
People will always try to find something negative- the issue isn't Wyclef but helping people.... and you are talking about 2006, 2007 we are looking at the now.... what non- profit organization doesnt use the money to pay their employees............ duh!!
This is an obvious psyop (Psychological Operation)created to derail people from helping Haiti. If you knew the true history of Haiti's relationship with the U.S. you'd understand why there are certain people who hate the Haitian people on this level. It all basically comes down to SLAVERY. There's people like Pat Roberson who would prefer if all people of color were still in bondage. The Haitian people revolted against their slave masters and defeated them which to this day still angers certain people. Then when the U.S. tried to set up bases there the Haitian people sent the U.S. military home. That's how false legend Pat Robertson spoke of came to life. It was a story fabricated to create anonymous towards the Haitian people as ungodly. How is it the Red Cross who bilked over a billion dollars from both 9/11 and Katrina still manage to gain the trust of the media who criticized and investigated them to endorse what used to be a trustworthy charity and is now a huge sham? Think about it people, you're being duped and it's not by Wyclef and Yele Haiti but hateful people who will do whatever it takes to deter people from donating to Yele Haiti so they can pocket off the grief of the Haitian people and I'm talking about the Red Cross which you'll learn Pat Roberson is a board member of this organization.
I worked on a first person basis day in and day out for almost 3 years... Sadly, I believe these accusations to be quite true. Wyclef has been using his status as the most high profile Haitain-American to get him publicity and fill his pockets for quite some time, while I wish I could say otherwise, I'm sure Wyclef together with his manager Jessica Harley are profiting from the aid which is meant for the Hatian people. Moreover, if any of these charges are explored further, I would not be surprised to see Wyclef Jean, Jessica Harley, and his cousin Jerry Duplessis brought up on criminal fraud charges. Follow the money and you will see the theivery plain as you now see the suffering of the people of Haiti. May God bless and help the Haitian people.
Anonymous @4:13 - Clooney gave a million dollars of his own money to the United Way to help Katrina victims. As far as the rest of your comment, can you provide verifiable facts to back up your claims (repeating what Bill O'Reilly has said on the subject is not the same as providing facts. BTW, the Sept. 11 Fund was created by the United Way and the New York Community Trust, not the Red Cross.
"In 2006, Yele paid it's founder $100,000" Paid it is founder? Nice "news" writing. The story has merit, but come on, this is sad.
The PlayGround Theatre wants to help the children of Haiti. What started as an internal effort to help is now open to the public. The organization �Stop Hunger of North Miami� has agreed to ship everything we collect for the children to Port-Au-Prince, which will then be handed over to Catholic Charities for distribution at several orphanages and hospitals that are in desperate need. Please bring any of the following items (all new and unopened please): Diapers (of all sizes) Wipes Bottled water Powdered baby formula Pull-ups (of all sizes) Toothpaste Toothbrushes Band aids (of all shape and size) Hydrogen peroxide Rubbing alcohol Gauze First aid tape Soap Aspirin, Tylenol, Advil, Aleve (any type of over-the-counter pain relief medication) Neosporin (or any other type of topical antibiotic) Baby bottles Pacifiers *and anything else you might think of specifically intended for babies/children Here�s the drop-off schedule for the public � we will collect material in the lobby before and after shows. We will transition whatever we collect to the SandBox and/or our truck until it gets picked up. 1:30-3:30 Saturday 1:30-3:30 Sunday 9:30-11:30 Tuesday 9:30-11:30 Wednesday 10-12 Thursday 12:30-2:30 Friday 1:30-3:30 Saturday 1:30-3:30 Sunday
"...the foundation paid $31,200 in rent to a recording studio owned by Jean and a Yele board member, who together "own a controlling interest" in a company that was paid $250,000 by the foundation for "pre-purchased...TV airtime and production services." I think we are jumping to conclusions here. One entity paid another entity. Big deal. We do not know of the activities or works created by that studio. If it is for positive purposes and is inline with the stated objectives of the organization... Then POO POO on the Smoking Gun.
The financial point to consider is: What percentage of contributions reach the people of Haiti, and what percentage of contributions covers rent, salary, marketing, business expenses, etc. of running the corporation. If more than 35% is going to "administration costs" then cut them off at the knees.
ATTENTION MIAMI PEOPLE: Large truck that will be on the corner of 1st & Alton beginning at 6:00 pm today and will be there 24/7 until it is filled. Items most needed: blankets, tents, batteries, candles, clothing, medicine/ medical supplies and canned food. PLEASE REPOST!!!
Re: George Clooney & WJ telethon next Friday beware! George is a limousine liberal who flies in his own private jet. He never gives his own $$ yet freely asks those who don't cash $25 million dollar checks to give what they can. Remember his 911 telethon? Teary-eyed celebs in a dimly lit studio holding candles asking the average joe to give it up. Here's a hint GC - all five 911 charity execs were indicated for embezzlement and serving time; except for the Red cross exec who blew his brains out before sentencing. Haiti received BILLIONS in US aid with no accountability. Where was your Katrina telethon? No one likes a phony. Go away George - go far away. We're sick of u. don't come back!
Here's that CNN story: http://www.cnn.com/2010/SHOWBIZ/01/13/yele.wyclef.haiti.relief/index.html
Check out this CNN story on his organization's accomplishments. If you still have doubts, you can find out exactly how much money non-profits dedicate to their operations versus their administration at: www.charitynavigator.org
Well said B-Bomb! You cannot understand the complexities or costs involved in running an NPO and putting on huge events like free concerts. I'm sure he put waaaaaay more than 100K into this organization and once the dollars start rolling in, he deserves to be reimbursed. Yele Haiti would not exist without his blood, sweat, tears, and treasure.
While i will agree that some of those overhead costs seem needlessly high and could have benefited the Haitian people more directly, reading a tax return does not make you an NPO expert. Looks like TSG is owned by Ted Turner, as well... but i can't imagine why a media mogul try to hurt the credibility of a high profile record producer and TV station owner? Looks like a potential conflict of interest to me. The yele.org charity is now a partnership with 10 other related charities focused on disaster relief efforts. Quit haitin'
Wyclef is the Bob Marley of this generation
WYCLEF IS A DECENT CITIZEN IF YOU NOT DOING ANYTHING TO HELP DONT JUDGE .HE IS BEEN IN THE GROUND SINCE THE TRAGEDY HAPPENED AND WHERE ARE YOU.i'TS TIME TO HELP NOT POINTING FINGER.HE IS DOING SOMETHING I WOULD LOVE TO DO.PEACE
yall are the idiots. moneys spent were legit. returns back it up. and Telemax is the Haitian TV station Clef built out there, or do you think a foundation to help Haiti shouldn't put money into building an effective local media? smockingcracked is disaster profiteering
Yele does not look like a good charitable cause as they appear to have paid out all of their receipts to Wyclef Jean-related entities. Look at the tax returns people! http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/years/2010/0114102wyclef1.html
Southwest - are you an idiot? Read the tax return, the charity seems pretty bogus. I'm sure they do some good in there as well, but just look at the return. wow!
wyclef has also given Millions of dollars to Haiti and was born there in a mud hut and any money spent by the foundation was legit. he also owns a tv station in Haiti and in 2006 he performed free concert for over 50,000 people on tdhe beach in Jacmel Haiti. smokinggun is just tryin to cash in on tragedy for web hits they need to put money on security for all the web transactions going on right now and the people stealing it But Wyclef and Yele are true to the core