(COLUMBUS, Ohio)—Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine announced today that a Tennessee company which raised funds in Ohio on behalf of several charities has agreed to discontinue solicitations in Ohio for at least five years.
"The Ohio Attorney General's Office has an obligation to protect Ohio's charitable donors and their rights to not be misled about where their donations go. This agreement shows that we will take strong actions against professional solicitors who take advantage of Ohioans' generosity," Attorney General DeWine said.
Non-Profit Services of Nashville, Tennessee, has agreed to an Assurance of Discontinuance with the Ohio Attorney General's Office. As part of this agreement, Non-Profit Services will, for five years, refrain from soliciting for any charitable purpose in Ohio, withdraw and not renew its registration as a professional solicitor, refrain from conducting charitable sales promotions, and refrain from acting as fundraising counsel to any charitable organization.
The Attorney General's Office had previously sought action against Non-Profit Services for several violations of the Ohio Charitable Organizations Act. Allegations included Non-Profit Services misleading potential donors by sending pledge confirmations to donors when no pledge had been made, falsely telling donors that charities would receive a larger percentage of funds than they actually received, failing to disclose that they were a paid fundraiser, and failing to file solicitation notices and financial reports in a timely manner with the Ohio Attorney General's Office.
Professional solicitors who solicit funds or operate in Ohio are required to register with the Ohio Attorney General's Office. The Attorney General's Office provides oversight to make sure donations are not misappropriated and that charitable proceeds are used for charitable purposes.
"This case serves as a reminder that it is always a good idea to ask a lot of questions when making a charitable donation. Gathering additional information can help Ohio donors make certain their limited resources will be properly used," said Attorney General DeWine.
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Eve Mueller 614-466-3840
Dan Tierney 614-466-3840