Wyclef Responds to Haiti Fundraising Accusations

earthquake, fundraising, haiti, relief, smoking gun, wyclef jean, yele

17 Jan, 2010 by New York Herald in Politics

Wyclef Jean, former member of the Fugees and a Haitian refugee himself, has raised millions for his home country over the years, and through his Yele project, is on the forefront of the current relief effort. Instead of being hailed as a hero, he is currently being accused of shortchanging the charity by diverting some of the funds to non-Haitian relief expenses.

The charges seem ambiguous at best – accusing Wyclef of diverting some of the donations to “rent, Wyclef Jean’s appearance at a benefit concert and production services”. Nevertheless media memes have a way of spreading like wildfire before the accused have a chance to fully respond, damaging not only his fundraising efforts but also the man’s personal character. That’s why we think it was a good idea he took the time this weekend to respond in a very personal way.