Wyclef Jean is fighting back against accusations of massive financial mismanagement related to his Yele Haiti Foundation, which collected millions last year. After the January, 2010 earthquake, the organization pulled in $16 million. It is being reported that only $5.1 million of those funds were used to actually help the people. This is all according to the charity’s tax records.
Over $1 million was allegedly paid to a Miami company called Amisphere Farm Labor Inc. It is reported that the company doesn’t actually exist and never completed its paperwork to incorporate in the state of Florida. The registered address of the business is an auto repair shop in Miami.
Jean disputes the reports and says that Amerisphere delivered “close to 100,000 meals” to earthquake victims. “The Post conveniently fails to acknowledge that the decisions that Yele made were a response to one of the world’s most catastrophic natural disasters in modern history and required an immediate humanitarian response,” Jean told the Miami Herald.
Some say that the allegations are much ado about nothing. Accusations of cronyism seem to be no worse than what happens at all levels of the federal government (for example, how did Arne Duncan become President Obama’s education Secretary? He plays basketball with him. Also, we remember all the oil companies in Texas that profited from President Bush’s war in Iraq). Since Yele was accused of mismanaging money last year, Jean claims that the organization cleaned house and made things right.
“It’s a clean slate now,” said Derek Johnson, the new director.
