Tuesday, December 3, 2024

Leonardo DiCaprio Raises $40 Mil, But Foundation Hasn’t Filed Itemized Report Since 2008

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Big headlines: Leonardo DiCaprio’s private foundation raised $40 million for environmental causes ast night in St. Tropez. Lots of big stars were on hand, and the press is everywhere.

But LDF, as Leo calls it, hasn’t filed a public itemized report since 2008. That’s the year that DiCaprio moved his foundation under the California Community Fund, which files reports in general as a summary for all its funds.

LDF is not itemized, so there’s no way of knowing what’s happening. Transparency is zilch.

From 2000 to 2008, LDF was on its own and filed individual reports. By its last couple of years, DiCaprio was giving between $200,000 and $250,000 to mostly environmental groups. The directors of the foundation included his parents and ubiquitous Hollywood – Harvard liaison Jeffrey Sachs.

DiCaprio’s move into the CCF removed his foundation from any public scrutiny. This would be unlike Madonna, whose Ray of Light Foundation is often chronicled in this space, or Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie’s Jolie-Pitt Foundation.

Last week, DiCaprio announced that he was donating $15 million to 30 different organizations. But there’s absolutely no way of knowing what’s really going on, other than relying on press releases. And the press does a great job of that.

There’s no question that DiCaprio is committed to investing in the environment. His commitment stretches back to 1998, the year after he made real money– a reported $100 million — from “Titanic.” But it would seem a little less sketchy to have the details, just as with most other foundations.

Roger Friedman
Roger Friedmanhttps://www.showbiz411.com
Roger Friedman began his Showbiz411 column in April 2009 after 10 years with Fox News, where he created the Fox411 column. His movie reviews are carried by Rotten Tomatoes, and he is a member of both the movie and TV branches of the Critics Choice Awards. His articles have appeared in dozens of publications over the years including New York Magazine, where he wrote the Intelligencer column in the mid 90s and covered the OJ Simpson trial, and Fox News (when it wasn't so crazy) where he covered Michael Jackson. He is also the writer and co-producer of "Only the Strong Survive," a selection of the Cannes, Sundance, and Telluride Film festivals, directed by DA Pennebaker and Chris Hegedus.

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