Pop sensation Lady Gaga, who has made millions go gaga over her eccentric persona and music, has been accused of spending her charity foundation’s millions on expenses instead of philanthropic efforts.
According to tax records, she took in more than $2.5 million in 2012 for her Born This Way foundation, but only paid a single $5,000 grant, reports the Daily Mail.
The charitable foundation spent millions on consultants, lawyers and publicity experts. In addition, it spent more than $500,000 on its 23 day event Born To Be Brave bus tour, which covered cities in the United States, ‘inspiring’ the disillusioned youth.
In what are whopping and shocking numbers, the non-profit organisation paid $406,552 for legal fees, $300,000 for ‘strategic development’ and $150,000 for ‘philanthropic consulting’ out of its $2.66 million revenue.
The New York Post reports that the total expenses reached $1.85 million. Woah!
Gaga, who topped the ‘Top 20 Celebs Gone Good’ list (DoSomething.org) in 2012, launched the organisation in 2011 with a personal donation worth $1.2 million and also gave $1 million to victims of Hurricane Sandy (2012).
Let’s hope Gaga sets the (charitable) record straight.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 14th, 2014.
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