Last month, according to the New York Times, very quietly, without much fanfare, Wyclef Jean’s beloved charity, Yele Haiti closed its doors and shut down operations.
According the the Times, Yele Haiti raised over $16 million however most of the money paid for salaries, travel, consultants, and ultimately the mounting legal fees to defend the foundation.
Wyclef’s spokeswoman said he and his lawyers are
“working assiduously to resolve any pending issues with respect to Yéle prior to its closing as Mr. Jean continues his tireless commitment to his beloved country.”
The allegations against Wyclef and Yele Haiti are scathing. According to records, Yele spent $600,000 on a now-abandoned headquarters, $24,000 on a chauffeur for Clef, and a $100,000 payout to Jean himself to perform at a fundraising event in Monaco. Yele even once spent $30,763 to fly Lindsay Lohan on a private jet from New Jersey to Chicago for an event that only raised $66,000.
Not surprisingly, the Times compares Wyclef to Sean Penn who’s J/P Haitian Relief Organization organization reportedly only spends 10 percent of its intake on operational need.
I still believe Wyclef’s heart was in the right place and I hope he makes some sort of comment on this subject. Wyclef holla at your girl!!!
