A Fish Rots from the Head : Charitable Corruption.Legal and Journalistic Indifference

In his book, A Fish Rots From The Head/Charitable Corruption...Legal & Journalistic Indifference, Konrad goes to extremes to right an injustice by documenting over 200 pieces of evidence, mostly subpoenaed Better Business Bureau records, proving that many charities unethically raise money and at the same time, contribute to vast fraud in the vending industry. These charities contractually lend their names to charity vending programs that net them and the third party vending operators millions of dollars, while the independent investors lose big time and unsuspecting citi! zens buy miniature candies without knowing they are being deceived.

In a day where charity has become a $500+ billion business and still growing strong with over 45,000 not-for-profit organizations, Konrad attempts to expose the public to the real truth about many charitites (The Leukemie Society of America, The National Cancer Care Foundation (Cancer Care, Inc.) and others), the lack of government action early on, the media's laid back attitude in rightfully exposing charity corruption, and both their indifference towards it all.

The fact is that many government agencies, the FBI, the FTC and others knew of the charity vending problems as early as 1989, but waited to act until 1994. In 1995 Konrad's book came out just as the government pressed charges, won a civil settlement for $31+ million in 1996 and in 1997 eight defendants were sentenced for wire/mail fraud and money laundering for up to ten years in federal prisons. The civil and criminal trials came about as an ind! irect, if not direct, result of Konrad's persistence and de! spite his 1991 unanswered efforts to get the government to take action. In 1998 and 1999 very small refunds from the only $100,000 seized by the government in 1994 were returned to investors.

This untold story is now uncovered in A Fish Rots From The Head. Despite the threats, struggles and actions of Konrad, it is sad to say the problem still exists today. Konrad sought to correct a wrong, proved his claims, won a moral victory, and yet did not recover his financial losses. He did what every American who has been scammed has wanted to do, but couldn't for one reason or another.