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We are talked about two 501(c) 3's. I will address questions as it would pertain to each 501(c)(3) in order of events.
American Friends of Belize which raised money through donations supported an NGO in Belize called TIDE.
TIDE was established in 1997 in response to the closure of the Belize Centre for Environmental Studies (BCES).
With headquarters in Belize City, BCES had been conducting ecological studies in the Toledo District since the early 1990s with a team of two native Punta Gorda staff. In 1996, BCES was preparing management plans for the proposed Port Honduras Marine Reserve (PHMR) and Payne’s Creek National Park (PCNP) when the organization suddenly closed.
Over the following months, Mr Wil Maheia, who had been working for BCES, continued to conduct a manatee project initiated by BCES. The Nature Conservancy, seeing the results of his findings and the vacuum created by the closure of BCES, stepped in and helped establish TIDE, the first Toledo-based NGO.
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Is this a scheme with a phony 501(c)(3) where the donors know that they are buying land in Belize? The donors were donating toward an ecological project to protect the environment in a specific region of Belize. Did they know there donation was going toward purchasing land? No.
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Is there any charitable purpose activity being conducted by the 501(c)(3)? No.
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Where is the 501(c)(3) located….venue for IRS….I have IRS contacts throughout the U.S. Yes and No. American Friends of Belize was located in Mobile, Alabama. Donations raised in the US by American Friends of Belize were sent to TIDE in Belize.
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What is your relationship to the taxpayer/promoter? My only relationship with Dr. Diana Sturm is through e-mail correspondence I was copied on as it relates to my working relationship with Robert P. Martin his girlfriend at the time Penny Payne Fioravante and Vincent and Cherie Chenot Rose. Martin and the Roses formed The Belize Economic & Ecological Development Fund.
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Was this a scheme done by a group of people or just one individual? This was a single person Diana Sturm a self promoting financial advisor. Dr. Diana Sturm was the founder of Legacy Financial Planning. Dr. Diana Sturm was the head of American Friends of Belize EIN 364517663 Dr. Diana Sturm currently is the head of The Delta Institute.
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How credible are the facts….do you have documentation to substantiate the allegations. Yes. I have original e-mails between all parties, bank account information, wire transfer directions between each group involved.
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I lived in Belize, I know Wil Maheia as a friend who founded TIDE, Wil introduced me to how the funds were raised for TIDE through Diana Sturm.
Diana Sturm / American Friends of Belize
Compass Bank, Mobile, Alabama
routing number: 062001186
account number: 18488728
name on account: American Friends of Belize.
The Belize Economic & Ecological Development Fund 501(c)(3).
Is this a “tax avoidance” transaction?
I do not understand the question as it is put forth.
To my knowledge Martin, The Roses and Martin's girlfriend at the time saw this as an opportunity to pickup where Diana Sturm left off raising donations through a 501(c)(3). American Friend of Belize had ran it course finding parties to donate and was closing the US operation.
Martin made the $20,000 donation through American Friends of Belize as a test. Martin used this donation as a means to promote and to influence donations from wealthy friends through his connections as an attorney in WV. Martin's girlfriend worked at the March of Dimes and has access to donor information.
Is this a scheme with a phony 501(c)(3)?
This 501(c)(3) The Belize Economic & Ecological Development Fund motivated Martin his girlfriend and the Roses seeing that Diana Sturm collected commissions from donations as a source of funding their US operation. The Roses developed and presented fake projects around the operation in Belize which were used to interest donors in the US. The Roses organization was a DBA in Belize ACES/ American Crocodile Education Sanctuary in Punta Gorda Belize the same region as TIDE. The Roses were friends with Wil Maheia and has used American Friends of Belize to process donations to the Roses DBA.
Is the money simply being sent offshore and not being reported to the IRS?
If the question is that donors did not receive there tax certificate they did. If the question is that the American's the Roses in Belize did not report the Income, no they did not.
Is there any charitable purpose activity being conducted by the 501(c)(3).
No, the purpose of the 501(c)(3) was to seek US donations, take a % as a commission and to share in the profits sent to Belize. The Roses who operate the DBA used the funds from The Belize Economic & Ecological Development Fund to fund a lavish life style and to accumulate property.
Where is the 501(c)(3) located….venue for IRS….I have IRS contacts throughout the U.S.
Date of Incorporation: December 17, 2008
File # 081704589-4635215
Address of registered office is:
341 Raven Circle, Wyoming
, Delaware, 19934 County of Kent
Registered Agent Corporations USA
Name and mailing address of incorporator: Robert Martin
500 Virginia St. East Suite 600 PO Box 3710
Charleston, WV 25337-3710
http://www.americancrocodilesanctuary.org/real-estate list of property they are selling.
Belize Bank Acct#6550-8-26053, For further credit to: ACES Acct#630-2-2-21-5255
Biologist Cherie Chenot-Rose, Executive Director ACES/ American
Crocodile Endangered Sanctuary Water Hole Road, Forest Home PO Box 108,
Punta Gorda Toledo, Belize, Central America 011-501-665-CROC (2762)
www.americancrocodilesanctuary.org
ACES is a Non-Profit Organization
Join ACES's Crocodile Crusade! Your
Tax-Deductible Donation Will Help ACES Rescue Crocodiles! Give through
ACES's 501(c)(3) Partner in the USA American Friends of Belize at
www.americanfriendsofbelize.org
Was this a scheme done by a group of people or just one individual?
This was a scheme done by a group of people. Martin, his girl friend at the and the Roses.
What is your relationship to the taxpayer/promoter?
Martin and his firm Bailey and Wyant managed my wife Janis and our affairs in the US. Janis and I had moved to Central America. The Roses, Janis and I knew as we had an investment with the Roses in a Liquor Business in Punta Gorda.
How credible are the facts….do you have documentation to substantiate the allegations.
From the time Janis and I moved to Central America we maintained a specific e-mail account with all correspondence discussed above saved and documented.
Robert P. Martin has been arrested 5 times for assault all charges dropped.
Martin no longer has a relationship with his girlfriend broke hew nose in a domestic no charges yet she went to the hospital and filed a domestic abuse.
Martin sold his interests in Belize.
The Roses still maintain there claimed NON profit operation in Belize. Which is a DBA.
In 2013 Martin and the Roses closed The Belize Economic & Ecological Development Fund.
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