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Veterans Charity Scamming Donors, Attorney General Says

December 03, 2007 10:28 AM

Anna Schecter and Rehab El-Buri Report:

Veteranscharit_mn A man attempted to scam generous Americans by falsely claiming he was running a "rural retreat for military veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder" in Missouri, the state attorney general says. The retreat does not exist.

After a settlement conference earlier this month, Missouri Attorney General Jay Nixon has decided to sue James Barbee in civil court under the state's consumer protection laws in February for allegedly defrauding donors. Nixon obtained a temporary restraining order against Barbee in September to prevent further solicitation.

Nixon said Barbee solicited donations for the Missouri-based Liberty Spirits Farm beginning last April on his Web site, libertyspiritsfarm.org.

THE BLOTTER RECOMMENDS

Barbee, who lives in California, never owned the property advertised on the Web site as Liberty Spirits Farm, but continued to ask for money to cover the farm's operational cost, according to Nixon.

"James Barbee has played on [Americans'] goodwill to solicit donations he claims would go for a veterans' facility in Missouri that is not in operation, on property he doesn't own," said Nixon.

Barbee posted pictures on his Web site that he had taken off the owner's Web site when the owner was trying to sell the property, according to Nixon's office.

Barbee's attorney Melissa Featherston said Barbee wanted to buy the property, and though mistakes were made, he was acting in good faith and trying to do something good for veterans.

One of Nixon's investigators sent a $100 check to Barbee as an anonymous donation. Barbee cashed the check, according to Nixon's office. Under Missouri law, any solicitation must be registered with the state. Nixon's office alerted Barbee to that fact, but Barbee never registered.

Featherston said Barbee received no other donations but the $100 from Nixon.

"If it had not been for that $100 check [Barbee] cashed, he would not be spending his resources on litigation, instead it would go to helping veterans," she said.

Barbee's Web site also solicited cash for another project, Liberty Spirits Ranch, for "wounded and combat affected military personnel returning from battle." This retreat was to be located on the central coast of California, according to the Liberty Spirits Farm Web site.

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December 3, 2007 | Permalink | User Comments (4)

User Comments

'Tis to bad the American Government does not take care of its own. The military bases closed could have been used for housing, & treatment for vets; who r left homeless, w/o jobs (gotta use those illegals cuz no one wants 2 work); & yet another GREAT CUT against medical benefits for our vets is scheduled to start 1/1/08; Medicare cuts; Oh, that's right. Over $300million goes out to illegals using fake ss#s; & much more; So that leaves people who CARE for VETS, liable to be scammed.

Posted by: yellowbird2525 | Dec 3, 2007 7:24:03 PM

I'd love to know where the US gov is cutting benefits for Vets as I have noticed none. Medical care for vets is set up on a "financial need" basis and is for vets with service connected injuries primarily.


and if you knew more about the toxicity of the old bases that the military vacated you would not be inclined to live there either.

Posted by: PTSD Vet | Dec 8, 2007 8:57:50 PM

The government is not cutting VA Benefits, but rather retiree benefits. Those that retired in 1990's were promised medical for life after retiring, without extended cost. The cost for Tri-Care as it is not called tripled cost to retirees in 2004. They have increased on nearly an annual basis since. I do know that the benefits are scheduled to change again on 1/1/2008

Posted by: WCD | Dec 14, 2007 1:59:18 PM

I am not surprised that the money collected for vets has been misused .I am still wondering how all the money collected to used for 9/11 and Katrina was used up. I am believe just for Katrina alone would have been in the billions. Is it kept track of by a finanicial institute of some sort? Churches collected, Red Cross ,singers had proformances and money was to go for the victims. Seems just the interest on the money that was collected alone could have had all of New Orleans up and in business by now. I doubt a third ever got to where it was suppose to go . I have ask,"What did they do with all the money they collected?" Nothing ,even wrote Bill Riley never even got a reply.

Posted by: june | Jan 17, 2008 7:57:34 PM

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