Chiesa
NEWARK, N.J. (Legal Newsline) - New Jersey Attorney General Jeffrey Chiesa announced a settlement on Wednesday between the Division of Consumer Affairs and an unregistered Sussex County charity that rescues horses.
Therese A. Figueroa and Cynthia J. Millar, both of Branchville, agreed to pay $3,000 each to The Arabian Rescue Mission Inc. Figueroa and Millar are both trustees of ARM, which operates a facility in Wantage Township.
ARM has never been registered as a charitable organization with the division, which is compulsory. The division alleges that Figueroa and Millar commingled charitable donations with payments made to a for-profit stable that operated on the same property as the horse rescue organization.
The for-profit charged ARM for feeding and boarding horses, but payment records were allegedly incomplete and inconsistent. In addition, ARM's federal taxpayer identification number was used by other organizations that were unaffiliated with it.
"Potential donors did not receive, and could not get, the financial transparency from this organization that they are entitled to," Chiesa said. "The Arabian Rescue Mission now is registered and it will annually report financial information required under state law."
Under the terms of the consent order, a $25,000 civil penalty has been assessed against ARM, Figueroa and Millar. The penalty is suspended but can be reinstated if the trustees do not meet the term of the consent order.