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Attorney
General Mike DeWine
Columbus
Man Sentenced for Running Veterans
Charity Scam
(COLUMBUS,
Ohio) – Attorney General Mike DeWine
and Franklin County Prosecutor Ron O'Brien today announced that John W.
Hargrove has been sentenced to two and a half years in prison for
soliciting
money for a fraudulent charity, Ohio Veterans Source (Ohio Vets), which
he
falsely claimed would aid local veterans. Hargrove has been ordered to
pay more
than $2,000 in restitution and has no chance for early release.
"Any
kind of charitable scam is
unacceptable, but this individual lied about helping veterans and took
advantage of the elderly," Attorney General DeWine said. "Fortunately
our agencies were able to work together quickly to detect the scam and
put a
stop to it."
Hargrove
targeted the elderly and raised more
than $2,000, which he claimed would assist local veterans. In reality,
Hargrove, who is not a veteran, used the funds for himself.
The
sentence was handed down by Franklin County
Common Pleas Court Judge Richard Sheward on Friday. Hargrove was
convicted of
one count of Prohibited Acts and Practices, a fourth degree felony, and
one
count of Felony Theft, a fifth degree felony.
"There
was a week-long trial with over
fifty witnesses who testified in this case -- which earned Hargrove
this prison
sentence for scamming veterans," Prosecutor O'Brien said.
Hargrove
was convicted in 2006 for running the
same scam. Dozens of victims, many of whom were senior citizens, were
duped
into believing their funds would be used to aid Ohio veterans. He
served 18
months in prison for illegally soliciting more than $8,000 allegedly to
benefit
Ohio Veterans Source. Following his release and probation, Hargrove
again began
soliciting for the same fraudulent charity.
The
case was a joint effort of the Attorney
General's Charitable Law Section, Columbus Division of Police, and the
Franklin
County Prosecutor's Office. The Bexley Police Department assisted with
the
first case against Hargrove.
Warning
signs that a charitable request might
be a scam include:
The
charity's name is similar to a well-known,
nationally recognized charity.
Callers
use high-pressure tactics to request
immediate donations.
The
caller is hesitant or unable to answer
questions.
The
caller offers to pick up donations
immediately instead of waiting to receive them in the mail.
The
caller offers prizes in return for a
donation.
The
caller requests checks to be made payable
to a person instead of the charity.
Individuals
who want information about a
charity should contact the Ohio Attorney
General's Office at
www.OhioAttorneyGeneral.gov or 800-282-0515.
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