DENVER 9Wants to Know found questionable practices by a charity that claims to help veterans through cash donations solicited from customers outside of grocery stores.
Rescue a Vet has been spotted at Walmarts and Trader Joe’s locations in the metro area over the last several months.
Men have been seen sitting at a table adorned with a red circular logo that says “Can you help rescue a vet” along with an American flag and a military ammo box converted to a donation chest.
While Rescue a Vet recently registered with the Colorado Secretary of State’s office, 9Wants to Know could not find current paperwork with the IRS.
9Wants to Know also found charity president Kelvin Moore, 47, has had a history of legal trouble.
The handling of cash
The Better Business Bureau warns against donating cash to charities that solicit at grocery stores because donations can be hard to track.
Moore admitted the men who collect donations have been allowed to reach into the donation box at the end of the day to keep the cash without his personal oversight.
“They’ve been actually keeping most of the money themselves,” Moore said. “They’ve been collecting and opening up. They’ve had access to the [donation box] keys. And they’ve been reporting what they’ve brought in.”
When asked how many veterans his group has served, Moore couldn’t exactly say. “We had at one time three. Oh wait, four,” Moore said.
Eventually Moore acknowledged only one veteran is being served by Rescue a Vet a man named Rick.
At the Trader Joe’s location on Colorado Blvd, Rick told 9Wants to Know that his rent at a motel is sometimes covered by Rescue a Vet, but that he “pays it back.”
Rick said he volunteers his time to collect donations because it helps with this PTSD.
“At the end of the day it’s [CASH] either given to Kelvin or his wife,” Rick told 9Wants to Know.
Moore claimed most of the donations have been going to Rick, mainly for rent.
Rescue a Vet traces to a basement
9Wants to Know paid a visit to a basement at a north Denver home where Moore claimed on paperwork the charity is based.
However, a woman answered the door and said she kicked Moore and his wife out of the place about two months ago.
“I wouldn’t trust it,” the woman said of Moore’s charity.
Moore’s legal trouble and background
9Wants to Know found Moore was indicted on a felony fraud charge out of Oregon in 2010. The criminal case was eventually dismissed.
Court records in the 2010 indictment accused Moore of collecting questionable signatures and names on a petition in Oregon.
“It was bogus,” Moore said of the case. “They were pressuring me to cop a deal.”
Moore also admitted to a drug conviction on his record.
A review of Moore’s past also shows he worked for a California charity called National Paradigm Foundation, which was recently successfully sued by Target for trespassing in Sacramento.
A Facebook page for National Paradigm shows similar cash donation boxes used by Rescue a Vet.
Moore said he hasn’t been involved with National Paradigm for two years.
Throughout an interview, Moore insisted Rescue a Vet is a legit charity that does good work for veterans.
“I’ve answered all your questions,” Moore said. “I have nothing to hide.”
A few days after the interview with 9Wants to Know, Moore said he was returning to California and may not return to Colorado because of “this type of reception” his group is getting.
The Colorado Attorney General’s Office urges people to background check charities and to file complaints against suspicious groups at Stopfraudcolorado.gov.
