Anti-Terrorism Nonprofit Paying Out Millions To Founder's Company

According to an exposé in The Tennessean, a nonprofit that claims to investigate links between American Muslims and international terrorist organizations has been sending millions in donations back to the founder's business.

The Tennessean reports,

[Steven] Emerson is a leading member of a multimillion-dollar industry of self-proclaimed experts who spread hate toward Muslims in books and movies, on websites and through speaking appearances.

Emerson founded the nonprofit known as the Investigative Project on Terrorism Foundation, which forwarded $3.4 million to Emerson's SAE Productions in 2008 to conduct the supposed anti-terrorism investigations.

The Chronicle of Philanthropy reports,

An SAE spokesman said the arrangement was legal, but Ken Berger, president of Charity Navigator, called it "off the charts," saying, "Basically, you have a nonprofit acting as a front organization."

Read the full story from The Tennessean.

Comments

[Kris Bui]

10:18 AM on 10/26/2010

It's a shame they can't use their organization to spread positive and intelligent information. There is enough hate and anger in the world, right now.

[Countess]

08:58 AM on 10/26/2010

America is a paradise for fraud and scam artists as we can see with the banksters who have not only not been charged with any crimes but are still getting government monney for screwing people and bringing the economy to it's knees. Preacher hustlers have always exploited America's weakness for religion and have become wealthy doing so. Please make the check out to the church and not to my name. Thank you.

[lostagain]

08:53 AM on 10/26/2010

With all the abuse of non-profit status by groups such as this, churches, issue "education" groups, etc. etc., one wonders whether such a status should even be allowed to exist under our tax code. Maybe it's time to revisit the issue of granting tax exempt status for anyone.

[Turukano]

09:32 AM on 10/26/2010

No, lets just tax the rich first and then worry about the churches. Last thing we need is a culture war between believers and non-believers.

[wewin]

09:41 AM on 10/26/2010

The interesting thing is, true non-profits really don't make profit so there is nothing to tax. They don't even need the status.

But something like Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois has 6 billion dollars in reserves (another word for profit).

I have always said if you want to make easy profits start a non-profits!

[Fight4Freedom2008]

08:02 AM on 10/26/2010

If ya can't dodge taxes with a church consider opening a non-profit.

[Turukano]

09:12 AM on 10/26/2010

Let have Wall Street pay some taxes and then worry about taxing churches.

[FrankyBoy2]

08:00 AM on 10/26/2010

what is it to you? people are free to do what ever they want with their money.

[lostagain]

08:55 AM on 10/26/2010

I just don't want to support them indirectly by having to pay part of their share of the tax burden. Let them advocate anything they want, provided it's not an inducement to commit a crime, and pay their fair share of taxes.

[Turukano]

09:13 AM on 10/26/2010

So I can start a charity for benefiting poor college students and then just pocket it? Sweet.

[namewithheld]

07:27 AM on 10/26/2010

Ahhhh...the Homeland $ecurity $cam. Such a boon for a-holes.

[Marty Jarvy]

07:22 AM on 10/26/2010

Wow - that couldn't be more blatant an abuse of 'non-profit' status.

This guy is milking the gullible.

[Berettasskeeter]

07:22 AM on 10/26/2010

Wow! Another non-story. Emerson's claims have not been refuted, to my knowledge, by any leading Muslim. Instead, they have resorted to attacks and lawsuits. He has responded to the lawsuits and ignored the attacks. Same for the rest. As Muslims cannot refute the claims, they attack the messengers.
Semper fi

[reverence]

08:32 AM on 10/26/2010

The tactic of not responding to claims is nothing more than an attempt of limiting the public exposure of what is actually happening.

[Turukano]

09:25 AM on 10/26/2010

That is the truth. Responding to outright lies just makes it worse and just makes the person spreading the lie look important.

[Turukano]

09:16 AM on 10/26/2010

http://radicalwatch.blogspot.com/2007/03/steven-emersons-anti-muslim-racism.html

Read. Educate yourself. Otherwise, stop thinking you are a true American. Emerson is lying to you for your money. The man does not even need facts to make his accusations, just the fact that they are Islamic and in the United States.

[Berettasskeeter]

10:01 AM on 10/26/2010

What are the lies?? Emerson relies on factual readings of the Koran and other Muslim "holy" books, as well as policies of Muslim countries.
Semper fi

[Gurg]

06:53 AM on 10/26/2010

FAUX will probably offer Emerson a multi-million dollar job!

[AbstractImp]

06:41 AM on 10/26/2010

You are being Harvested.
Every moment is another chance to steal.
And the old and sick?
That's what lobbyists call a soft target!

[prairieaire]

05:02 PM on 10/25/2010

This isn't the only "non profit" that benefits few. When my sister died we discovered her "care taker" and lawyer neighbor got her to change her will (she had been diagnosed with dementia) and had an amount to go to the DVA (not the recognized DAV). In researching this "charity" we found out 95% of their donations went to a telemarketing company. It sickens me how the greedy cheats just can't pass up a chance to get more. Interesting the organization could not be reached by our lawyer.