Families Accuse Sago Mine Owner of Being a Scrooge

Email

Print

Share

December 19, 2006 12:47 PM

Almost one year after the Sago mine tragedy in West Virginia, the New York billionaire who runs the mining company, Wilbur Ross, is accused by some of the victims' families of acting like a coal field Scrooge for failing to live up to his promises of financial help.

"Considering how much money he makes, it feels like a slap in the face," said the mother of one of the victims, who asked not to be identified. 

Within days of the Sago tragedy that killed 12 miners, Ross announced the company had established the Sago Mine Fund and contributed $2 million to start it.

Ross urged Americans to send in contributions and said he would make his own personal contribution.

Pressed about how much he would personally contribute, Ross said, "We will decide what to do about a personal contribution as we see what comes in from the outside."

Click Here for Full Blotter Coverage.

According to the administrator of the Sago Mine Fund, Donald Nestor, only $950,000 in additional contributions were made by individuals.  Citing the fund's privacy policy, he would not say how much Ross had contributed, but he says it is not more than $950,000.

"Here we are almost a year later, and there's still a lot up in the air," says Dennis O'Dell, Safety Director of the United Mine Workers, who met recently with the Sago families. "Ross had said he was going to donate so much money to help the families get back on their feet, but he hasn't really fulfilled his promises."

According to "Forbes" magazine, Ross is worth over $1 billion and ranks No. 322 on the Forbes 400 Richest Americans list published in September.

Repeated calls to Ross at his New York office were not returned.