Madonna’s Kabbalah Charity Admits to Cayman Island Accounts
Spirituality for Kids, Madonna’s Kabbalah charity, now known as Success for Kids, is a different sort of religion. Remember last time we checked their Form 990 federal tax filing, they said they were putting in special word for “whistleblowers.” Then they kicked out Phillippe van den Bossche, who ran that group and their Raising Malawi, and threw him under the bus. Now in their 2009 filing, which only became public in December 2010, there’s a hilarious notation. It’s in Part V (Five), number 4a. The question: “At any time during the calendar year,did the organization have an interest in, or a signature or other authority over, a financial account in a foreign country?” The ‘no’ box is checked off, but on a line that reads “If yes, enter the name of the country”– the words: “Cayman Islands” are written in.
I mean, really, come on. I’ve been reporting on various charities and foundations for more than a dozen years, and I’ve never seen those words before on a Form 990. Of course the Cayman Islands are the place where money is generally stashed outside the purview of the IRS and US government.
In 2009, Madonna gave SFK/Kabbalah Centre/Raising Malawi $2.5 million.
Meanwhile: Madonna’s long time publicist issued a statement yesterday that Madonna is not under investigation by the FBI or IRS, and neither is Success for Kids or Raising Malawi. But let’s read that statement. Not mentioned is a grand jury. I told you that two people have told me they’ve been subpoenaed by a grand jury in Manhattan regarding Raising Malawi and its finances. I will stick with that story. The grand jury is very interested in SFK, now called Success for Kids, and formerly known as Spirituality for Kids. Grand juries meet in secret, and they can take a long time to interview everyone involved. All these Kabbalah Centre related groups have financial issues. Someone is going to have answer the questions about where all the money raised for Raising Malawi’s unbuilt school went–it didn’t just evaporate. And Raising Malawi is a registered charity in the United States of America, not Malawi.
It may be true that Madonna is not being investigated, but the Kabbalah Centre is, and about tiime!
@Rob, Mr Friedman was not implying that another government branch is behind the grand jury investigation. All he said was that he spoke to 2 people who have been subpoenaed by the grand jury. Are you saying that these people are lying, or is Mr Friedman himself making up the story?
You are doing a fantastic job with your journalistic investigations Mr Friedman, I say keep it up!
Of course Madonna’s publicist will be very good at releasing damage-control statements – it’s what she pays them tens of thousands of dollars for!
If you say that you spoke with 2 people that have been subpoenaed by a grand jury regarding Raising Malawi then I believe you. As to who instigate the investigation, clearly that remains to be seen, after the grand jury has concluded its findings.
Wake up and smell the coffee @Rob. Millions of dollars going missing in charities, a multi-million dollar lawsuit by someone who believes they’ve been swindled by the Kabbalah Centre, now we’ve got the laughable issue of the Cayman Islands being mentioned in Success For Kids’ form 990 in 2009. There’s absolutely no need to call this some sort of conspiracy theory. Only Blind Freddy can deny that the Kabbalah Centre and its associated “charities” are involved in extremely bogus activities.
Madonna does not own “Success For Kids”. She’s a “chairman”, as are Donna Karan and Ashton Kutcher.
SFK is not Madonna’s charity. She is not the founder, nor the CEO. Also, stop spinning Liz Rosenberg’s words. She mentioned Madonna and Raising Malawi were not under FBI nor IRS investigation, both of which are true statements.
Great reporting…not!!!
Last I checked, a grand jury investigation is usually instigated by a federal referral.It does not start proceedings without an agency on its own. If it is not the FBI or IRS, is the implication of this article then that another government branch is investigating? DEA for drugs, ATF for firearms or Secret service for counterfeit money? Now I got it it ‘s all a cover up for a big conspiracy and homeland security is involved. A big terrorist plot originating in Cayman Island.
What a fantastic journalistic coup.