by Sandy Frost

Sandy Frost's Archive
us-news
  • Story Photo

    In your time of dying

    Struggling, raspy breath

    Do you remember sexy squealing

    As you fight impending Death?

    The soaring costs of enlightenment

    Hypocrisy and betrayal

    Ill-gotten leadership

    Hear that final nail.

    You shame your Most Worshipful brothers

    Your soul forever gone

    Feeding all your addictions

    A slave, no longer strong.

    Here’s your grim reality

    Exploiting women and girls?

    You are the worst of humanity

    The filth around you swirls.

    Time to stand before your Grandmother,

    To stand before your wife.

    To stand before your daughters

    And confess your wicked life.

    Tell them of your high price drunks

    Your Bacchanalian, sleepless nights

    Confess your bags of penis pills

    Describe the sex delights.

    Feel your inner demons fight

    Where you’re dying, sick and black

    From all that is so very wrong

    With your predatory packs.

    There is no redemption song

    No Grand Master’s blessing spell.

    No incantation or magic sing-along

    To save you from your hell.

    But this is not the worst of it

    Because as you pass away

    It's a tortured, ghastly journey

    Of never ending days.

    Discarded on a writhing pile

    You're thrown at bloody, studded walls

    Because your life personified

    The very worst of all.

    The man who rapes 13 year olds.

    The cop and sheriff who lie.

    The judge who pimps from his chambers.

    And those proud among such guys.

    Then there’s your faithful, loving wife

    Ignorant, blind and dumb

    Sadly clinging to fading hope

    Sucking on her thumb.

    Retirement years spoiled

    Husband’s sleeping around

    She finds the texts and messages

    Long weekends out of town.

    Weekends away at meetings

    Or “Shriner” get togethers

    Paying to screw your weekend girl

    Abandoning all that matters.

    It’s like a growing wormy brain

    Being eaten through and through

    Paying the darkest price of sin

    To be among the few.

    Lying in front of your family

    And loved ones you’ve betrayed

    Every person you’ve ever harmed

    For each hooker that you’ve laid.

    What kind of a man has to pay for sex?

    Or the company of girls?

    And then brag about living a life so low,

    So heartless and so cruel.

    To hide behind sick children

    Pretending to be nice

    Pretending to be ethical

    It’s time to roll the dice.

    It’s now too late to live right

    You’re your own worst foe

    You really have no honor

    And now it’s time to go.

     

    All copies of material reprinted or duplicated from "by Sandy Frost" must include the following credit line: From Copyright © 2011 by Sandy Frost. Used by permission. http://sandyfrost.newsvine.com/

     

  • Here's Scott Butki's latest interview with me.

    It took a while because I wanted it to be fresh with breaking news.

    Thanks, Scott, for the great questions!

    Sandy

  • Story Photo

    This DOJ headline says it all:

    “Former Erie County Sheriff’s Deputy Sentenced for Failing to Report Jester Prostitution in Canada.”

    Former Erie County Deputy Sheriff Michael Lesinski was sentenced today to one year probation and a $1,000 fine for “misprision of a felony.” He pleaded guilty to transporting prostitutes from the Buffalo New York airport to a national Jester convention in Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada in April, 2005 and not reporting the felony to authorities.

    He is the fourth sentenced after the Buffalo News first reported on March 8, 2008 that three Jesters were caught in an FBI human trafficking investigation aimed at the owner of four massage parlors that were fronts for prostitution. All pleaded guilty to transporting an illegal alien prostitute from one of the Buffalo massage parlors to a Jester party in Ashland, Kentucky.

    Memberships go like this. One must first be a Master Mason before joining groups like the Scottish Rite, the Knights Templar and the Shriners, best known for operating a network of 22 hospitals that previously provided free medical care to burned and crippled children but now takes insurance.

    One must be a secretly invited Shriner before joining the Royal Order of Jesters or ROJ. The ROJ is organized into two nonprofit corporations, each classified by the IRS as a 501c10 fraternity and a 501c3 charity. The fraternity has approximately 23,500 members who are organized into 191 "courts" for the exempt purpose of "holding annual events which are devoted to fraternalism and spreading the gospel of mirth and good cheer." Each “court” corresponds to a Shriner temple.

    This all started after the Western New York Human Trafficking Task Force was formed in November, 2006. It "is a collaboration of local, state and federal law enforcement agencies and non-government service organizations working together to identify, rescue and assist victims of human trafficking, human smuggling and other civil and human rights offenses in the 17 counties of the district, through aggressive investigation, prosecution, training, education and outreach to law enforcement, non government organizations, vulnerable and affected persons and the general public."

    The task force led to a 15 month FBI investigation into prostitution in the Buffalo area. Agents gathered enough evidence to arrest Len Wah Chong, now in prison for six years after pleading guilty to sex trafficking by force, coercion and fraud. She attracted illegal alien prostitutes by promising her establishments were protected by law enforcement.

    Investigators listened to phone conversations between Chong and two Jesters in positions of authority as they discussed transporting an illegal alien prostitute to a weekend Jester party in Ashland Kentucky. According to Aaron Becksecker of the Buffalo News:

    “As a part of her guilty plea, Chong admitted she used names and titles of men she said were in positions of authority, like 'judge' or 'sheriff,' to exert control over the women. There were at least 11 women whom she employed over the period she operated the parlors.”

    According to United States of America v Michael Lesinski, the FBI defines the Jesters for the first time as:

    “The Royal Order of Jesters ('ROJ') is a worldwide fraternal organization whose membership is limited to individuals invited to join by other members. The motto of the ROJ is ‘mirth is king.’ The ROJ has local chapters or ‘courts.’ On occasion, a local court or group of local courts in the same geographical area sponsor social gatherings known as ‘books of the play’ or ‘books.’ The sponsoring courts organize the ‘books’ and arrange for food, lodging, and entertainment at the ‘books.’ The ROJ also sponsors a yearly national ‘book,’ the equivalent of a national convention. In April, 2005, the Jester’s national book was held in Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada. As set forth below, a typical feature of a ‘book of the play’ is the presence of prostitutes (‘Jester Girls’) who engage in commercial sex acts with members of the ROJ. Arrangements for the prostitutes are generally made by the organizer of the ‘books,’ or the region hosting the national ‘book.’ On occasion, individual Jesters make arrangements to transport prostitutes to ‘books.’”

    According to the complaint, investigators began interviewing several Jesters in January and February of 2008 including John Trowbridge, a retired captain with the Lockport, New York, Police Department. He admitted to attending a number of North American “books” with prostitutes. He described a number of occasions where members of the Buffalo Court, including Ronald Tills, then a New York State Supreme Court Judge, and his law clerk, Michael Stebick, made arrangements for Jester Girls to attend “books.” According to his plea agreement, in or about spring, 2006, Tills admitted to coordinating the prostitute’s travel with national Jester officers.

    Trowbridge also described how Tills was in charge of getting the Jester Girls to the national meeting and that the judge asked Lesinski to take care of it. Lesinski, at the time, was a deputy sheriff with the Erie County Sheriff’s Department.

    Trowbridge then disclosed that Lesinski rented a limousine to transport about a dozen prostitutes from Buffalo to Canada.

    The Jesters’ 2005 tax return lists $70,049 for transportation. The complaint includes a receipt from Lakeview Limousine that indicates a deposit of $980 was paid for by check, with a total cost of $1,175.

    The complaint then includes co-conspirator Michael Stebick’s description of how Jester ‘books’ are typically held in hotel hospitality rooms where members can pick from a list of Jester Girl prostitutes. It continues that in April, 2008, Trowbridge provided investigators with contact information for the 13 prostitutes as he’d spoken with each of them as they gathered at the Buffalo airport though there were other prostitutes he’d not spoken with.

    All copies of material reprinted or duplicated from "by Sandy Frost" must include the following credit line: From http://sandyfrost.newsvine.com/ Copyright © 2011 by Sandy Frost. Used by permission.

  • Story Photo

    The tax man approacheth.

    Imagine answering the door to find IRS criminal investigators, badges on belts next to holstered guns, serving search warrants after they read a U.S. Attorney’s description of your group as having guys in nearly every club nationwide who gets prostitutes for your weekend parties.

    This is a partial list of names of those in charge of such groups from the nonprofit tax returns of the Royal Order of Jesters, the Shriners’ secret sub-group, currently under investigation for sex trafficking, prostitution and child sex tourism.

    The Shriners are best known for operating 22 hospitals that now take insurance for previously free medical care for burned and crippled children.

    Memberships go like this. One must first be a Master Mason prior to joining groups like the Scottish Rite, the Knights Templar or the Shriners. One must then be a Shriner before joining the Jesters, secretly. There are about 23,500 Jesters organized into "courts" that correspond to the 191 Shriner temples located across North America.

    The Jesters were described in a federal complaint against a former Erie County deputy Sheriff in their own self-titled section:

    “The Royal Order of Jesters (“ROJ”) is a worldwide fraternal organization whose membership is limited to individuals invited to join by other members. The motto of the ROJ is ‘mirth is king.’ The ROJ has local chapters or ‘courts.’ On occasion, a local court or group of local courts in the same geographical area sponsor social gatherings known as ‘books of the play’ or ‘books.’ The sponsoring courts organize the ‘books’ and arrange for food, lodging, and entertainment at the ‘books.’ The ROJ also sponsors a yearly national ‘book,’ the equivalent of a national convention. In April, 2005, the Jester’s national book was held in Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada.

    As set forth below, a typical feature of a ‘book of the play’ is the presence of prostitutes (‘Jester Girls’) who engage in commercial sex acts with members of the ROJ. Arrangements for the prostitutes are generally made by the organizer of the ‘books,’ or the region hosting the national ‘book.’ On occasion, individual Jesters make arrangements to transport prostitutes to ‘books.’”

    The short version?

    Prostitution at tax payer expense.

    BTW, the former Jester sheriff is going to be sentenced April 5 after pleading guilty to knowing about the felony of “the transportation of individuals in interstate or foreign commerce with the intent that such individuals engage in prostitution” but not reporting it to the proper authorities. He got caught driving a limo full of prostitutes from the Buffalo International Airport to a national Jester convention held in Niagara Falls, Ontario. Court documents describe how transportation logistics were coordinated between “representatives of the national organization” and Buffalo Jesters, including the former New York State Supreme Court Judge who just finished his 18 month prison sentence for coordinating prostitutes for Jester meetings in Kentucky, Florida, New York, Pennsylvania and Canada.

    As we get ready to fill out our returns, these guys continue cheating the system and hoodwinking us taxpayers. They expect us to make up for the taxes they don’t pay, like property tax. And since the Jesters’ exempt purpose is to spread the gospel of mirth and merriment, they write off their party expenses.

    This Jester fraternal return shows the revenue from membership and assessments = $546,156. Revenue from the Book of the Play = $578,074. Expenses for the Book of the Play = $594,938.

    These guys think nothing of spending nearly $600,000 on a weekend party.

    That’s over $12,000 an hour.

    Then they overspent by -$16,564.

    As Jesters deduct their membership dues and contributions on their individual tax returns, the national group and groups nationwide raise the money needed to pay for their “Book of the Play,” described by the feds above.

    The first ever article about this phony fraternity, “Jesters Exposed,” describes how the Marion County Assessor rejected a property tax exemption after not being able to determine if the new Jester headquarters building met museum guidelines. The Jesters appealed the denial and convinced the tax appeal board to grant the exemption because the Royal Order of Jesters is an appendant body of Masonry.

    Did the Jesters mislead the tax appeals board by confusing the apples of being a charity (501c3) with the oranges of being a fraternity (501c10)? Are the Jesters misleading the IRS about their charitable purpose of housing a museum after it was rejected by the Marion County Assessor?

    Tax return information from both national Jester groups can be found under “Indiana.” This list is organized by state, Jester court and data from each year’s return including contact information, income, Jester officers and unusual expenses.

    And losses.

    Out of 59 Jester returns cited, 26 don’t lose money. Thirty returns show losses and three courts show losses for all years. These are Phoenix #17, Oakland #6 and Evansville #102.

    Sorting through this list of tedious info can be fun in a “Where’s Waldo?” kind of way. If you find anyone you know on the list, especially if they’re in the judiciary or law enforcement, comment below.

    Alabama

    ROJ Court #75

    124 South Main, Arab, Alabama 35106 1-256-586-4111

    2004 Gregory J. Cook Impresario, Forrest Knowles Leading man, Robert Utley Treasurer, Charles Lamar Tragedian, Ted Ryan Director. Income $10,440. Loss for year -$3,198. Conference expenses $9,214.

    Nothing listed for exempt purpose.

    ROJ Court Birmingham #127

    3617 Wyngate Lane, Birmingham, Alabama 35242 1-205-966-1701

    2009 P.V. Greggerson, Jr. Director, Roger Scott Leading man, John Lee Treasurer. Income $63,854. Loss for year -$6,688. Convention expense $63,126.

    2008 Chet Hayes Director, P.V. Greggerson Jr. Leading man, John Lee Treasurer. Income $82,478. Loss for the year -$22,496. Convention expense $98,017.

    2007 Miles Huffstutler Director, Fred Slaney Leading man, John Lee Treasurer. Income $82,417. Convention expense $67,693.

    ROJ Court Montgomery #96

    2007 address PO Box 1604 Millbrook, Alabama 36054 1-334-285-5428

    2007 990 signed by James Clyde Wiggins Jr. No income, expenses, or liabilities listed.

    2006 address 6252 Moon Rd. Columbus, Georgia 31909 1-706-568-4481

    2006 990 signed by Jeffrey P. Johnson Impresario. No income, expenses or liabilities listed.

    2005 address 2325 Winchester Ct. Montgomery, Alabama 36106-3331 1-334-277-5967

    2005 990 signed by George A. Walker Impresario.

    Alaska

    ROJ Court Polar #182

    35555 Kenai Spur Hwy, PMB #330 Soldotna, AK 99669 1-907-344-7516

    2008 Robert G. Homoleski Impresario, Mark Leaf Director, Fred V. Angleton Leading man, Gene Browning, Treasurer. Income $55,772. Loss for the year -$11,268. Convention expense $67,040 to “Present annual gathering to promote mirth and fun among the organization’s members and guests.” Organization’s Mission: “Fraternal Orgn promoting fun and mirth.”

    2007 Robert G. Homoleski Impresario, David Worel Director, Mark Leaf Leading man, Fred V. Angleton Treasurer. Income $84,573. Convention expense $73,526.

    2006 Robert G. Homoleski Impresario, Donald A. Witsoe Director, David Worel Leading man, Fred V. Angleton Treasurer. Income $52,715. Convention expense $38,961.

    Arizona

    ROJ Court Phoenix #17

    POB 32728 Phoenix, AZ 85064 1-480-948-3202

    Organization’s mission: To operate under the bylaws of the National Organization of the Royal Order of Jesters.

    2009 Bob Hicklin Impresario, Tommy Royden Director, Charlie Grindstaff Leading man, Bruce McDonald Tragedian, Wayne Marsh Treasurer. Income $97,898. Loss for the year -$56,890. Book of the Play $99,160. Director expense $4,742.

    2008 Bob Hicklin Impresario, Tommy Royden Director, Charlie Grindstaff Leading man, Bruce McDonald Tragedian, Wayne Marsh Treasurer. Income $99,155. Loss for the year -35,181. Book of the Play $97,298. Director expense $5,102.

    2007 Bob Hicklin Impresario, Jerry Hollis Impresario, Michael Grenz Director, Don Claxton Director, Tommy Royden Treasurer, Vern Hicklin Secretary. Income $164,708. Loss for the year -$32,395. Book of the Play $109,284.

    Arkansas

    ROJ Court Little Rock #012

    PO Box 2677 Little Rock, AR 72203 1-501-374-6422

    2009 Glenn Grimes Impresario, Gary Higginbotham Director, William Paul Lawson Treasurer. Income $25,144. Book of the Play $11,731. Dining $1,120.

    2008 Glenn Grimes Impresario, David Lee Director, William Paul Lawson Treasurer. Income $25,877. Loss for the year -$961. Book of the Play $13,915.

    2007 Glenn Grimes Impresario, Wayne Ray Director, William Paul Lawson Treasurer. Income $62,213. Book of the Play $40,165.

    California

    ROJ Court Long Beach #161

    2009, 2008 address 2601 Saturn St. #210 Brea, CA 92821-6702 1-714-871-2422

    2009 Mike Smith President, Beyn Schwing Vice-President, Dale Closson Secretary. Income $79,012. Expenses $77,251.

    2008 Larry Lee President, Beyn Schwing Vice-President, Dale Closson Secretary. Income $80,027. Expenses $77,085.

    2007 Lew Main President, Larry Lee Vice-President, Dale Closson Secretary. Income $91,342. Loss for the year -$6,812. Expenses $98,155.

    2007 address 2600 Nutwood Ave. #200 Fullerton, CA 92831-3105, same as address listed for David L. Bates, Bates Coughtry Riess LLP CPAS, paid tax preparer.

    ROJ Court Fresno #157

    c/o Jonathan W. Higgins, 4524 N. Manila Fresno, CA 93727 1-559-284-1493

    Organization’s primary purpose: Faternal.

    2009 Jonathan W. Higgins Impresario, T.A. Heckel Director. Income $104,839.24. Loss for year -$2,755.16. Expenses for monthly and other meetings $105,891.02.

    2008 Jonathan W. Higgins Impresario, David Pitts Director. Income $118,876.75. Loss for year -$6,616. 49. Expenses for monthly and other meetings $122,840.16.

    2006 Jonathan W, Higgins Impresario, Louis Jelinek Director. Income $120,064.32. Expenses for monthly and other meetings $85,892.16. Christmas party $21,499,46.

    ROJ Court Sacramento # 119

    c/o Larry Harris 6744 Garmire Road Meridian, CA 96957 1-530-696-2355

    2009 Larry Harris Impresario, Harold Barker Director, Ted McCade Leading man, Guy Harris Tragedian, Gary Disher Treasurer. Income $102,885. Fraternal events $74,581.

    ROJ Court Los Angeles #84

    Exempt purpose: Social events for members and guests.

    c/o Gordon Hoyt Jr. 1255 Harbor Lake Ave, Brea, CA 92821 1-562-945-5443

    2008 Gordon Hoyt Jr. Impresario, Marc Brauer Director, Larry Clement Leading Man, Steve Nauertz Tragedian, Norman C. Wintjen Treasurer. Income $165,328. Event expenses $135,459.

    2007 Gordon Hoyt Jr. Impresario, Curtis D. Porterfield Director, Marc Brauer Leading Man, Larry Clement Tragedian, Steve Nauertz Treasurer. Income $128,823. Loss for year -$6,745. Social events receipts $86,095. Social Events expenses $109,186. Loss from social events -$23,091.

    2006 Gordon Hoyt Impresario, Don Aston Director, Curtis Porterfield Leading Man, Marc Brauer Tragedian, Larry Clement Treasurer. Income $100,631. Social events expenses $56,214.

    ROJ Court Oakland #6

    c/o James L. Sloneker 367 Conway Drive Danville, CA 94526 1-925-820-2024

    2009 Sam Smith Jr. Impresario, Gary Kenst Director, James L. Sloneker Treasurer. Income $40,511. Securities $168,254. Change in assets - $7,501.

    2008 Mark Manlove Impresario, Gary Kenst Director, James L. Sloneker Treasurer. Income $45,543. Securities $153,239. Loss -$46,407.

    2007 Mark Manlove Impresario, Greg Rapp Director, James L. Sloneker Treasurer. Income $49,146. Securities $175,147. Loss -$23,189.

    Colorado

    ROJ Court Denver #138

    2389 Van Gordon St. Lakewood, CO. 1-303-237-6127

    2009 Duane Hess President, Chuck Petersen VP, Tom Woodworth Secretary, Jack Patten Treasurer. Income $64,730. Expenses $66,121. Loss for year -$1,391. Charitable donation $125.

    2008 Lee MacDonald President, Duane Hess VP, Claude Akridge Secretary, Jack Patten Treasurer. Income $71,055. Charitable donation $125.

    Connecticut

    ROJ Court Springfield #144

    C/O James Kocot, 76 Blue Ridge Dr., Somers, CT. 06071-1027 1-860-749-3884

    2009 James W. Kocot Impresario, Robert D. Waltermire Director, Stanley B. Rubinstein Treasurer. Income $100,191. Net income summary -$2,579.

    2008 James W. Kocot Impresario, Alan C. Garlick Director, Stanley B. Rubinstein Treasurer. Income $100,510. Loss for the year -$2,799.

    2007 James W. Kocot Impresario, James R. Spear Director, Stanley B. Rubinstein Treasurer. Income $123,498. Membership 120.

    ROJ Court DiMaryp Ct. #66

    150 Vincent St. Milford Ct. 06460

    2008 mission: Pyramid Shriners Children’s Hospitals. 96 members. Balance -6,447.

    2008 John Reynolds Impresario, James Reed Director.

    2007 John Reynolds Impresario, William F. Knipp Director. Securities $22,656.

    2006 John Reynolds Impresario, William F. Knipp Director. 2006 Gross receipts $43,193.

    ROJ Court Hartford #141

    3 Cottonwood Court Graney, CT 06035-2416 1-860-658-2266

    2009 John C. Kuzmak Impresario, Adolph F. Matiz Director, Kenneth A. Barrett Treasurer. Barrett also provided home address as Jester HQ and signed tax return. Revenue $34,380. Expenses $29,942.

    2008 John C. Kuzmak Impresario, Frederick E. Cramer Director, Kenneth A. Barrett Treasurer. Revenue $34,803. Expenses $33,474 including Pins, Badges, Meetings $25,047.

    2007 John C. Kuzmak Impresario, Joseph Kusso Director, Kenneth A. Barrett Treasurer. Revenue $44,519. Expenses $34,056 including meetings $26,017.

    Florida

    ROJ Court Orlando #166

    1046 Crestwood Commons Avenue Ocoee, FL 34761 1-407-222-8934

    2009 Denis West Impresario, Scott E. Shearer Director, Ben Benham Leading Man, Roger D. Markham Tragedian, Robert G. Woodall Treasurer. Income $72,182. Meetings and conventions $43,558.

    2008 Denis West Impresario, Paul Hyam Director, Ben Benham Tragedian, Scott E. Shearer Leading Man, Robert G. Woodall Treasurer. Income $35,683. Loss for year -$19,017. Meetings & conventions $46,082.

    2007 Denis West Impresario, Paul Hyam Leading Man, Thom H. Weekley Director, Scott E. Shearer Tragedian, Robert G. Woodall Treasurer. Income $68,377. Meetings & conventions $51,188.

    ROJ Court Tampa # 89

    402 North Howard Ave. Tampa, FL 33606

    Program Service accomplishments: “Happiness and mirth was spread throughout the realm.”

    2008 William G. Gainer Impresario, Cliff Curry Director, Harry B. Forehand Tragedian, Lawton W. Thatcher Leading man, John J. Faircloth, Treasurer. Income $177,900. Conferences and meetings $161,458. Gifts $969.

    2007 William G. Gainer Impresario, Cliff Curry Leading man, William T. Branch Director, Lawton W. Thatcher Tragedian, John J. Faircloth Treasurer. Income $152,710. Loss for the year -$17,019. Conferences and meetings $153,781. Gifts $715.

    2006 William G. Gainer Impresario, Cliff Curry Tragedian, William T. Branch Leading man, H. Cal Henderson Director, John J. Faircloth Treasurer. Income $152,710. Loss for the year -$2,868. Conferences and meetings $148.260. Gifts $367.

    Indiana

    National Court of the Royal Order of Jesters

    c/o Alex Rogers 5725 Liberty Crossing Dr. Indianapolis, IN 46254 1-313-295-1313

    Organization’s 501c10 fraternal mission: “Promoting fellowship and fraternalism and extending assistance and good cheer to others.”

    2008 John T. Stafford Royal Impresario, Scutter Newton Royal Stage Manager, Kent E. Morstad Royal Heavy Man, William H. Kemple III Royal Property Man, James M. Lake PRD Royal Treasurer, Gary M. Martin Royal Director, William Siders Royal Leading Man, Robert S. Haynes Royal Tragedian, Robert R. Armstrong Royal Leading Lady, Alex Rogers Business Administrator.

    2008 Revenue $941,859. Net assets $1,664,673. Book of the Play $235,137. Consulting $85,169. Director expense $20,928. Advertising and promotion $72,038. Insurance $33,732. Director compensation $59,300.

    2007 Robert S. Haynes Royal Impresario, John T. Stafford Royal Stage Manager, Taylor E. Best Royal Director, Robert R. Armstrong Royal Property Manager, James M. Lake PRD Royal Treasurer, Gary M. Martin Royal Leading Man, William Siders Royal Tragedian, Samuel Newton Royal Leading Lady, Alex Rogers Business Administrator.

    2007 gross receipts $2,879,402. Net assets $1,642,997. Book of the Play $326,414. Director expense $23,533. Director compensation $59,300. Rituals $13,032. Loss for the year -$155,232.

    When is the last time you deducted “rituals?”

    Scutter Newton is listed on this witness list. He links the national Jester organization to the former fishing tour operator indicted by the Brazilian Federal Police for rape, using minors in a prostitution network, and violating indigenous rights.

    International Royal Order of Jesters, INC

    5725 Liberty Crossing Drive Indianapolis, Indiana 46254 1-317-295-1313

    Organization’s 501c3 charitable purpose is “Extending assistance and good cheer to others. Providing a museum for items and articles of mirth, comedy and laughter.”

    2008 Hugh Libby President, Ray Thagard Vice President, George Burt Secretary, Ray Grannis, Treasurer, James White Board Member, Alex Rogers, Executive Director. Rogers gets $11,277 Compensation, $15,500 Deferred Compensation.

    2008 receipts $75,709. Net assets $1,453,435. Land, buildings $963,162. Membership dues and assessments $64,877. Gifts, grants contributions for 2004 - $446,236, 2005 - $449,393, 2006 - $411,315, 2007 - $303,150, 2008 - $140,586. Functional Expenses $151,259. Land, $1,029,577. Telephone $0.

    “The organization received revenues for the construction of a Jester monument that will help to promote the organization’s mission.” $55,337.

    2007 Hugh Libby President, Ray Thagard Vice President, George Burt Secretary, Ray Grannis Treasurer, James White Board Member, Henry Everett Board Member, Alex Rogers Executive Director.

    2007 receipts $334,609. Net assets $1,430,812. Land, buildings $1,029,577. Membership dues and assessments $76,453. Gifts, grants contributions for 2004 - $446,236, 2005 - $449,393, 2006 - $411,315. Functional Expenses $69,689. Land, $1,029,577. Stone & brick engraving $14,529. Telephone $0.

    2006 Gary N. Martin President, William Siders Secretary, Robert H. Haynes, Treasurer, Dennis R. Schueler Chairman, Robert C. Davis Board Member, James M. Lake Board Member, John T. Stafford Board Member, Alex Rogers, Executive Director, Gene Best Board Member.

    2006 receipts $665,739. Net assets $1,415,892. Land, buildings $1,281,660. Gifts, grants contributions for 2004 - $446,236, 2005 - $449,393. Functional expenses $221,563. Land, $1,051,724. Building & Improvements, Furniture & Equipment $23,977. Building dedication $9,415. Telephone $0.

    What kind of a museum doesn’t pay a phone bill?

    ROJ Court Evansville #102

    900 S. Meadow Road, Evansville, IN 47714 0664 1-812- 424-2104

    2009 J. Ken Wendt Director, Joseph J. Vezzoso Jr. Impresario (same address as above), Charles R. McDonald Treasurer. Income $47,044. Membership dues $44,930. Loss from special events -$2,246. Meeting expense $34,728. Gifts $969.

    Tax return asks in Part III, Statement of Program Service Accomplishments:

    “What is the organization’s primary exempt purpose?”

    Answer: “Fraternal”

    “Describe what was achieved in carrying out the organization’s exempt purposes. In clear and concise manner, describe the services provided, the number of persons benefited, and other relevant information for each program title.”

    Answer: “Not Required.”

    2008 Address for Evansville Ct. 102 is listed as 6 Walnut St. This is the same address as the Hadi Shrine.

    2008 J. Ken Wendt Director, Joseph J. Vezzoso Jr. Impresario, Charles R. McDonald Treasurer. Income $65,478. Loss -$4,974. Meeting expense $36,175. New candidate expense $2,250.

    2007 Address same as Hadi Shrine.

    2007 Charles R. McDonald Director, Joseph J. Vezzoso Jr. Impresario, Jack A. Strassweg Treasurer. Income $61,255. Loss -$12,031. Meeting expense $31,107. New candidate expense $844.

    Special Events and Activities Statement

    National Book lost -$3,976.

    Golf Outing lost -$3,226.

    Ladies Night -$4,829.

    Total loss -$12,031.

    A Google search for "Joe Vezzoso" reveals news stories he's involved with.

    Maryland

    ROJ Court Capital #50

    7500 Woodmont Avenue, Bethesda, MD 20814 1-202-253-3290

    2009 Ernest N. Palmer Director, L. Blaine Charak Secretary (Same address as above), Alan L. Gordon, Treasurer. Income $39,897. Total expenses include regalia $2,471, office supplies #725, gifts $90.

    2008 Emerick Debor Director, L. Blaine Charak Secretary, Alan L. Gordon, Treasurer. Income $49,948. Membership dues $11,724. Loss from special events -$13,471. Loss for year -$5,067. Total expenses include regalia $1,019, office supplies $337.

    2007 Matthew D. Clarkson Director, L. Blaine Charak Secretary, Alan L. Gordon, Treasurer. Income $32,694. Membership dues $12,541. Total revenue$6.502. Loss for year -$1,543. Total expenses include regalia $3,147, office supplies $230.

    Fraternal activities - Income $20,084. Expenses $26,192. Loss -$6,108.

    These negative balances are surprising since L. Blaine Charak is the vice president of a commercial bank.

    Minneapolis

    ROJ Court Minneapolis # 53

    c/o Larry Messerli 6550 York Av. Edina, MN 55435 1-952-927-8350

    2009 Tony Krall Representative, Terry Thiele Director, Mark Berg Impresario, Larry E. Messerli Treasurer, Ken Chambers Tragedian, Jon Hanson Representative. Income $78,508. Expenses $86,082. Loss for year -$8,211.

    Hanson is a defendant in this Shriner case, just accepted by the Minnesota Court of Appeals.

    2008 records temporarily offline.

    2007 Larry E. Messerli Treasurer, Vernon S. Hoium Director. Income/membership dues and assessments $166,199. Expenses $166,788. Loss for year -$589.

    Finally, national Jester officials have, since December, 2007, ignored four requests to provide tax returns as well as Form 1023, the group’s application for exemption. Special thanks to Guidestar.org for making nonprofit tax returns available to the public.

    All copies of material reprinted or duplicated from "by Sandy Frost" must include the following credit line: From http://sandyfrost.newsvine.com/ Copyright © 2011 by Sandy Frost. Used by permission.

  • Story Photo

    Editor’s Note and Adult Content Warning: This article includes references to prostitution, human trafficking and sex slavery. It’s also kind of long. I thought it best to provide as much background as possible because it’s kind of hard to wrap your head around the fact that this is about those in positions of power who believe their vows of secrecy and brotherhood will protect their nationwide network of prostitution, operated at tax payer expense.

    Happy Holidays and thanks for being here,

    Sandy Frost

    Starbucks, WA

    January 2, 2011

    This is about the retired Erie County Deputy Sheriff who recently pleaded guilty to knowing about the felony of transporting prostitutes from the Buffalo International Airport to a national Royal Order of Jesters (ROJ) national convention in Ontario, Canada and hiding the crimes by not reporting them.

    This is part of the case involving three Jesters who got caught in an FBI human trafficking sting out of Buffalo, NY. These include a retired police captain, a former New York State Supreme Court judge and his law clerk. All three pleaded guilty to violating the Mann Act after confessing to driving an illegal alien prostitute from Buffalo to a weekend Jester party in Ashland, Kentucky.

    The ROJ is a secret sub-group of the Shriners, best known for operating a network of 22 hospitals that used to provide free care to burned and crippled children but now takes insurance. One must first be a Master Mason before joining groups like the Scottish Rite, the Knights Templar and the Shriners.

    Today’s news is that Michael Lesinski, a retired Erie County Deputy Sheriff and member of the Royal Order of Jesters, admitted last November 19 that he knew that others were committing felonies, such as the transportation of prostitutes in interstate and foreign commerce, and concealed it by not reporting the crimes as soon as possible to law enforcement.

    The technical term for this is “misprision of a felony.”

    According to Lesinski’s plea agreement:

    “The defendant did not report any of the above facts to any judge or civil or military authority under the United States. Also, when returning to the United States from Canada, the defendant then had knowledge of the purpose of the women’s presence at the Jesters organization meeting and lied to United States Customs officials as to the true purpose of his visit to Canada in a deliberate attempt to conceal the crime.”

    Lesinski was released on personal recognizance without bail according to his conditions of release, filed on December 4, 2010 with the U.S. District Court of the Western District of New York. He was previously charged last June with conspiring with others to violate the Mann Act after driving a carload of six to seven prostitutes from the Buffalo International Airport to a hotel in Ontario, Canada for a ROJ national meeting.

    The first federal criminal complaint states that:

    “between April 18, 2005 to on or about April 24, 2005 that the defendant, MICHAEL LESINSKI, did knowingly, willfully and unlawfully combine, conspire and agree together with others, including Ronald Tills, to commit an offense against the United States, that is, to knowingly transport women in interstate and foreign commerce, with the intent that said women engage in prostitution, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2421; and that at least one overt act was committed in furtherance of the conspiracy, in that the defendant, MICHAEL LESINSKI, on April 18, 2005, did rent limousines in order to transport said women from the Buffalo airport to Niagara Falls Ontario, Canada, with the intent that the women engage in prostitution.”

    Ronald Tills is the former New York State Supreme Court Judge who was caught w/his law clerk, Michael Stebick and retired police captain John Trowbridge in an FBI human trafficking sting last October, 2007.

    The first Lesinski complaint described the statute violated as the Mann Act.

    The next section describes “The Royal Order of Jesters,” as previously reported in “Feds Define Jesters.” This is significant because the Jesters are, for the first time, defined in their own little section of this criminal complaint as:

    “The Royal Order of Jesters (ROJ) is a world wide fraternal organization whose membership is limited to individuals invited to join by other members. The motto of the ROJ is ‘mirth is king.’ The ROJ has local chapters or ‘courts.’ On occasion, a local court or group of local courts in the same geographical location sponsor social gatherings known as ‘books of the play’ or ‘books.’ The sponsoring courts organize the ‘books’ and arrange for food, lodging, and entertainment at the ‘book.’ Jesters from all over the country may attend the local ‘books.’ The ROJ also sponsors a yearly national ‘book,’ the equivalent of a national convention. In April, 2005, the Jester's national ‘book’ was held in Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada. As set forth below, a typical feature of a ‘book of the play’ is the presence of prostitutes (‘Jester Girls’) who engage in commercial sex acts with members of the ROJ. Arrangements for the prostitutes are generally made by the organizer of the ‘books,’ or the region hosting the national ‘book.’ On occasion, individual Jesters may make arrangements to transport prostitutes to ‘books.’”

    Here is a copy of a script for the “Book of the Play.”

    This recent Department of Justice press release includes the Jesters in this headline:

    “Former Erie County Sheriff’s Deputy Pleads Guilty in Connection with Jester Prostitution Case.”

    According to the first complaint, investigators began interviewing several Jesters in January and February of 2008 including Trowbridge, a retired captain with the Lockport, New York, Police Department. He described a nationwide network of prostitution as he admitted travelling to “books” in both the U.S. and Canada. He described occasions where Buffalo Court Jesters, including Tills and Stebick, made arrangements for Jester Girls to attend “books.”

    Tills was in charge of getting the prostitutes to the Jesters’ national “book” across the border in Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada. According to his plea agreement, Tills admitted to coordinating the prostitutes’ travel with national Jester officers, in or about spring, 2006.

    Trowbridge then stated that Tills asked Michael Lesinski, a deputy sheriff with the Erie County Sheriff’s Department, to take care of it. Trowbridge then disclosed that Lesinski rented a limousine to transport about a dozen prostitutes from Buffalo to Canada.

    The complaint then includes co-conspirator Michael Stebick’s description of how Jester “books” are typically held in hotel hospitality rooms where members can pick from a list of Jester Girls.

    It continues that in April, 2008, Trowbridge provided investigators with contact information for the 13 prostitutes as he’d spoken with each of them as they gathered at the Buffalo airport though there were other prostitutes he’d not spoken with.

    In June 2008 Tills told investigators that there were about 30 women at the national book and “described a network of members who had the ability to supply such women.” It was then that he identified Lesinski’s renting of two limousines that took the prostitutes to Canada.

    This all started when the FBI began surveillance from August, 2007 to November, 2007 of massage parlors suspected as being fronts for prostitution.

    It turns out that Len Wah Chong pleaded guilty to running four brothels, partially staffed with illegal aliens who travelled through an international human trafficking network.

    This application for the search warrant includes information from FBI wiretaps and includes Chong talking about the “judge” and “police captain.”

    The only “judge” associated with this has been former Judge Tills. And the only “police captain” associated with this has been retired police captain John Trowbridge.

    Here are descriptions of phone conversations found in the Chong complaint that mentioned the “judge” and the “police captain.” The information in the complaint was gathered by the FBI.

    “in cooperation with the U.S. Border Patrol, Immigration and Customs Enforcement or ICE and the Niagara County Sheriff’s Department. It was gathered through interviews, physical surveillance, background investigations, consensually monitored meetings, wire intercepts and while examining financial records, pen registers and trap/trace data, and telephone subscriber/toll records pertaining to the investigation of the offenses described above.

    This application was also filed to obtain arrest warrants for:

    1. Keeping, maintaining, controlling, supporting or harboring an individual in any home or place.
    2. The purposes of prostitution, conspired to keep and control female aliens for the purposes of prostitution, or any other immoral purpose.
    3. Knowing or in reckless disregard of the fact that said individual is an alien.
    4. Failing to file the required statement concerning the individual within five business days of commencing such activity with the relevant immigration authorities.

    This fifteen month investigation was initiated in September, 2006, by the FBI and U.S. Border Patrol on a tip that one of the acupressure businesses was a front for prostitution. Per the document, “full sets” refers to sexual intercourse and “half-sets” can be used to refer to either oral sex or hand-jobs (that is, anything less than intercourse). Other terms used are “mouth” or “oral,” both meaning oral sex.

    Court ordered wire intercepts on three telephones revealed the following, to include references to other law enforcement officers as well as the judge and police captain. The following has been edited to include specific references to the “judge,” the “police captain” and other law enforcement officers.

    19. On August 23, 2007, CHONG placed a telephone call to premises 1. CHONG told an unknown Asian female (UAF) that the “police captain” is on his way to Premises 1. She instructed the UAF to give him a 45 minute service and wanted to know whose turn it was in the rotation. The UAF told CHONG it was an Asian female whom CHONG referred to as “Lala’s” turn. CHONG told the UAF the “police captain” does not count in the rotation. It should be noted that the “police captain” was coming from Premises 5.

    20. On August 24, 2007, CHONG received a telephone call from Premises 1. An Asian female whom CHONG referred to as “Jenny” told her the propane tank is out of gas and they are unable to cook their food. It should be noted in human trafficking cases, victims are required to cook in the locations where they conduct the prostitution to limit their movement and thus maintain greater control over them. They use hot plates fueled by combustible gas charged canisters which are not designed to be used indoors. Some of these canisters have been recovered in the trash from Premises 1.

    22. On September 05, 2007, CHONG placed a telephone call to Premises 1. CHONG told an Asian female whom CHONG referred to as “Jenny” the “Police Captain” was on his way to Premises 1. CHONG told “Jenny” the “Police Captain” just visited her husband and his service will not be counted on the normal rotation.

    23. On September 06, 2007, CHONG placed a telephone call to Premises 1. CHONG told an Asian female whom CHONG referred to as “Jenny” the “Judge” was on his way to Premises 1. CHONG told “Jenny” to charge him for one hour even though he wanted a one and half hour service.

    27. On October 1, 2007, CHONG made a telephone call to Premises 1. CHONG spoke to XU and told her to listen carefully. CHONG said they are on action (or alert), the government won’t give girls tips intentionally. CHONG told XU she just got back from seeing the Sheriff because he was looking for her. CHONG told XU that law enforcement is not intentionally giving tips to the girls to see their reactions.

    31. On October 16, 2007, CHONG placed a telephone call to Premises 1. CHONG told an unknown Asian female (UAF) the “Judge” called and could not make it to Premises 1 that day. CHONG told the UAF that Xiu LIN aka “Coco” went to New York City and told everyone if you get arrested in Buffalo, NY, you can get legal immigration status. CHONG told the UAF the “Judge” was also upset with LIN due to her conversations in New York City about obtaining legal immigration status after being arrested in Buffalo, NY. Chong stated the “Judge” advised her to have people from a church provide the girls with a letter in order to help their immigration status.

    35. On November 3, 2007, CHONG made a telephone call to Premises 1. CHONG told XU that “Da Quan” called her and informed her that a shop in Buffalo got raided and one girl without legal status was detained and that the two who were released are Da Quan’s friends. CHONG told XU when the Sheriff arrived later he reminded the girls to be cautious and not to ask for tips.

    46. On September 5, 2007, CHONG made a telephone call to Premises 3. CHONG spoke to a prostitute named “Amy” and told her that customers who are friends of the Judge called her to complain about “Mary.” Chong told Amy she was at Golden and that Judge told her Lockport is a high class spot, and that girls should not solicit for tips and if they do, he (the Judge) will not help her out. CHONG added that the Judge informed her Mary offended every customer. CHONG said she told the Judge she fired Mary and that the Judge agreed with CHONG’s actions and commented that if she had not fired Mary, she would have made trouble. CHONG advised Amy she should do a good job.

    58. On August 20, 2007, CHONG placed a call to Premises 4. CHONG told Feng Xian LI other massage parlors offer half hour service for $30 and $60 for “full service.” CHONG complained that Feng Xian LI charges $65 for a “half set” massage. CHONG stated she doesn’t want to run an ad because safety is first. CHONG believes the prior arrests by Immigration and Customs Enforcement were a result of the advertisements each brothel placed in the Artvoice newspaper. CHONG told the girls that a lot of her customers are police officers and public officials.

    65. On September 5, 2007, CHONG received a call from Premises 4. Feng Xian LI told CHONG she was considering bringing her son to the United States from China. Feng Xian LI said her divorce papers were filed but she is unsure if she can bring her son over. CHONG told Feng Xian LI to ask her regular customer, who is an INS officer, to help her bring her son to the U.S. Feng Xian LI said she should provide the INS officer a “full set” if she is going to ask him for assistance. CHONG stated she has a friend that knows this officer and he is scared about being caught since one of his friends was caught and fired.

    69. On October 21, 2007, CHONG placed a call to Premises 4. CHONG told Feng Xian LI the “Judge” is mad at Feng Xian LIN because she was talking too much lately concerning her situation. Xiu LIN is a victim/material witness in an ICE investigation which was taken down in March, 2007 in Buffalo , New York. CHONG stated that Xiu LIN told a lot of people that if you come to Buffalo, NY, you can get arrested and obtain legal immigration status. CHONG also stated another government agency is contacting the “Judge” now.

    87. On October 18, 2007, CHONG placed a call from Premises 5 to Premises 1. CHONG told an Asian female whom she referred to as “Jenny” the “Judge” and his friends will be going to Premises 1. CHONG told “Jenny” some of them wanted sex and they were to be treated as good customers no matter what.

    98. On September 4, 2007, CHONG made a telephone call to Premises 6. CHONG spoke to an unidentified prostitute she called Coco and asked if Coco did the Judge’s friend who is short, and is claiming he did not get good service from Coco after he paid the sixty dollar house fee plus a tip. Coco told CHONG the guy wanted a full set (sexual intercourse) for forty dollars.

    102. On September 30, 2007, CHONG made a telephone call to Premises 6. CHONG spoke to an Asian prostitute named Lily and told her that the police left. CHONG told Lily that the police officer said he would like to try massage sometime. CHONG said the Judge and his friends he brought over wanted it for free and they were bad tippers.

    138. The investigation has continued to date and the pattern of activities described supra has continued. All brothels continue to appear operational. As this has been consistent throughout the 15 month investigation, your affiant submits that the offenses have continued and are continuing and therefore there is probable cause to believe the fruits, instrumentalities and evidence of said crimes will be located in the places to be searched as described in this affidavit.”

    A copy of this document can be read here.

    In spite of such investigations, the Jesters are still at it. Though their brothers are being convicted and are under investigation for sex trafficking, prostitution and child sex tourism, the first fifteen or so flyers in this online file show they’re still partying on, as if nothing is wrong.

    Remember, the Jesters, like the Shriners, are organized into two nonprofit groups. The fraternal 501c10 tax exempt classification was granted to the Jesters by the IRS as to how the 22,000 Jesters are organized into “courts” that:

    “Held annual events which were devoted to fraternalism and spreading the gospel of mirth and good cheer.”

    In other words, their tax exempt purpose is to party.

    And according to federal charging documents and the IRS, with prostitutes at taxpayer expense.

    This 2006 tax return shows that nearly $600,000 was spent on one of their weekend “books,” signed by executive director, Alex Rogers.

    The IRS granted the Jesters a 501c3 “charitable” classification in 2004 after a handful of them somehow convinced the taxing agency that the new national headquarters building in Indianapolis, Indiana also housed a museum. The IRS’ application for tax exempt status is otherwise known as a form 1023 and is subject to public disclosure within 30 days of receiving a written request. Three years of written requests for the Jesters 1023 application for their 501c3 “charitable” classification remain unanswered as well as emails to the Texas attorney who seems to have put it all together, Ron Pruitt.

    The Jester claim of housing a museum was rejected by the Marion County property assessor and affirmed by the Marion County Tax Assessment Board of Appeals on December 16, 2005. The initial application stated the Jesters “charitable” exempt purpose as:

    “Spreading mirth and cheerfulness, promoting good fellowship, assistance and good cheer to others promoting fraternalism, and providing a museum for items and articles of mirth, comedy and laughter.”

    The group’s business manager and director, Alex Rogers, appealed the “charitable” denial and convinced the Indiana Tax Appeals board that the Jesters building deserved a property tax exemption because they’re part of the Masonic fraternity. This denial letter includes notes stating that the Jesters support the Shriners hospitals, contrary to the Jesters’ stated exempt purpose, bylaws and articles of incorporation.

    Back to the prostitution; charitable, fraternal, federally defined or otherwise.

    Len Wah Chong was sentenced to six years in prison, five years parole, forfeited property worth $350,000, and was fined $350,000 as restitution for ten sex trafficking victims.

    John Trowbridge was sentenced to 2 years probation and fined $10,000 for violating the Mann Act.

    Michael Stebick admitted to driving the Jesters and the prostitute and was sentenced to two years probation, four months house arrest while wearing an ankle bracelet, fined $5,000 and forfeiture of his motor home.

    Ronald Tills was sentenced to a year and a half in federal prison and fined $25,000. He is scheduled to be released from the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Community Corrections Office in three weekjs on January 24, 2011.

    Michael Lesinski is scheduled to be sentenced on April 5, 2011 at 9:00 am by the same judge who sentenced the previous three Jesters, United States District Judge William M. Skretny.

    All copies of material reprinted or duplicated from "by Sandy Frost" must include the following credit line: From http://sandyfrost.newsvine.com/ Copyright © 2011 by Sandy Frost. Used by permission.

  • Story Photo

    Update February 28, 2011: This and other articles about the Shriners' development of PermaDerm (tm) were taken offline from November 22, 2010 to today. I will publish my findings ASAP.

    Thank you,

    Sandy Frost, Starbucks, WA

    Editor’s Note: Please visit the first comment box at the end of this article for further instructions on how to wrap your head around all of this. There you can also find a link to a document depository where you can find most of the below mentioned documents. I suggest that after finding the link in the comment box that you print out the flow chart I drew up -- > because the organizational relationships are so complicated. I know there are boxes and arrows all over the place but it might help. I also feel the need to almost apologize because this information is so very technical. A list of fact after fact. My spell check gives this a reading level of 14.8 or third year college level. Sorry about that. The J-curve has been steep in this previously unexplored world of FDA rules and regulations. I am just a journalist who has gathered and studied these documents for nearly three years and now want to share this timeline as another way to tell this story.

    Thank you,

    Sandy

    This timeline will present as much information as possible about the development of a burn treatment or cultured skin substitute known as PermaDerm™ at Shriners Hospital for Children (SHC) in Cincinnati, Ohio. Clinical studies are generally conducted under the supervision of an Institutional Review Board or IRB. The PermaDerm ™ study at SHC Cincinnati was supposed to have been overseen by the University of Cincinnati’s IRB.

    This study was conducted to develop a method of growing a burn patient’s skin into bigger sheets of skin to graft onto their burn sites. This cultured skin substitute or CSS is known today as PermaDerm™ and is being brought to market by a bio-pharma company named Lonza with marketing done by a company named Regenicin.

    The University of Cincinnati is part of the U.S. Army’s regenerative medicine program (AFIRM) by sponsoring this study and commercialization of PermaDerm (tm) through SHC Cincinnati. The Army recently funded a $1.3 million grant to more quickly commercialize PermaDerm ™ so it can be used to heal burned soldiers.

    This timeline documents a long history of regulatory problems associated with this study. Problems began when the Office of Human Research Protection (OHRP) issued a letter of noncompliance in November, 2002, alleging lack of informed consent. The final determination letter was sent in April, 2003 to the University of Cincinnati to make sure that the patient records were audited for unreported protocol violations. From September 2 to October 27, 2005, FDA investigators inspected the Shriners’ Hospital for Children in Sacramento. Then from March 7 to June 21, 2006, FDA investigators from the Cincinnati office held a "for cause, high priority" inspection of the Shriners’ investigational site. The Establishment Inspection Report details the “significant deficiencies that needed to be addressed.” The FDA then issued three warning letters before issuing an “Integrity Hold” letter that shut the study down in January, 2007 because of “data reliability issues” and “system wide failures in the sponsor’s methods for conducting and managing clinical trials.”

    In Feb. 2007, officials from UC sent their response to the FDA, stating they’d consolidate concerns expressed in the warning letters with the Integrity Hold letter. The University committed to system and data audits before developing a Corrective Action Plan (CAP) that was sent to the FDA on July 29, 2010.

    Timeline follows.

    July 30, 1997 Cutanogen Corporation, Steven Boyce’s company, filed w/Ohio Secretary of State.

    1998 Dr. Steven Boyce began developing a burn treatment otherwise known as a cultured skin substitute (CSS) while working at both University of Cincinnati (UC) and Shriners Hospitals for Children. The study was conducted at the Shriners Burn Hospital under the oversight of the University of Cincinnati’s School of Medicine’s Institutional Review Board or IRB. According to a Shriner fact sheet:

    "The Cincinnati Shriners Cultured Skin Substitute was developed through nearly two decades of research by Dr. Steven Boyce. The process begins when a business card size piece of skin is taken from the burned child and is cultured to grow in about three weeks to the size of 100 business cards. The cultured skin substitute is then taken to surgery for application to the burn site.”

    April 15, 1998 – July 17, 2000 Problems with the study come to the attention of the Office of Human Research Protection (OHRP) after the agency discovered that other informed consent documents used by the first 28 subjects enrolled between these dates that received cultured skin substitute (CSS) in this study did not have IRB approval.

    July 20, 1999 Certificate of Amended Articles of Incorporation of Cutanogen Corporation filed w/ Ohio Secretary of State, signed by Steven T. Boyce, President.

    October, 1999 Phase II Randomized Study of Cultured Skin Substitute V Split Thickness Skin Grafts in Patients with Severe Burn Injuries.

    Nov – Dec 1999 J Burn Care Rehabilitation announces clinical research award to use cultured skin substitutes with Integra Artificial skin to replace native skin autograft and allograft for the closure of excised full thickness burns. Boyce, Kagan, Meyer, Yakuboff, Warden. Department of Research, SHC Cincinnati.

    August 7, 2000 OHRP sends letter of noncompliance to Dr. Donald C. Harrison, Senior VP, UC stating that the OHRP presented SHC doctors an allegation from the Mother of a badly burned child who claimed that she was urged by a nurse to sign the informed consent document because "The Doctors need these papers signed immediately. If she has any chance at all, this is the only chance she has." It further explains "No one at any time explained the documents to her and/or that they were consent for Experimental Programs." This same OHRP letter further detailed how an otherwise excluded pregnant woman was enrolled as a research subject, to include the "collection of skin tissue for preparation of grafts as part of the research." It continues that the OHRP was presented another allegation "that the investigators continued to conduct research on a subject after the subject's family withdrew permission for her participation in research." The letter explains that though only the pregnancy allegation could be substantiated, guidance suggested changes in protocol and informed consent language so as to not inflate potential benefits to the research subjects.

    September 27, 2000 UC submits report to OHRP.

    March 6, 2002 Boyce, Inventor and University of Cincinnati and Shriners Hospitals for Children (Tampa, FL) apply to patent “Apparatus for preparing a biocompatible matrix.” Boyce ST. 2002. US patent pplication, publication #US2003/0170892, a Surgical device for replacement of skin. Owners: University of Cincinnati and Shriners Hospitals for Children.

    November 21, 2002 OHRP replies after their review of UC’s September 27, 2000 report submitted in response to OHRP’s August 7, 2000 letter regarding Burn Wound Management and the Cultured Skin Study.

    April 21, 2003 OHRP sends determination letter that matter is concluded as long as UC has investigators audit files for more unreported protocol violations. OHRP letter noted that "the University of Cincinnati has required the investigators in the above-referenced research to conduct an audit of research subjects enrolled to ensure that no additional protocol violations had occurred. In addition, OHRP notes that the investigators have been made aware of the requirement to request changes to a protocol approved by an IRB prior to the initiation of such changes, except when necessary to eliminate apparent immediate hazards to the subject. OHRP recommends that UC also consider reminding all investigators of the regulatory requirements to obtain IRB approval for changes in approved research during the period for which the IRB approval has already been given. OHRP must be notified should new information be identified which might alter this determination.”

    November 7, 2003 Cincinnati Enquirer announces SHC Cincinnati burn study gets $1 million gift from Fifth Third Bank.

    April, 2004 Boyce presentation, “Tissue engineering for reconstruction”; American Burn Association; breakfast session moderator; Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

    April, 2004 Boyce presentation, “Reconstruction”; American Burn Association; correlative session moderator; Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

    June, 2004 Richard Kagan, MD, appointed chief of staff, SHC, Cincinnati.

    September, 2004 Boyce presentation, “Skin repair with cultured cells and biopolymers,” Keynote address, Australia-New Zealand Burn Association meeting; Adelaide, Australia.

    September, 2004 Boyce presentation, “Tissue regeneration for wound closure,” Australia-New Zealand Burn Association meeting; Adelaide, Australia.

    October, 2004 Boyce presentation, “Science and technology of skin engineering”; L’Oreal Recherche; program committee; Lausanne, Switzerland.

    May 25, 2005 Cutanogen applies for PERMADERM trademark.

    June 14, 2005 Boyce ST, inventor, 2005. US Patent 6,905,105, Apparatus for fabricating a biocompatible matrix. Owners: University of Cincinnati and Shriners Hospitals for Children.

    Sept. 2 – Oct. 27, 2005 FDA inspects SHC Sacramento.

    October, 2005 Boyce presentation, “Advances in Pediatric Burn Care”; American Academy of Pediatrics; Washington.

    February 2, 2006 Cambrex acquires Cutanogen and PermaDerm ™, $1.5 million paid on closing to Boyce with another $4.8 upon meeting milestones.

    March 6, 2006 FDA Warning Letter sent to Dr. Greenhalgh, SHC Sacramento. The inspection found “failure to ensure an investigation is conducted in accordance with the signed agreement with the sponsor, the investigational plan, applicable FDA regulations and any conditions of approval imposed by the FDA or the IRB…You failed to adhere to the above stated regulations. You did not conduct the study according to the investigator agreement that you signed on June 26, 1999 and you did not follow the protocol provided to you by the sponsor on November 1, 1999. Instead of conducting the study according to the protocols, you revised or removed sections of the protocol prior to obtaining approval from the sponsor.”

    March, 2006 Boyce presentation, “Stem cells in wound healing”; British Society for Cell Biology; London, UK.

    March 7 – June 21, 2006 FDA conducts “high priority, for cause” inspection of SHC Cincinnati.

    April, 2006 J Trauma publishes “Cultured skin substitutes reduce requirements for harvesting of skin autograft for closure of excised, full-thickness burns” by Boyce, Kagan, Greenhalgh, Warner, Yakuboff, Palmieri, Warden.

    May, 2006 Boyce presentation, “Tissue engineering for burn wounds”; Wound Healing Society; Tucson, AZ.

    June 21, 2006 FDA issues Establishment Inspection Report for SHC Cincinnati. Hundreds of violations organized according to the inspector's observations, spelled out in a two part Establishment Inspection Report (EIR). The objectionable conditions include:

    1) Failure to report unanticipated adverse device effects.

    2) Unapproved informed consent documents were being used.

    3) Failure to follow the investigational plan.

    4) Failure to report and maintain records for all adverse events.

    5) Subjects' case histories were not accurate and complete.

    6) Failure to maintain or report protocol deviations.

    The FDA inspector ended the EIR with this "General Discussion with Management":

    "Dr. Steven Boyce and Dr. Richard Kagan stated that they did not realize the importance of following the investigational plan exactly. They misunderstood the requirements for operating the IDE. They felt that though this inspection revealed numerous deficiencies that patient safety was never put at risk. I explained the provisions that the FDA has available to them as a follow-up to the inspectional observations, which included a warning letter, disqualification or criminal prosecution. Dr. Kagan and Dr. Boyce are extremely concerned with addressing all observations and continuing to operate this IDE. They feel this trial is extremely important to the Shriner's patients and community and they will do all they can to meet all FDA concerns and regulations."

    January 3, 2007 Integrity Hold Letter issued to David M. Stern, MD, Dean UC School of Medicine, shuts down PermaDerm ™ study over data integrity issues and system wide failures. It states: "We regret to inform you that we have concluded that the IDE lacks information needed to determine whether the previous annual reports submitted to this IDE are accurate and complete and we are, therefore, suspending subtantive review and placing this IDE supplement on Integrity Hold. The decision is based, in part, on the fact tha inspections of your investigational sites suggest that the clinical data and information in the above mentioned submissions may be unreliable."

    January 12, 2007 FDA issues Warning Letter to Dr. Kagan, Chief of Staff, SHC. Observations include failing to obtain informed consent, failing to report and accurately document unanticipated and anticipated adverse device events and failing to maintain accurate and complete case histories for each subject.

    Informed consent violations cited; on September 6, 2000, the Institutional Review Board (IRB) approved the informed consent form(ICF) to be signed by the parents enrolling their burned children in the hospital’s study. The study included data obtained from burned children enrolled from April 15, 1998 to July 17, 2000, though their parents had signed outdated and unapproved consent forms.

    The study’s investigational plans revealed that post operative data as well as engraftment assessments were found to be incomplete, performed on incorrect days or not completed at all; audit of subjects’ records found that no wound cultures were obtained at the required times, nor were the grafts taken or completed within the specified time frames; failures to report and accurately document unanticipated and anticipated adverse device events.

    An audit of ten burned children’s records found that none of their unanticipated adverse events or skin graft failures were listed in their case report forms (CRF) or reported to the IRB. Some of these adverse events included development of necrotic or dead tissue, pneumonia and elevated temperatures.

    The FDA also questioned why the cultured skin substitute experiments were performed only in select situations in which grafting were needed.

    Kagan and the Shriner's Hospital were finally warned for failing to maintain accurate and complete case histories for each subject. Audited records found incomplete and inaccurate case report forms including missing Site Biopsy Logs and blank photography logs.

    January 29, 2007 FDA issues Warning Letter to Dr. David M. Stern, Dean, UC School of Medicine. It states:

    “Our review of the inspection report prepared by the district office revealed serious violations of Title 21, Code of Federal Regulations (21 C.F.R.) Part 812 – Investigational Device Exemptions and Part 50 – Protection of Human Subjects. Our subsequent review of the inspection report are Failure to secure the investigator’s compliance with the signed investigator agreement, the investigational plan, applicable FDA regulations and any other conditions of approval imposed by the reviewing IRB or FDA…You failed to secure investigator compliance with the investigational plan and applicable FDA regulations. At the time of the inspection, there were no written procedures for monitoring the investigative device study and there was no documentation of monitoring the investigation…The annual reports submitted to FDA were dated June 1, 1999, July 14, 2000, November 16, 2001, January 14, 2003, September 24, 2004 and January 2, 2006. Accordingly, progress reports were not submitted to the agency at least yearly…The investigational devices did not contain labeling.”

    February 2, 2007 Boyce presents at NIH Workshop “Opportunities and Obstacles with Engineered Human Skin” Boyce states Transfer of the CSS technology was accomplished by licensing from the academic sponsors to a start-up company which was acquired by an established manufacturer of biopharma products and emerging cell therapies.

    February 6, 2007 Lonza acquires Cambrex bio-business, including PermaDerm ™.

    February 13, 2007 UC contacts Kendle International Inc. about performing a system audit.

    February 20, 2007 University of Cincinnati responds to FDA’s warning and integrity hold letters by asking for indefinite time to address the issues, namely data reliability and system-wide failures to conduct and monitor the study.

    October 1, 2007 University of Cincinnati submits grant application on behalf of Steven T. Boyce for $1.3 million to “Expedite Availability of autologous engineered human skin for treatment of burned soldiers.” Links research success to duplicating results in both Lonza and Shriner’s Skin and Tissue Labs. Includes request for $400,000 to pay for Morley Foundation Audit, cites patients #130 and #131 as examples of product’s success.

    November 7, 2007 FDA News reports FDA sent warning letter to Dr. Richard Kagan.

    November 7, 2007 “Shriners Hospital Violated FDA Regs” published by Sandy Frost and reports that the FDA Warning Letter had been preceded by letters of noncompliance from the Office of Human Research Protection (OHRP).

    December 31, 2007 “Bad Medicine?” published by Sandy Frost and sheds more light on FDA warning letter situation.

    December 29, 2008 UC Health News reports Army grant of $1.3 million to fund skin research at UC and Shriners.

    January 6, 2009 Kendle Audit complete. It states that “UC policies, procedures and study documentation for IDE 980023 revealed significant deviations from FDA regulations and GCP principles. The university did not have an adequate quality system in place to ensure that clinical investigations are conducted in accordance with GCPs for studies in which they are sponsor. The Office of Research and Compliance Regulatory Affairs (ORCRA) lacks a comprehensive set of procedures to govern their activities and there is inadequate documentation to demonstrate that the employees of the ORCRA have the education, training and experience to perform their job functions. Interviews with ORCRA employees reflected that the university is not fully aware of its obligations as a sponsor of clinical studies regulated by the FDA. The university appeared to be unaware of its obligation to ensue routine, periodic monitoring of clinical studies throughout the duration of the investigation. Additionally, there is an apparent lack of understanding of the university’s requirement to maintain certain study-related documentation as the sponsor of clinical research per 21 CFR 812.140 (b).”

    January 14, 2009 Per the Morley audit, “Dr. Jane Strasser of the UC Compliance Department sent a formal notification advising Dr. Boyce to suspend any presentations, publications, and/or media relations regarding the IDE project until FDA removes the Integrity Hold. During this time period, (December 29, 2008) a media publication of UC Health News announced ― CINCINNATI—University of Cincinnati (UC) researchers have received $1.3 million to further develop and commercialize engineered skin substitutes for burn injury repairs as part of the newly formed Armed Forces Institute of Regenerative Medicine (AFIRM). There is no documentation associated with these presentations to request a waiver from FDA for the presentation of this data.”

    January – December, 2009 Walter B. Morley Research Foundation audits for Comprehensive Audit Report Protocol: Burn Wound Repair with Cultured Skin Substitute, IDE Number: G980023.

    February 23, 2010, “FDA Warning Letter Sent to SHC Cincinnati Still Unresolved” published by Sandy Frost.

    March 25, 2010 Morley Audit submitted to FDA. The audit indicates that from pre-study through the actual audit itself, those in charge of the study continued to violate regulations though the study had received the warning letters and had been shut down. Audit includes data from patients #130 & #131 as FDA violations. These include not being reconsented, inconsistent case report forms, inability to show that #130 did not have sepsis upon admission, inconsistent comparative graft sites, too few dressing changes, grafts placed in dry dressing instead of CSS irrigation, multiple reports of deviations, CSS being placed on contaminated wound beds, no unanticipated device event reported for Leukopenia in #130 and lack of records for reporting event adverse events for #130 and 131 including graft loss. Partial list of audit findings follows timeline.

    April 8, 2010 “FDA Report Details Hundreds of Violations in Shriners' Burn Treatment Study as Product Heads To Market” published by Sandy Frost.

    June 8, 2010 Ten-year-old burn patient admitted to SHC Cincinnati.

    June 8, 2010 Dr. Richard Kagan begins “Compassionate Use” request process that is continued by Dr. Steven Boyce as he broadcasts email requests for necessary approvals before submitting to FDA for approval.

    June 15, 2010 Jane Strasser, PhD, sends request for compassionate use of PermaDerm™ to FDA.

    June 16, 2010 FDA issues compassionate use denial letter and excludes the doctors’ research and publications from appeal, stating:

    “We regret to inform you that your request is not approved and you may not treat this patient with the above cited investigational device… Because considerable concern exists about the validity of the data generated under this IDE, we believe that these knowledgeable clinicians should be independent from the two investigators performing this study and their understanding of the product should be derived from experience other than this IDE study or publications by Drs. Kagan or Boyce…Please be advised that FDA has considerable concern about the absence of sufficient credible scientific evidence to perform a meaningful assessment of the probable risk of using this investigational device… These observations are based on our initial inspection of your facility from March 7 to June 21, 2006, the annual reports submitted to your IDE, and a review of the Independent Third Party Audit submitted by the Morley Foundation to FDA on March 25, 2010. The latter document indicates that these failures in data collection and oversight have continued during period after the Integrity Hold Letter was issued in 2007 and while your clinical site was undergoing an Independent Audit in 2008-2009.”

    June 29, 2010 University of Cincinnati submits second compassionate use request with assurances from UC vice president.

    July 1, 2010 President of UC sends letter of assurance to FDA, providing oversight by two doctors with reports every two weeks. There is no disclosure or statement of conflict of interest in these compassionate use submissions that the doctor providing oversight support, Dr. Michael Edwards, was on the same board as Dr. Richard Kagan and Tipton Ford, the Director for Business Affairs, UC. Burn patient’s treatment delayed by three weeks.

    July 9, 2010 “SHC Study Suspended, FDA Excludes Doctors' Research” published by Sandy Frost.

    July 29, 2010 University of Cincinnati submits Corrective Action Plan to FDA.

    August 18, 2010 CNW Wire reports: “Regenicin Completes Acquisition of Worldwide Exclusive Know-How Technology License from Lonza Walkersville, Lonza to Provide Exclusive Manufacturing Services to Regenicin for new proprietary Skin Production Technology…Regenicin's management team intends to use its expertise, with the assistance of Lonza Walkersville, to further enhance its capabilities and seek approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for commercial sale. Regenicin plans to seek marketing approval for this revolutionary product throughout the world under the brand name PermaDerm(TM).”

    August 24, 2010 CNW Wire reports “Regenicin Appoints Amgen Co-founder Dr. Joseph Rubinfeld to Board of Directors, Rubinfeld expected to assist with FDA approval process for autologous cultured skin substitute, PermaDerm(TM).”

    Sept 7, 2010 PR Newswire press release announces “Pharmaceutical Industry Veteran Dr. Craig Eagle Appointed as an Independent Member to Regenicin Board of Directors, Joins Amgen Co-Founder Dr. Joseph Rubinfeld as the second independent board member; Brings another authoritative voice to Regenicin's corporate governance body.”

    Sept. 10, 2010 Regenicin to Video Webcast Live From NASDAQ MarketSite, Times Square, New York City, CEO to Present New Corporate Developments and Business Opportunities at Media and Investor Conference: NYC Press and Analysts Invited to Attend in Person.

    Sept. 13, 2010 PR Watch press release announces “Former Fujifilm Medical Systems USA Executive John J. Weber Agrees to Join Regenicin(TM) as a Member of Its Board of Directors and Interim CFO, Weber Brings Over 25 Years of Corporate and Financial Management Experience to the Regenicin Team.”

    October 3, 2010 “FDA/SHC News & Unanswered Questions” published by Sandy Frost. Includes unanswered emails sent to UC, the Shriners and Regenicin CEO with questions about disclosures, if UC is going to revisit the potentially fraudulent grant application to U.S. Army and what did Shriners corporate boards as well as the SHC Cincinnati board of trustees do as the PermaDerm ™ research attracted letters of noncompliance?

    October 5, 2010 “Regenicin Names Former U.S. Marine Corp Operations Officer, Christopher Hadsall, Chief Operating Officer” NEW YORK, Oct. 5 /PRNewswire/ -- Regenicin™, Inc. (OTC Bulletin Board:WDST.ob - News) (www.Regenicin.com), a clinical-stage biotechnology company, announced today that Mr. Christopher A. Hadsall, whose primary responsibilities will be to oversee government affairs, has agreed to join the company as Chief Operating Officer. Mr. Hadsall brings 12 years of operational management expertise to Regenicin™ and will be instrumental in working with various military groups to build the company's distribution platform for the future commercialization of PermaDerm™, its proprietary tissue - engineered skin substitute intended to restore the qualities of healthy human skin for use in the treatment of burns, chronic wounds and a variety of plastic surgery procedures.

    Oct. 19, 2010 “Regenicin to Form Scientific Advisory Board” PRNewswire-FirstCall/-- Regenicin, Inc. (OTC Bulletin Board:WDST.ob- News), a development stage biotechnology company, announced today that they have begun identifying candidates for the formation of a Scientific Advisory Board. The board will include thought leaders, scientists and physicians in the fields of regenerative medicine, cellular biology, dermatology and burn and wound treatment. Appointees will play a key role in advising Regenicin on the company's current and future research and development programs as well as in corporate strategies for global expansion.

    Oct. 27, 2010 “Regenicin Appoints Renowned New York Dermatologist, Dr. Gervaise Gerstner to Scientific Advisory Board” PRNewswire-FirstCall/-- Regenicin, Inc. (OTC Bulletin Board:WDST.ob - News), a development stage company focusing on next-generation tissue-engineered skin substitutes to restore the qualities of healthy human skin, announced today the appointment of Dr. Gervaise Gerstner to the company's Scientific Advisory Board. Dr. Gerstner is a board-certified dermatologist and Assistant Clinical Professor of Dermatology at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York.

    October 29, 2010 Regenicin to present Live at RetailInvestorConferences.com on November 4th. PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Regenicin, Inc. (OTC Bulletin Board:WDST.ob- News) a biotechnology company specializing in the development of regenerative cell therapies to restore the health of damaged tissues and organs, today announced that the Company's Chief Executive Officer, Randall McCoy and Chief Financial Officer, John Weber will present at RetailInvestorConferences.com.

    Nov. 2, 2010 “Regenicin to Present at Event Celebrating Advancements in Regenerative Medicine” PRNewswire/-- “Regenicin, Inc. (OTC Bulletin Board:WDST.ob- News), a biotechnology company specializing in the development of regenerative cell therapies to restore the health of damaged tissues and organs, will participate in an event to celebrate the newest advancements in regenerative medicine on November 9th, 2010 in Walkersville, MD. Regenicin will present their role in the commercialization of the therapeutic candidate, PermaDerm™, a product which could help revolutionize the way wounded warriors and civilians recover from severe burns and wounds.”

    November 9, 2010 "PermaDerm (tm) Timeline, Shriner Skin Study Audit Findings" published by Sandy Frost.

    End of timeline.

    The Morley audit findings for the PermaDerm (tm) study include:

     There was no evidence that appropriate data safety monitoring was put into place as part of the research plan.

     Sites were grafted with Cultured Skin Substitute (CSS) even when CSS solution resistant microbes were detected prior to grafting.

     Investigators did not always document information regarding the research part of the subjects care.

     The study had no specific laboratory values consistently recorded.

     A Data Safety Monitoring Board (DSMB) was never implemented during the course of this study.

     The investigative sites did not maintain proper device disposal records.

     Of the 370 protocol deviations recorded in the audit data base, only nineteen of those can be confirmed as being received at the Institutional Review Board.

     Principal investigator S. Boyce, Ph.D. did not fulfill the requirements for reporting.

     Dr. Boyce did not demonstrate knowledge of primary function of being the sponsor PI on this study.

     Dr. Boyce continued to disregard the FDAs warning regarding the report of unanticipated and anticipated adverse device events.

     The auditors’ data base recorded 1,455 adverse events during the time frame of this annual report but only 10 were noted by Dr. Boyce.

     Four (4) subjects were enrolled and treated on study, but did not meet all inclusion/exclusion criteria. Eligibility was unable to be verified on six (6) subjects.

     The 2006 Standard Operating Procedures copies from the University of Cincinnati IRB were missing several pages. Of those missing pages was the informed consent information; therefore, it is not known what the policy on re-consenting was at that time. There was no SOP regarding re-consent process made available to the auditors.

     The compassionate use regulations were not always followed by the Sponsor/investigator. The source documentation needed to substantiate that all the above reference points were completed. Auditors could not locate all authorizations required by the regulations to enroll a subject as a compassionate use subject.

     The case report forms were not completed in a consistent manner throughout the study.

     There was no documentation that any of the sites received proper training on Case Report Form (CRF) completion.

     The majority of the subject population (33 subjects) did not have proper CRF completion. Individual pages were incomplete, and follow- up visits were not being documented, even as subjects were being seen in the outpatient clinic.

     Subjects should not have been enrolled and treated with CSS, per the risk assessment information presented in the Informed Consent.

     Investigators did not follow the investigational plan (protocol) dated November 2003, with respect to pretreatment of study sites.

     There was no documentation of the process of wound irrigation to eliminate sulfamylon concentration as specified in protocol section d.2.2.

     11 of the 43 2nd degree burn estimates did not match. Of the 43 subjects that had 3rd degree burns 18 of the subjects had a variance and of the total burn estimate 21 of the 43 subjects had inconsistencies. Some of the subjects had variations in both 2nd and 3rd degree burn areas.

     The physical exam graph (Figure 11.1) shows that eighty six (86) percent of the subjects had a complete Physical Exam (PE) performed. The other fourteen (14) percent was incomplete.

     The overall pre study visit chart shows that forty (40) subjects had the serum antibodies collected and four (4) did not. Of the four that did not have antibodies drawn, three had them drawn per Dr. Boyce’s database, however could not be confirmed by auditors in the medical records. One subject did not have the serum antibody drawn at pre study and subsequently died at POD 12.

     Only 9% of the 91% of the number of antibodies were not done. This was from the four identified patients referenced in the above paragraph. The results of the serum antibody studies were virtually impossible to identify. The records were maintained in an extremely poor manner and not sufficiently for auditor review. Less than half of the subjects, twenty four (24) had actually results, and thirty three (33) did not have any results identified. It is uncertain what the purpose of the antibody collection was per the protocol. The ICF states that the antibodies were to be drawn to test for allergic reaction of the cultured skin. Since less than half of the subjects actually had results from the testing done, and there were no notes to file to explain why these tests results were not obtained.

     Auditors observed that the sites lacked compliance in completion of the data sets for Post Operative Date POD 0, POD 7, POD 14, and POD 28, as not one of these sets was completed in 100 % accordance with the study protocol. Overall PI or Sponsor oversight is in question. Documentation that states the PI (Drs Boyce and Kagan) did not check the CRFs until the initial year was completed by the subject was present. However, the issue is that these checks or PI signed template sheets were signed up to 2 or 3 years after the closure of the subject’s initial year on study. Auditors observed the lack of attention to gathering the data requested per the protocol and in the CRF, in the study visits following POD 28. Subjects were still in the hospital or returning as outpatients, however there is nothing to support why the follow - up visits were not completed. It was observed, however, that many of the photographs were taken at or near the correct follow up dates, yet the other study procedures, which should have been completed, were not. Subsequently, there was no documentation to support these study discrepancies.

     The biopsies were overall not completed in a protocol compliant fashion.

     The investigators for the study did not always document information regarding the research part of the subjects care. Auditors observed that the investigators relied upon the research nurses to document the biopsy; however it is ultimately the responsibility of the principal investigator to see that the information is collected and documented. There were no notes to file to explain why the biopsies were not being performed and recorded in the CRFs as the protocol required.

     The data collection for the microbial cultures follows the same trend as the other information collected for this study. The initial information, pre study and POD 0 was completed and documented fairly well However, at each subsequent visit, following POD 0, the data collection dropped off to approximately half by POD 14.

     An overall lack of compliance with respect to the collection of a healed wound biopsy at all protocol specified time points.

     There was a specific research nurse at each site that was responsible for the data collection. In addition to a specified research nurse, the PI’s responsibility is to see that the events were performed and recorded. On top of those two people, it was the sponsor’s duty to hold the sites accountable for the data collection. All of these processes that should have been in place failed.

     It is apparent that the PI at the site did not accurately review the records as well as the sponsor (either Dr. Boyce earlier on, or UC later in the study - as both were considered sponsors). The lack of documentation could have been exposed earlier and the site may have been able to gather the data in a timely manner with proper oversight.

     One hundred nineteen (119) serum antibody tests that were scheduled for POD 28, were not done. Results of the test were not documented in the case report forms or medical records.

     Investigators did not follow the investigational plan (protocol) dated November 2003 with respect to collection of the Qualitative Outcome data.

     Qualitative Outcomes were observed as not being completed beginning at POD 91 through POD 365 over the entire subject audit population.

     The FDA came to the Cincinnati site between March 16 and June 21, 2006 and cited the site for failure to report and accurately document unanticipated and anticipated adverse device events to the sponsor and reviewing IRB. After the Warning Letter and the subsequent Integrity Hold Letter, Peggy Simpson RN, research nurse for the study, began to review the subject’s CRFs and initiated documentation of the adverse events. Sometimes the “no” reported on the CRF Investigator Global Assessment form was changed to a “yes.”

     Additional details regarding this information are can be located in the UADE/AE/SAE section of this report. It is noteworthy that the Integrity Hold letter was dated February 2, 2007 and the site did not start to record the adverse events until the fall of 2008 and continued into early 2009.

     Investigators did not follow the investigational plan (protocol) dated November 2003, or the nursing care instructions (per IDE application Attachment 4, section f.1.4.3) with respect to the care of Cultured Skin Substitute. There are no consistent records available identifying that CSS solution was used as specified, or recording the amount of CSS solution used per application.

     Prior to the onset of this third party audit, the FDA and University of Cincinnati agreed upon a list of adverse events (See Appendix B) that the sites were to use in order to extract specific adverse events from the subject data and report prospectively. This, however, was only completed for a few subjects at the University of Cincinnati, therefore the majority of adverse event data was extracted by the auditors, as part of the audit process, per the previously agreed upon list of events.

     The total number of adverse events reported for this subject population was 733l. Of the total number of events, 1782 events were identified by the sites either during study, or as part of the event reporting agreement with the FDA, for the purpose of this third party audit. From the 1782 events identified by the sites, seventy (70) events were reported as unanticipated Device events, four (4) events were reported as serious adverse events and two (2) events were reports as both serious and unanticipated.

     The Sponsor did not identify expected adverse device effects as part of the Investigational Device Exemption Application (January 1998) or in the investigational plan (e.g. protocol) dated November 2003.

     The sites and Sponsor were responsible for reporting any serious adverse effects on health and safety or any life-threatening problems or death as an unanticipated adverse event, as no events had been previously identified as expected.

     Unexpected events, noted during the clinical progression of this trial should have been updated and information reported to all sites participating in this study. This was not completed by the Sponsor.

     Per review there was no documentation of the Sponsor following up on a report of a UADE from the study sites.

     It was observed that there was no consistency with regards to the determination or reporting of graft loss at either the CSS or autograft sites. The investigational plan did not identify parameters for an expected versus an unexpected event of graft loss. Additionally, graft loss was not captured by the sites in a manner in which the graft loss or re-grafting could accurately be quantified.

     This study had no specific laboratory values consistently recorded in the CRF. Abnormal lab values were captured as part of this third party audit and not as part of the investigational plan.

     Auditors observed there was not sufficient documentation with respect to the storage, shipment, handling, or disposition of the device utilized in this study (CSS). This finding is also consistent with available documentation for device quality assurance testing.

     Auditors observed that the sponsor did not comply with CFR 812.25(f): The investigational plan shall include…copies of all labeling for the device or CFR812.45: A sponsor shall supply all investigators participating in the investigation with copies of the investigational plan and the report of prior investigations of the device.

     The sponsor did not include a copy of device label as part of the investigational plan (protocol). Additionally, the device label was not made available to all investigators participating in this study.

     Auditors could not verify that any device utilized in this study was labeled in accordance with CRF 812.5(a )(b).

     The laboratory, whereby the CSS is made, is located on the fourth floor of the Shriners Hospital Building in Cincinnati, Ohio. Access to the floor is by computer key card access only. New employees or visitors must obtain the computer key card access from the security office of Shriners Hospital. The laboratory which is approximately half way down the hall way is reachable by a door from both sides of the hallway. The laboratory is located in the middle of the building. During the year that the auditors were present, people walked in and out of the lab at will. It did not appear that an additional key card or code of any sort was needed, once the laboratory was initially unlocked each morning.

     Auditors were unable to verify that the CSS disposal met with the regulations of Tile 29 Part 1910 and Title 42, Part 72 and 73 of the CFR. The auditors requested numerous times for ALL information, regarding the device, to be supplied to them. No device disposal logs were ever mentioned, or given to the auditors at any time throughout the audit. There were no records supplied to the auditors regarding CSS that was returned to laboratory from the OR. There were notes adding the grafts to the next grafting procedure sometimes. Proper documentation of records was not found by the auditors regarding the device disposal.

     The temperature of each shipment was not recorded and no temperature tracking records were provided to the audit team. It was observed that one shipment was lost due to the extreme weather conditions. E-mail communication, was observed by auditors, which identified a need for temperature tracking instruments with device shipments; however this was never actually identified as being accomplished.

     Due to the Integrity Hold letter, no further shipments of CSS have occurred. The compassionate use subjects who are continuing to be enrolled are being seen at the Cincinnati Shriners Hospital and while there is not actual shipment of the CSS, the record keeping between the laboratory and the OR should be better documented in regard to listing of devices made, transported to the OR, returned from the OR, copies of the label of each CSS set, and signatures with dates for who signed out the devices, carried the devices, and returned or disposed of the devices.

     Through the course of the audit, it was noted that approximately 370 protocol deviations were identified by the sites, or thru the audit process.

     The audit team could not verify that protocol deviations had been submitted to the IRB. The UC IRB does not acknowledge receipt of protocol deviations back to a site.

     There was not a standard operating procedure found for reporting of deviations to the UC IRB.

     Of the 370 protocol deviations recorded in the audit data base, only nineteen of those can be confirmed as being received at the IRB.

     After reviewing the IRB records, it is not possible to match the records of the deviations. The record keeping was minimal from the standpoint of the IRB records as well as site records. This study has been ongoing from 1998 to present, however the IRB records were made up of three small volumes of paperwork, as this was all that was supplied to the auditors from the IRB as to their records for this study.

     Prior to the initiation of this independent third party audit, University of Cincinnati, had agreed with FDA, to conduct a separate audit of the first 81 subjects. Upon conclusion of the separate audit, MRF agreed to a subsequent, random sample audit of the first 81 subjects. The MRF auditors were never informed, by UC, that the initial 81 subjects had been audited. There was communication between UC Compliance and MRF about using the MRF database, to conduct the audit of the first 81 subjects. Additionally, UC Compliance also requested a bid from MRF about allowing MRF to complete the audit of the first 81 subjects. However, to date, MRF has not been notified that subjects 1- 81 have been audited. Therefore, MRF did not complete the agreed upon sample audit of 8 to 12 subjects as was outlined in the audit plan.

     According to the audit records there were 108 adverse events noted in 2003 and 1,268 noted for 2004. The annual report lists four subjects with an adverse event from January 2003 – June 2004. The auditors could not split the numbers to match the annual report, as the annual report included seventeen months of data.

    Information of note in the Annual report for January 1, 2006 – December 31, 2006

     Summary of Study: In February 2006, the technology rights for this device were acquired by a commercial developer who will assume responsibility for filing of applications for marketing permissions. What does not appear in the annual report, or any subsequent financial disclosure forms, is that Cutanogen Corp was founded in 1997 by Dr. Steven Boyce (per a published newspaper article ―Medical Advances Incubate in Corryville by Tim Bonfiled with the Cincinnati Enquirer (local newspaper) dated June 30, 1998. (Appendix G) The article below shows that in 2006 Cambrex BioScience Walkersville, Inc. purchased Cutanogen in the amount of $1.5 million fully paid at the closing with additional purchase price payments of up to $4.8 million subject to certain milestones.

     On 05/26/2006 Dr. Boyce completed the Conflict of Interest (COI) form for the UC IRB. Dr. Boyce states that there are two patent applications pending with UC/SHC. Dr. Boyce is the sole inventor on those patents. Dr. Boyce stated that the technology and licenses for patents were acquired by Cutanogen and sold to Cambrex on 2/28/06. Dr. Boyce currently serves as a paid consultant for Cambrex to assist with product development. Also, that the sale of Cutanogen to Cambrex provides for additional payments to Dr. Boyce upon accomplishment of specific milestones in product development. No actual dollar amount was disclosed.

     On 06/11/2006 Dr. Richard Kagan completed a COI disclosing that he now owns equity or other ownership in the company or other legal entity who drug, procedure, technique, device or software I am testing. (Does not state the name of the company)

     May 11, 2007 COI for Steve Boyce PhD still indicates a “yes” for equity, “yes” for holds patent rights, “yes” for consultant, “yes” for royalty income. Still no dollar amount noted.

     On June 20, 2007 The UC IRB minutes from meeting state that Dr. Boyce is no longer involved in the enrollment or consenting processes of this protocol because of his significant conflict of interest.

     On May 9, 2008 Dr. Boyce again completed the COI form (Appendix F) with a yes indicated for equity ownership, patent rights, consultant, and royalty income. The bottom of the UC COI states in bold capital letters ― IF ANY BOX ABOVE IS CHECK YES, INCLUDE ON A SEPARATE SHEET AN EXPLANATION OF THE CONFLICT (INCLUDING THE AMOUNT OF MONEY) FOR THE IRB’S CONSIDERATION. INFORMATION PROVIDED IS CONSIDERED CONFIDENTIAL.

     Attached to the COI form is Dr. Boyce’s explanation which states that he founded Cutanogen and in 2006 sold all of the stock (including stock owned by Dr. Boyce). The sale is scheduled to be paid in six installments, one of which is completed and five are pending accomplishment of milestones. That consultant agreement was from March 2006 – February 2007, however the consulting agreement has expired. There is additional information provided that on February 5, 2007 Cutanogen and CBSW (Cambrex) was sold to Lonza Corporation, a Swiss BioPharma company. CBSW is now named Lonza Walkersville, Inc. The performance milestones of Cutanogen remain pending completion. There was never a disclosure of any amount which Dr. Boyce may have received even though the IRB requested it. The IRB board stated that there is a perception of conflict. The IRB offered three options: 1) assign another person as PI for the study 2) disclose in the consent form the detailed information of how the investigator is involved with the company 3) attend the next IRB meeting and discuss why there is no conflict. Dr. Boyce changed the PI of the study to Dr. Richard Kagan and in June of 2008 revised the Informed Consent Form to state: Dr. Steven Boyce, a sub-investigator on this study, has received payments from the company that owns the rights to the process used in this study. This disclosure is made so that you can decide if this relationship will affect your willingness to participate in this study. The below article was identified that may clarify the relationship. It is not known if the payments were made solely to Dr. Boyce. However since this was a published article found on the web with little effort, it is unclear why Dr. Boyce was so resistant to disclosing a dollar amount to the IRB.

     Monitoring of this study has not been done to date even though patients continue to be enrolled in this study under compassionate use.

     Adverse Events: Dr Boyce reported only ten UADE’s. The FDA sent a warning letter on January 12, 2007 and noted that there had been previously identified failure to report and accurately document unanticipated and anticipated adverse device events to the sponsor and the reviewing IRB which violates 21 CFR 812.140(a)(3)(ii).

     The annual report for 2006 was not sent to FDA until February 12, 2007 which was a month after the warning letter had been issued to the site. Dr. Boyce continued to disregard the FDAs warning regarding the report of unanticipated and anticipated adverse device events. The auditors’ data base recorded 1,455 adverse events during the time frame of this annual report, of which as stated above, 10 were noted by Dr. Boyce.

     Auditors never located any minutes of the research department’s monthly meetings. If indeed this was done, and the information was not given to the audit team, the case report forms and the audit adverse event section does not correlate with the information that the procedure list specified. Throughout 2006, 2007, 2008, and 2009 UADE’s continued to not be reported per the audit team review of the CRFs. In addition, the procedure form states that the PI, Sub-I, and CRC were the personnel responsible for seeing the above reference four objectives to be met. It is the Principal Investigator’s sole responsibility for the conduct of the study and by listing a minimum of three people or more as potential responsible parties it yet again emphasizes the fact that Dr. Boyce ignored the federal regulations as they pertain to the sponsor and the investigator of an IDE study.

     Neither the site nor the sponsor seems to understand the FDA’s constant notifications (Warning letter of January 12, 2007 or the Integrity Hold letter of February 2, 2007) in addition to the warning letter issued to the Sacramento site in March of 2006, regarding the failure to report and accurately document unanticipated and anticipated adverse device events. The third party audit has identified 695 adverse events and the site/sponsor reported eight (8) for the year 2007.

     The adverse events reported for 2008 were 36 UADE reports by Dr. Boyce, whereas the auditors recorded 760 events.

     The monitoring plan was labeled with the date January 2009 and was to begin with subject 129. In reviewing Subject 129, and later enrolled subjects, it does not appear that monitoring actually had been implemented. It was the understanding of the audit team that Angela Braggs Brown was hired in the summer of 2009 by the compliance office (JoAnne Lindwall). The MRF auditors did not know if she was hired to monitor subjects 129 and above or audit the first 81 subjects of the CSS trial. She was observed sitting in the same office with Peggy Simpson, RN, research nurse for CSS study for several weeks. During this time period, MRF was approached by the Compliance office of the University and asked about the use of the database for the first eighty subjects enrolled on this study. It was the Foundation’s understanding that Mrs. Braggs-Brown was to monitor initially, then auditors were under the impression that maybe Mrs. Braggs-Brown was brought in to audit. Given the fact that Mrs. Braggs-Brown was a personal friend of Peggy Simpson, it did not appear, to the MRF auditors, that either way could be a truly unbiased monitoring or auditing situation.

     Section II.4.4 Reprints of articles published by the investigator in relation to the study. The presentation Dr. Boyce delivered as an oral presentation at the Army Science Conference on December 8, 2008 appears to be in conflict with CFR 812.7 (d)- Represent that an investigational device is safe or effective for the purposes for which it is being investigated.

     Dr. Boyce made the statement based on the presentation of two burn subjects enrolled as compassionate use subjects in 2007 that ― These results demonstrate that ESS (engineered skin substitute) reduce requirements for donor skin harvesting for grafting of excised, full-thickness burns involving most of the TBSA. In section 1 Summary of Study of this same annual report it states ― The objective of the quantitative data is to determine whether treatment of full-thickness burns with cultured skin substitutes reduces the requirements for harvesting of split-thickness skin autograft. It is uncertain why a definitive statement was made when this cultured/engineered skin is still being studied and specifically why this presentation was made while the study was on an Integrity Hold. The initial statement referred to at the beginning of this paragraph is repeated in the Conclusions section of the presentation.

     Dr. Boyce also presented this report as a poster presentation at the Advanced Technology Applications for Combat Casualty Care conference on August 12, 2008 and as an oral and poster presentation at the Armed Forces Institute for Regenerative Medicine All Hands meeting on January 14, 2009. Dr. Jane Strasser of the UC Compliance Department sent a formal notification advising Dr. Boyce to suspend any presentations, publications, and/or media relations regarding the IDE project until FDA removes the Integrity Hold. During this time period, (December 29, 2008) a media publication of UC Health News announced ― CINCINNATI—University of Cincinnati (UC) researchers have received $1.3 million to further develop and commercialize engineered skin substitutes for burn injury repairs as part of the newly formed Armed Forces Institute of Regenerative Medicine (AFIRM). There is no documentation associated with these presentations to request a waiver from FDA for the presentation of this data.

     The Cincinnati Shriners Hospital provided auditors with a copy of Shriners SOPs as they pertain to research. The copies supplied to MRF had an adopted date of l/5/2006 however none were signed as approved by anyone. There were some Shriners Review of documents noted but it was not consistently reviewed by Shriners each year in regard to the informed consent process as outlined in Shriners SOPs. According to the Shriners SOPs the informed consent form was to receive approval by the Corporate Office of the Director of Research Programs and then was to be followed by the IRB approval of that informed consent form. Per Shriners SOPs Revising an Informed Consent Form standard operating procedures state that revisions are necessary when the protocol is modified, new risk to subjects are identified.

     The Cincinnati Shriners research staff did not follow their own SOPs as none of the CSS subjects were ever re-consented.

     There is no clear process in place for deviation, anticipated adverse event, UADE from the site, to the sponsor, to the IRB, to FDA. From an audit perspective an event that occurred cannot be traced from the event through the process and acknowledgments back down to the site.

     A couple of the research nurses, when interviewed, had been uncomfortable with the lack of training and information passed on to them. They acknowledged that the protocol was poorly written as were the case report forms, and stated that Dr. Boyce told them not to worry about it.

    SIGNIFICANT REMARKS FROM INTERVIEWS:

     Peggy Simpson, Research Nurse ―The objectives (of the study) have been met and there is nothing out there to save these patients and that this (CSS) is going to change people’s lives. This (CSS) should be available to everybody and that she feels very strongly about this device. It (CSS) is more pliable, requires less reconstructive surgery and the patients don’t itch as much. She knows there are big issues with the study, but this (CSS) is the best thing out there for burn patients. She wants to get it out there regardless of what it takes.

     Steve Boyce, Ph.D. – Dr. Boyce noted that the analyzed data is reported to FDA. He (Boyce) has the Biostats person to run the data but he (Boyce) provided the data to the statistician. He (Boyce) did note that he completes all of the tracing data‖ and the statistician reviewed and compiled all data and determined data constraints. Additionally, when interviewing Dr. Boyce, Dr. Green asked him a question regarding the reporting of UADEs. Dr. Boyce replied by asking ― what is a UADE‖? An explanation was provided to him. Dr. Boyce did not demonstrate knowledge of primary function of being the sponsor PI, on this study, as shown by a lack of knowledge of important research terminology.

     Richard Kagan, M.D. – Dr. Kagan indicated that ―we know it works, it is taking too long to get approved; if it was commercialized it (CSS) would revolutionize burn care; there is military interest in this study, as that this could significantly save soldiers lives; it would shorten hospital stay and decrease infection control.

     It is also of special note that during the interview with Dr. Petra Warner, Angela Braggs-Brown was found to have a recorder which was being carried in under a notebook. Dr. Jane Green identified the recorder upon standing at the conclusion of the interview with Dr. Warner and asked Mrs. Braggs-Brown if she had taped the interview. Mrs. Braggs-Brown responded that the UC Legal Department had asked her to tape the interview. Dr. Green immediately contacted Jane Strasser Ph.D., of the compliance department, and stated that Mrs. Braggs-Brown had not informed anyone connected with the Morley Foundation that she was taped and that it was completely inappropriate to tape someone without their knowledge. Dr. Strasser contacted Charles Jake (UC Legal Department) and upon conversations between Mr. Jake and Dr. Green it was agreed that the audit team should have been informed that the session was being taped and that the tape would be destroyed.

     One additional observation that the MRF believes the FDA needs to be aware of is that during the time that Angela Braggs-Brown was either monitoring or auditing she sat next to Peggy in Peggy’s office. She was also observed in Peggy’s office when not monitoring/auditing, just talking with Peggy and both Peggy and Angela were observed more than twice going into Steve Boyce’s office shortly after the conclusion of interviews with Cincinnati Shriners staff. The MRF is not drawing any conclusions from this, however from an auditor’s position this behavior gives the appearance of potential bias and/or hints at potential questionable behavior from someone who is employed as part of the compliance office of the University of Cincinnati.

     The Sponsor did not make adequate provision for data or safety monitoring during the course of this study as required per 45 CRF 46.111(a) (6). The purpose of the DSMB is to identify issues such as: unacceptably slow rates of accrual, high rates of ineligibility determined after randomization, and protocol violations that suggest clarification or changes to the protocol are needed. Additionally a DSMB ensures the credibility of a study, validity of study results, and most importantly, protects the safety of trial participants. In the case of this study, a DSMB review was only completed due to an integrity hold being placed on the study after the majority of all study data had been collected.

     Per the Integrity Hold Letter, issued to the University of Cincinnati on February 2, 2007, the FDA asked University of Cincinnati to provide a patient listing of every patient complication, and categorize the complications as ―major or minor. This was to be completed after all patient records had been audited. Per the audit plan, MRF was only responsible for auditing subjects 82-139 and University of Cincinnati would be responsible for auditing the first 81 subjects. To date, there is no evidence that the first 81 patients were ever audited. Additionally, the FDA asked that this patient complication listing be facilitated by convening a Data Safety Monitoring Board (DSMB). The board was asked to generate predetermined criteria for categorizing events as major or minor. The University of Cincinnati convened a meeting of a DSMB on March 18, 2010. A report from the meeting was provided to MRF on March 24, 2010. As customary for a DSMB, there is no evidence that a complete review of the protocol was conducted in order to identify and define potential issues/current issues with the study design and investigational plan. This would likely be important at this time point as subjects are still receiving this device, under compassionate use. Additionally, no report was provided to summarize adverse events, safety profile, side effects and tolerability. The DSMB should also review and report on the impact of any newly published findings on the safety profile of the study. It is unclear if the DSMB will continue to meet and review the data, for this study, as part of ongoing safety review.

    -End-

    All copies of material reprinted or duplicated from "by Sandy Frost" must include the following credit line: From http://sandyfrost.newsvine.com. Copyright (c) 2010 by Sandy Frost. Used by permission.

  • Editor's Note: The raw links look bad but that's how they got sent.

    Thank you,

    Sandy Frost 10/5/2010

    Today's news is that an online search of FDA tissue bank registrations does not include the skin and tissue lab at Shriners Hospital for Children (SHC) in Cincinnati. The online search lists the skin and tissue labs at SHC Boston and SHC Galveston but not the lab at SHC Cincinnati.

    Could it be that federal inspectors, regulators and auditors missed this, though their focus was on the mounting pile of problems that led the FDA to shut down a study to develop a burn treatment at SHC Cincinnati?

    Does this mean that any work done in this allegedly unregistered lab would be considered useless for research, grant application and/or investment purposes?

    Does this mean that work done at such an unregistered lab would render moot research done on compassionate use patients as well as efforts to commercialize products developed in said lab?

    Additionally, officials at the Ohio Board of Medicine have confirmed that an online search reveals that Dr. Steven Boyce is not an MD but is instead a biologist with a PhD. It has yet to be confirmed if Dr. Richard Kagan disclosed to the medical board that he got an FDA warning letter that led the agency to shut down the same study he was charged with overseeing.

    Finally, a spokesman for the OHRP has confirmed that no one reported these events to the agency as required in an April, 2003 final letter of determination stating "We have no record of events related to the described research having been reported to our office by the University of Cincinnati or Shriner’s Children’s Hospital. After consultation with the FDA, however, we are confident that the matter is being handled adequately by that agency."

    The following questions were asked about the clinical study used to develop a cultured skin substitute trademarked PermaDerm ™. This burn treatment was developed by doctors at SHC Cincinnati through a clinical research study so bad that the FDA issued three Warning Letters before finally shutting it down. The FDA warning letters were sent to Dr. David Greenhalgh, Chief of Burns at SHC Sacramento, Dr. Richard Kagan , Chief of Staff SHC Cincinnati and Dr. David Stern, Dean, University of Cincinnati School of Medicine. A month later, in February, 2007, the FDA sent Dr. Stern an Integrity Hold Letter, informing him that the study was being shut down.

    To make matters worse, the FDA denied an application for compassionate use last June that asked to include a badly burned boy in the same study though it had been shut down. The FDA denial letter stated an appeal would be considered and that:

    “FDA would welcome the opportunity to learn more about the safety of this product, if you can identify clinicians who are knowledgeable about Autologous Cultured Skin Substitute. Because considerable concern exists about the validity of the data generated under this IDE, we believe that these knowledgeable clinicians should be independent from the two investigators performing this study and their understanding of the product should be derived from experience other than this IDE study or publications by Drs. Kagan or Boyce.”

    In contrast, the past few months have seen a much publicized effort to somehow get this same product through FDA approval for a market estimated at $3 billion.

    Some of these questions ask why those trying to commercialize this product don’t appear to be disclosing these material facts to the SEC, investors or others who need to know? Shouldn’t they be told that doctors consistently failed to report hundreds of adverse events? Shouldn’t they be provided with a copy of these documents, including the audit that documents hundreds, if not thousands, of FDA violations?

    To date, all of the following questions remain unanswered.

    “Media Request” sent on Weds. July 7, 2010 to lsears@shrinenet.org, shrinepr@shrinenet.org

    Dear Shriner PR officials,

    My name is Sandy Frost. I am an online investigative journalist who has been reporting about problems found by the Office of Human Research Protection and FDA with a burn treatment study at SHC Cincinnati since

    Thank you in advance for answering the following questions.

    Sandy Frost

    Question for Shriners HQ about FDA/SHC Cincinnati situation:

    1) At what point were officials with oversight authority notified about warning letters from the Office of Human Research Protection and the FDA? Such authorities include Boards of Governors for SHC Cincinnati as well as corporate, CEO of hospitals, Chairman of the Board of the Hospitals and then Imperial Potentate?

    2) At what point were the same officials notified about and provided copies of the FDA’s Establishment Inspection Report?

    3) AT what point were the same officials notified about and provided copies of the FDA’s Integrity Hold letter that suspended the clinical study at SHC Cincinnati?

    4) What happened after both Shriner boards learned of the warning letter, the EIR and Integrity Hold letter?

    5) What is now being done about this?

    6) Do members of the boards have current conflict of interest statements? If so, do they include financial interests in any pharmaceutical or burn treatment or orthopedic companies?

    7) Per IRS disclosure rules, please provide a copy of the SHC conflict of interest statement to this same email address.

    “A Few More Questions” sent on July 31, 2010 to officials at University of Cincinnati including " Janice (adamjc)Adams" ADAMJC@UCMAIL.UC.EDU, "Richard (puffra)Puff" puffra@UCMAIL.UC.EDU, "Douglas (nienabdj)Nienaber" NIENABDJ@UCMAIL.UC.EDU regarding a grant application to the U.S. Army.

    1) Page 141 of the Morley audit states that the IRB can terminate an investigator's participation in a study. Has the U of C terminated Dr. Boyce or Dr. Kagan from the CSS/ESS studies, to include the study funded by the Army's AFFIRM program? Are there plans to suspend either doctor? If not, why not?

    2) Since the grant application to the U.S. Army's AFFIRM program is based on Dr. Boyce's research and he's named as principal investigator on the grant application, is anyone at the U of C going to revisit the application or alert the U.S. Army that Dr. Boyce's research was excluded by the FDA as unreliable?

    3) Page 145 of the Morley audit states that Dr. Strasser sent a formal notification to Dr. Boyce to suspend any presentations, publications and/or media relations regarding the IDE project until FDA removes the Integrity Hold. When was this notification sent, please? I am curious because there have been regulatory registrations and websites promoting this product with representations that Dr. Boyce's product is without issue, in violation of Dr. Strasser's notification, link here:

    http://www.mccoyllc.com/Skin.html

    This is a June 22, 2010 patent that seems to make the same representation that the product is without issue or regulatory suspension:

    http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO2&Sect2=HITOFF&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsearch-bool.html&r=8&f=G&l=50&co1=AND&d=PTXT&s1=steven&s2=boyce&OS=steven+AND+boyce&RS=steven+AND+boyce

    Since the University of Cincinnati is listed on the patent and the FDA excluded Dr. Boyce's research from compassionate use requests, wouldn't it be fair to assume that the research on which the patent/s are based have been deemed unreliable by the FDA and the patent/s should have been withdrawn or resubmitted with otherwise reliable and/or credible research? By association, isn't the U of C making the same representations?

    Is the University of Cincinnati going to alert the patent office about the regulatory problems and through this disclosure, request a resubmission once the Integrity Hold has been lifted?

    Here is a link to an 8K SEC filing for the company recently formed to bring PermaDerm to the market:

    http://www.faqs.org/sec-filings/100721/Windstar-Inc_8-K/

    http://biz.yahoo.com/e/100722/wdst.ob8-k.html

    This filing also names the U of C in terms of having licensing rights.

    Are you aware that this 8K filing states that "the HUD designation has already been received and, upon completion of the Lonza Transaction, will be transferred to us (Regenicin) as part of a licensing agreement with the University of Cincinnati, which will allow immediate manufacture and sale of PermaDerm for treatment of catastrophic burns"?

    How, on one hand, can the president of the U of C stand by a compassionate use exception and guarantee oversight after the FDA excluded Dr. Boyce's research and then seem to participate in an effort to bring the same product to market as well as benefit from the sales of this product by participating in an 8K filing with the SEC, when Regenicin is relying on Dr. Boyce's excluded research?

    Dr. Boyce's company, Cutanogen, is referenced with a $2 million dollar payment in the 8K SEC filing. Did Dr. Boyce disclose this on an updated COI that he, through a transaction with his company Cutanogen, is expecting $2 million? This SEC filing fails to disclose warning letters from the OHRP and the FDA, the clinical research study's suspension by the FDA and results of the third party audit. The filing represents PermaDerm as having no regulatory problems and that FDA approval is expected. Since product representations would come from Dr. Boyce/Cutanogen, would this violate Dr. Strasser's notification that Dr. Boyce not make public representations and/or representations to others (McCoy/Regenicin, SEC via 8K filing, U.S. Patent office which would qualify as public) until the FDA Integrity Hold is removed?

    Was the U of C consulted in any way during the patenting process or the 8K filing process to reduce any potential liability due to statements and/or omissions by Dr. Boyce in the patent process and/or Randall McCoy through his Regenicin 8K filing?

    And again, is the U of C going to communicate any of these issues with the U.S. Army since Dr. Boyce's research was excluded by the FDA?

    Thank you,

    Sandy Frost

    Note: It has been since learned that those patients used as the only examples in the grant application, #130 and #131, were also included in the audit's FDA violations. These include not being reconsented, inconsistent case report forms, inability to show that #130 did not have sepsis upon admission, inconsistent comparative graft sites, too few dressing changes, grafts placed in dry dressing instead of CSS irrigation, multiple reports of deviations of the CSS being placed on contaminated wound beds, no unanticipated device event reported for Leukopenia in #130 and lack of records for reporting event adverse events for #130 and 131 including graft loss.

    “Questions about Regenicin 8K filing?” sent on Tuesday August 3, 2010 to Randall McCoy at rmccoy18@optonline.net.

    Dear Mr. McCoy,

    My name is Sandy Frost and I am an online investigative reporter. You can find my work at http://sandyfrost.newsvine.com.

    I've been doing research into the introduction of PermaDerm to the market place and have a few questions for you please?

    Prior to filing the 8K with the SEC for Regenicin, INC., were you aware that the study on which Cutanogen’s research is based was suspended by the FDA?

    Were you aware that the FDA recently excluded Dr. Boyce’s research from any compassionate use applications because of the hundreds of FDA violations found in their inspection and a recent year long audit found that Boyce’s research was unreliable?

    You cited results expected from an Army study to show the product’s viability. Are you aware that the grant application to the U.S. Army is based on the same suspended study and excluded research?

    In other words, did you file the 8K with the SEC without knowing that the product you expect to market and anticipate FDA approval of had the study suspended and research excluded by the FDA?

    Thank you,

    Sandy Frost

    “Questions regarding SHC Cincinnati.” sent on Tuesday, August 3, 2010 to Shriners HQ, CEO, board members and staff including rsemb@shrinenet.org, shrinepr@shrinenet.org, gbracewell@shrinenet.org, dmaxwell@shrinenet.org, mlagina-kleine@shrinenet.org, ResearchHighlights@shrinenet.org, bbede@shrinenet.org, cclaypool@shrinenet.org, gdunwoody@shrinenet.org, rfrevel@shrinenet.org, bsimmons@shrinenet.org, gmitchell@shrinenet.org, amadsen@shrinenet.org, blemieux@shrinenet.org, lspieler@shrinenet.org, vnicely@shrinenet.org, mandrews@shrinenet.org, sandyleefrost@yahoo.com

    All,

    As you may or may not know, I have been investigating your organization the past four years. I have submitted countless questions, most of which remain unanswered; including requests for tax related documents as well as questions about your secret sub-group, the Royal Order of Jesters.

    Here are some questions about an effort to commercialize a burn treatment named PermaDerm. It was developed at SHC Cincinnati by Drs. Steven Boyce and Richard Kagan. As you may or may not know, the FDA suspended the product’s study shortly after issuing a warning letter in January, 2007. The FDA’s inspection, inspection reports and subsequent warning letter were preceded by letters of noncompliance from the Office of Human Research Protection that required an audit of patient records for proper informed consent.

    The FDA’s inspection found that this had not been done.

    The FDA’s inspection found hundreds of clinical research violations that led to the study’s suspension as well a call for a third party audit. The FDA’s violations were organized into six categories. The third party audit’s violations were organized into nearly 50 categories.

    The results of the yearlong audit detail how patients were not only endangered but how the study’s principal investigator refused to heed warnings from the OHRP, the FDA and the University of Cincinnati, even after the study had been suspended and while the third party audit was being conducted.

    Shriners Hospital for Children is named as a beneficiary in an 8K SEC filing submitted by Randall McCoy in an effort to launch a company named Regenicin and raise about $16 million to bring the burn treatment, PermaDerm, to market.

    Are you aware that this happened?

    The SEC filing also names Dr. Boyce’s company, Cutanogen. Were you aware that the study on which Cutanogen’s research is based was suspended by the FDA? Were you aware that the third party audit led to the FDA’s denial of this same product for compassionate use?

    Were you aware that the FDA recently excluded Dr. Boyce’s research from any future compassionate use applications and/or appeals because of the hundreds of FDA violations found in their inspection as well as the audit’s findings? Were you aware that the recent year long audit found that Boyce’s research, and by extrapolation SHC’s research, was unreliable?

    The 8K SEC filing cited results expected from an Army study to show the product’s viability. Are you aware that the grant application to the U.S. Army was based on the same suspended study and excluded research?

    Have any SHC board or other Conflict of Interest statements disclosed investments with Regenicin, Inc or any other commercial ventures associated with PermaDerm?

    What oversight did Dr. Bernard Lemieux or Dr. Brandt Bede or anyone else at SHC headquarters exercise as heads of Shriner’s research or those in positions of authority? Did anyone there counsel Drs. Boyce and Kagan to comply with the warning letters or did you even know about them?

    If anyone there at SHC HQ knew about the warning letters, why was the study funded year after year though there were problems?

    Sent Monday September 13, 2010 to Jay Strell at strell@sunshinesachs.com after he announced interviews before and after a Regenicin media event.

    Dear Jay,

    My name is Sandy Frost and I am an online investigative journalist who has been investigating the Shriners for the past four plus years.

    My site is at http://sandyfrost.newsvine.com, including five articles about the development of PermaDerm ™ that you might find interesting.

    I have a question for the Regenicin media event but feel free to get an answer from your clients ASAP.

    Did product developers or anyone at Regenicin disclose to their investors, the SEC, the Patent Office, Lonza, the Office of Human Research Protection (OHRP) and/or the board members:

    • Letters of noncompliance from the OHRP and FDA sent to those in charge of developing PermaDerm ™
    • The hundreds of adverse effects associated with the clinical study to develop PermaDerm ™
    • That the FDA shut down the PermaDerm ™ clinical research study due to thousands of clinical research violations
    • That the FDA recently excluded the research and publications of the doctors who developed PermaDerm ™ from compassionate use consideration

    Thank you,

    Sandy Frost

    All copies of material reprinted or duplicated from "by Sandy Frost" must include the following credit line: From http://sandyfrost.newsvine.com/ Copyright © 2010 by Sandy Frost. Used by permission.

  • Story Photo

    Updated June 21, 2011 with new articles in Door #3, Door #4 and Door #5.

    UPdated March 1, 2011: Door #2 reposted.

    UPdated on January 2, 2011: Wikileaks document described in Internal Shriner Report Confirms Corruption? can be found here.

    Door #2 has been temporarily taken offline.

    Updated on November 18, 2010

    Door #1 with "Shriner Retaliation w/a Jester Twist"

    Updated Door #5 Jesters and Child Sex Tourism in Brazil on 10/8/2010.

    Thank you,

    Sandy

    UPdated on 9/28/2010 with a map of ROJ courts nationwide. An intereactive version can be found here. Clicking on the marker will provide the name and contact info for each court mapped. It's only half way done but is useful to show regional concentrations.

    Thank you,

    Sandy

    Imagine five doors, like those in "Let's Make a Deal," but in these cases, there are no fabulous prizes.

    No one wins.

    We hear sirens and see flashing lights as the doors open.

    There are no models.

    There are instead regulators and law enforcers who, in dark sunglasses, black suits and crisp uniforms, point at piles and piles of evidence.

    The following articles are organized into five categories that detail and document why a handful of presumably innocent Shriner leaders and those they do business with should be investigated under the RICO statutes.

    It would be almost excusable if these were stand alone incidents and, once discovered, were dilligently cleaned up. Instead these crimes and otherwise corrupt irregularities have occurred in a climate of corruption, fueled by fear and retaliation and led by leaders who either participate, promote or protect, above all else.

    Most Shriners are kept in the dark about all of this as they dedicate their retirement years to supporting their network of 22 hospitals that now takes insurance to provide medical care for burned and crippled children. Most Shriners have been brainwashed into blind obedience or are punished, retaliated against and/or sued if they question those leaders who have hidden behind these poor kids to operate a nationwide network of prostitution and profit from their positions of public trust, all at taxpayer expense.

    Behind door #1 is Shriners' corruption.

    Behind door #2 is how the Shriners used burned children like guinea pigs in a clinical research study so bad it was shut down by the FDA.

    Behind door #3 is the Shriners’ secret sex group, the Royal Order of Jesters.

    Behind door #4 are details about how three Jesters were busted in a FBI human trafficking sting for taking illegal alien prostitutes from state to state for their weekend parties. Those caught include a former New York State Supreme Court judge, his law clerk, a retired police captain and a retired sheriff.

    Behind door #5 are details about how 19 Jesters went to Brazil, asking to be called “Masons” and for girls over 13. The guy who took them has been indicted by the Brazilian Federal Police for rape, prostitution and corruption of minors

    Categories follow.

     

    Door #1 Shriners Corruption:

     

    Shriner Retaliation w/a Jester Twist

    The Shriners & "Management by Mirth"

    Findings 2008: Shriners' Corruption, Jesters' Prostitution

    East West Shrine Game Loses Nearly $2 Million Over Four Years, Operating Illegally?

    Shriners Retaliate, McGonigal Fired?

    Editorial: Shriners Hustle Justin Timberlake, the PGA Tour and NASCAR's David Ragan?

    Internal Shriner Report Confirms Corruption?

    Mortgage Madness?

    Treasurers Meeting Minutes Vanish, Gambling Proceeds Unaccounted For?

    The Minimum of Disclosure to the IRS

    Above the law? Shriner Treasurers' Minutes

    Conflicts of Interest?

    Did Shriners Retaliate Against Whistleblower?

    Shriners In Hot Water Again?

     

    Door #2 OHRP/FDA Investigations into suspended clinical research study at SHC Cincinnati:

     

    PermaDerm (tm) Timeline, Shriner Skin Study Audit Findings

    FDA/SHC News & Unanswered Questions

    SHC Study Suspended, FDA Excludes Doctors' Research

    FDA Report Details Hundreds of Violations in Shriners' Burn Treatment Study as Product Heads To Market

    FDA Warning Letter Sent to SHC Cincinnati Still Unresolved

    Bad Medicine?

    Shriners Hospital Violated FDA Regs

     

    Door #3 Royal Order of Jesters:

     

    Added 6/21/2011 Jesters NamedCommentorial: Royal Order of Jesters, Namaste Magazine Cover Story: "Masons Facilitate Prostitution at U.S. Taxpayer Expense" by Sandy Frost

    Updated: Copyright Infringement Challenge Settled, Jesters Hide Prostitutes' Expenses, Blackmail Themselves into Secrecy

    Jesters in High Places

    Shriners Swarm Vegas, Jester Girl Code of Conduct Revealed

    Nevada Assembly Formally Welcomed Shriners & Jesters

    Tax Returns Reveal Jesters Controlled by "Secret Order of Brothers in Blood," Jester Officer Links National Court to Fishing Tour Operator Indicted in Brazil Child Sex Case

    Jester Confesses to Wife He Organized Prostitutes

    Royal Order of Jester (ROJ) Resource & Poll

    Ex-Jesters confirm "Sam Houston" E-mail

    Jesters Exposed

     

    Door #4 Jesters busted in FBI human trafficking sting:

     

    Added June 21, 2011 Fourth Jester Convicted, Former Judge Tills Out of Prison in Three Weeks, Fourth Jester Sentenced

    Feds Define Jesters

    Retired Deputy Charged in Jester Sex Trafficking Investigation

    Editorial: Filings Fly Prior to Tills Sentencing for Jester Prostitution

    Shriner/Jester Court Updates, Brazilian Indictment & My Statement to the Buffalo News

    Tills' Sentencing Rescheduled in Jester Prostitution Case

    Jester Prostitution Updates, Stebick Sentenced

    Judge Tills Pleads Guilty, Admits Coordinating Prostitutes with Jester National Representatives

    Felony Conspiracy Plea Confirms Investigation into Masonic Sub-group, Royal Order of Jesters

    Trowbridge Sentencing Delayed as Jester Prostitution Investigation Links to Sex Trafficking

    Judge Central Figure in FBI Probe, the S.O.B.I.B. and the Jesters' Half Million Dollar Weekend Parties

    Feds 1, Jesters 0: Court Papers Revealed

    Judge Resigns, Police Captain to Plead Guilty as FBI Investigates Royal Order of Jesters for Prostitution

     

    Door #5 Jesters and Child Sex Tourism in Brazil

    Updated June 21, 2011  Brazil Child Sex Tourism Resource with Timeline, Brazil Prosecutes Schair & Co. for Running House of Prostitution, Brazilian Girls Sue Richard Schair for Sex Trafficking

    "Brazilian News Investigates Child Sex Tourism & Case of Richard Schair, Includes Pictures of Girls with Jesters."

    ABC News Confirms FBI Investigating Jesters for Child Sex Tourism

    Newsitorial: Schair's Failed Application for Habeas Corpus Confirms Indictment, Implicates Jesters

    Richard W. Schair v Newsvine Dismissed as Brazilian Judge Accepts Rape & Underage Prostitution Case Against Him

    Editorial: Schair v Newsvine Illustrates Importance of Reporter Shield and Child Protection Bills Before Congress

    Brazilian Judge Rejects Jester Fishing Tour Operator's Request for Habeas Corpus
    Child Sex Tourism: Brazilian Teens Testify About Being Lured into Minor Prostitution for American Tourists

    Brazilian Fishing Trip Depositions: "Masons" Pictured Having Sex with Teen Prostitutes?

    "Jesters" To Testify about Illegal Drugs, Child Prostitution?

    All copies of material reprinted or duplicated from “by Sandy Frost” must include the following credit line: From http://sandyfrost.newsvine.com/ Copyright © 2010 by Sandy Frost. Used by permission.

  • Story Photo

    Editor’s Note: This is the third of three stories that link the Royal Order of Jesters to prostitution. The first one, published here, reported how 19 members of the Royal Order of Jesters were called as defense witnesses in a federal lawsuit to testify about their first hand knowledge of illegal drugs and sex with underage prostitutes while on a fishing trip in Brazil. The second one was published three days later by the Buffalo News after three members of the Royal Order of Jesters were caught in a FBI prostitution sting. The Buffalo News also reported that a former New York Supreme Court judge, his law clerk and a retired police captain, all Jesters, were found by the FBI to have driven prostitutes, who were also illegal aliens, across state lines to Jester parties. The Jester wife will be referred to as JW. The Jester husband will be referred to as John. the prostitutes will be referred to as Jane and Red.

    Imagine that you are a wife whose husband joined a social club and was happy with all the networking and activities it offered like golf, poker and recreational weekends. But, after a while, he begins acting way different as he starts travelling more and more. It’s as if you’re just left home while he lives it up because prior to him joining this club, you did everything together. Then, when he’s at one of his club’s weekends, you get a call from a girl on your home phone who is asking about who is going to drive her from the airport to the hotel.

    Then the confrontation.

    Then the discovery that yes, indeed, your husband is the guy who lines up the girls for the parties.

    You know.

    Gets the prostitutes to the hotels where the club members are staying.

    The club is the Royal Order of Jesters.

    Here is an interview with this wife.

    Sandy: You are married to a member of the Royal of Jesters?

    JW: Yes.

    Sandy: How long?

    JW: Married 35 years.

    Sandy: Was there a pattern of behavior changes as your husband got more and more involved with the Jesters?

    JW: When he first got involved with the Jesters, I thought it was the best thing for him. He met many, many men who became close friends. They have a saying, “There are no strangers in the Realm, just friends you haven't met.” He also started to collect Jester and Billiken memorabilia, some dating back to the early 1900's. He now has a very extensive collection of which he is very proud.

    He didn't “travel” much at first. That is going to 3-4 day weekend “Books” in other cities.

    Note: The Royal Order of Jesters’ parties are called “Books” that involve the members performing the “Book of the Play.” It can be read here. Apparently, the “Book of the Play” revolves around the murder of William Shakespeare. This, according to the Jesters’ former website, is how they obtained IRS status as a “charity.”

    “The Royal Order of Jester's museum is 5,000 square feet. Founded in July 2003, the museum's purpose is to do research and education relating to the history of the Royal Order of Jesters and Jesterdom focusing on humor, laughter, and mirth, with particular emphasis on the works of William Shakespeare.”

    Now, back to the interview.

    JW: He maybe attended two a year for the first two years, but by his seventh year, he had 14 trips planned. Finally, I said “enough, where do I fit in anymore?” In all of our married years, John never stopped at a bar after work with the guys. He took, maybe, one golf trip a year without me. We were a team and did everything together.

    Everything he did now or anywhere we went was associated with the Jesters.

    He was completely obsessed, though he couldn't see it. I noticed how he bragged about being a member. Jesters are not supposed to advertise themselves as being Jesters, as it is kind of a secret organization. But John would wear purple, carry purple emblemmed golf bags, license plates, and boast about it being a strictly stag, luxury organization for no purpose other than to spread mirth. The more I heard that, the more disgusted I became. I also noticed that he was not taking cell phone calls in front of me, or he would go outside to talk. He used to let me answer his phone.

    Wives are allowed at only two events a year. One is the Christmas Party run by each local court and the other is the National Meeting. That is where I got to meet some of the friends. I would even meet the local Jesters after a golf day and sit at the bar with them. A lot of them knew me very well. I could tell that John was rising in the local ranks.

    Sandy: Did you discover this information after lingering suspicions or after one specific incident?

    JW: I had no lingering suspicions. I had heard about the girls by accident, about the second year that John was in. He certainly played it down, and told me he had nothing to do with them, they were kept separate, no contact at all. I believed him. I didn't ask any more questions. The Jesters oath is “What you hear here, what you see here, stays here when you leave here.” Every new member must take that oath. He was a bit open with me about some of the things that went on, I guess telling me just enough not to arouse any suspicions. So I definitely discovered our problem after a specific incident.

    Sandy: Would you please describe that incident? In other words, what prompted you to search for information?

    JW: It happened at the same time I realized how many trips he was taking. As a matter of fact he was at his court’s book, when I received a phone message:

    “Hi John, this is Jane from St. Louis. I'm at the airport and wonder if you're sending a Jester to pick me up or if I should get the shuttle.”

    I called him on his cell phone and told him he should train his Jester girls better so they don't call the wife. He of course didn't know what to say. This was on a Thursday. I thought he would come home right away, as the hotel was just 1/2 hour away. He didn't come home until Saturday night, although he did call me later to try to explain.

    Sandy: Did you confront your husband?

    JW: Yes

    Sandy: What happened after you confronted him?

    JW: When I confronted him, he explained to me how it works. The Jesters have a “pool” of girls. Certain men have their favorites and make requests to have them at the books. It is up to each court's Director to assign the job of inviting the girls, a number based of the number of attendees. In this case, eight girls were invited for between 180-200 men. He says that only about 20% of the men use the girls, but a friend said it's more like 70%. I really don't know. They get $100 an hour. In my calculations, to make it worthwhile, it would have to be more than 20%!

    He was asked to do the job because he travelled so much and knew who the girls were and who the favorites were. I believe with all of my heart that he never had sexual relations with any of them. He emailed them, called them or asked them in person to come to this book. He also confessed that he had helped with the scheduling the previous year. They also have a doctor who checks the girls “papers.” John’s Jester court does not pay for plane or rooms. Some courts do pay for rooms. I didn't know all of this went into it. I just thought the guys who used the girls called them and they came on their own.

    Sandy: Did he or anyone else threaten you?

    JW: I have never been threatened and don't expect to be.

    Sandy: Did you report this to law enforcement?

    JW: I saw no need to report this, as it was, as I considered, a personal problem. Off duty cops act as guards for the secure floors, so they already know about it. I did however lose all respect for any of the Jesters I have met in the past.

    Sandy: What was the most startling thing you found? What was the most startling thing you realized?

    JW: What I found and realized is that the Jesters have something that I can't put my finger on. I'm almost thinking in our case that it was because it is a “luxury” organization. It's like at Halloween when you dress up and are something you would never be any other day. That is the closest I can analyze how he felt with the Jesters. They drink only top shelf, money is no object, stay at the best places, dress in tuxedos and get away with whatever.

    My husband was a fun loving good husband before this. He didn't need the Jesters to create “mirth” in his life, yet it happened when he was 60 years old. It was like something was always missing from his life. I am not looking to myself, as I gave and did everything to him possible.

    Sandy: What impact has this had on you personally?

    JW: I did have three appointments with a psychologist. After blood tests, doctor's appointments, and some sleeping medication, he released me and said I am a strong woman. He wanted to prescribe anti depressants, but I refused. After these appointments, the doctor said that he thought that I could make the right decisions. I was so close to divorcing. If we had any money, I would have walked out. I am glad now that it did not get to that.

    Sandy: What would you like to tell other Jester wives?

    JW: I don't want to talk to other Jester wives. I talked to one, and she was as appalled as I was and also confronted her husband who has been a Jester for 25 years, telling her there are no women at any events. I want to put all of this behind me and move on from here. John and I are doing just that.

    Sandy: From what you found, please describe what goes on at these Jester functions?

    JW: Other than girls, there is a lot of high stakes poker, low stakes gin, and 24 hour hospitality rooms. The initiation involves “stunts” which I know include nudity, but I don't know much about it. John says they don't involve the girls...anymore!!! They also provide sightseeing, golf, etc. There is a lot of good stuff going on. They end with a black tie Royal Feast on Saturday night.

    Sandy: From what you found, is this widespread? In other words, are there others who facilitate prostitution for other Jester functions?

    JW: Every court lines up the girls to come to their books once a year. I never knew about any other functions that include them. There is not any other function that John’s court has. They have a monthly business meeting and a yearly book. That is it.

    Sandy: Did your husband tell the Jesters that you had found this proof? Was your husband punished or isolated or ostracized from the group?

    JW: Here is the crowning blow. John promised me that he would turn his “files” on the girls over to someone else. I found the girls’ business cards. After four months, I found that he still had it. I was furious. I went on the blog for Red and it stated that she was 16 years old. I about threw up. I emailed her and pretended to be someone else. Naive as I am, I didn't realize that my name automatically goes at the bottom. Later that same day, one of John’s Jester friends in D.C. called and said what is your wife doing emailing Red? Now he confronted me. Red not only sent the email to this one person, but to the Jester’s Royal Line.

    This is what precipitated the edict now that no girls may be at any of the books. The guys were sweating it out not, that not only the wives would find out, but also the authorities. This also is what caused John to lose all of his prestige with the group...he did not uphold the oath…he let his wife find out things she wasn't supposed to know. He lost three very prestigious positions and is not allowed to ever get them back.

    Sandy: What would you like to see happen? Why?

    JW: I am not sure what I want to happen. I think these men need to know that they are not special, even though they think they are. This group is not alone in doing things like this.

    Sandy: Why do you want to go public with this information? In other words, why should the public know about what you found?

    JW: I just thought before anymore relationships are ruined, it needs to stop. I did my part in stopping the girls coming to books...don't know how long that will last. I also did my part in getting my husband out of the grips of the organization. He harbors no ill feelings for anything I did and never felt embarrassed in front of the fellow Jesters because of it. We have worked together to get our relationship mended.

    Sandy: Do you know how the money worked?

    JW: I know nothing about the finances or handling of the money. I have told you now everything I know.

    The Royal Order of Jesters is a secret sub group made up of invited Shriner leaders. There are about 24,000 Jesters who are organized into about 200 “courts” that are, in turn, organized in relation to Shrine temples. This sameness is spelled out in their bylaws, that can be read here. The Jesters applied to the IRS and were granted two non profit classifications, one fraternal and the other charitable. The charity was formed so the National Jester Court could build a new million dollar museum/headquarters, from which to oversee the fraternity.

    The Shriners are classified the same, as the Shriners fraternal raises money for the charity, that is their network of 22 hospitals that provide free medical care to burned and crippled children. The current leaders of the Shriners fraternity and charity are also Jesters.

    To be a Shriner, one must first be a Master Mason.

    As of 6/9/2008, the Royal Order of Jesters website is no longer available online.

    All copies of material reprinted or duplicated from “by Sandy Frost” must include the following credit line: From http://sandyfrost.newsvine.com/ Copyright © 2008 by Sandy Frost. Used by permission.

  • Story Photo

    Most of my articles are down so I can finish my second book, “The Vampires of Charity, Nonprofit Blood Suckers Gone Wild,” subtitled "Exercises in Online Investigative Journalism."

    I thought it was bad enough to hide behind little burned and crippled kids and:

    • Get caught transporting illegal alien prostitutes in a FBI human trafficking sting.
    • Act all Machiavellian in an attempt to rehire a fundraiser who kept $43 million out of $47 million raised for the kids.
    • Go fishing in Brazil for girls over 13.

    The focus here, for the past four years, has been on the Shriners and Jesters as “nonprofit groups.” There are certain levels of nonprofit transparency, accountability and disclosure that pre-empt oversight by law enforcement.

    I know that the nonprofit part is really, really boring. It’s nearly impossible to lively-up tax returns unless I’m reporting how the Jesters reportedly spent nearly $600,000 on one of their weekend parties.

    Journalistically, I write for the 138 million U.S. taxpayers who’ve been “hoodwinked” into subsidizing these crimes.

    See, we make up for the taxes these nonprofit groups don’t pay. Property tax. Income tax. These “tax exempt” groups can take in charitable donations as well as take advantage of things like discount postal rates and public service announcements. They are supposed to provide a service or benefit to society and, in exchange, don’t pay taxes.

    There are two types of nonprofit groups here; charitable and fraternal. The Shriners charity is their network of 22 hospitals that now take insurance for otherwise “free” medical care for burned and crippled children. The Shriners fraternal are the red fezzed guys who drive wild in parades as they “have fun while helping the kids.” There are about 350,000 Shriners who support the hospitals.

    The Jesters tried to convince the Marion County assessor their new headquarters was a “charitable” museum. When he denied the tax exemption, the Jesters’ executive director convinced the tax appeals board that they were an appendant group of Masonry, so they got the property tax exemption. Curiously, this doesn’t match what’s on the Jesters’ 501c3 tax returns that still state that their charitable purpose is a “museum.”

    Stay with me here.

    The “fraternal” nonprofit classification provides for groups that govern and organize the members into headquarters, temples and clubs for the Shriners and “courts” for the Jesters. There are 191 Shriner temples and about 122 Jester courts, each tied to a nearby temple.

    The Jesters tell the IRS that their exempt purpose is to spread mirth and merriment.

    Must be secret code for “partying with prostitutes.”

    Memberships go like this.

    One must first be a third degree Master Mason before joining groups like the Scottish Rite, the Knights Templar and the Shriners. One must be a secretly invited Shriner before being initiated into the Royal Order of Jesters, currently under federal investigation for Mann Act violations.

    Initiation is supposed to be some sort of sex act performed in front of your brothers.

    Sounds like rich old guys getting all pimped out for their grade school circle jerks.

    Eww.

    All at tax payer expense.

    I’m also publishing this because a Jester wife wrote that she wanted a place to post what she and other Jester wives know. Here’s what I wrote back to her:

    “I can't imagine the shame, humiliation or pain of finding out.

    Or the unimaginable fear that the FBI might be after your husband. Your retirement dollars gone in fines, attorney fees and who knows what else.

    I mean, here you are, any Jester wife, probably into a great retirement life style then worst case scenario. Everything upside down. I can't imagine the emotional meltdown or backlash at someone so selfish. I don't understand the mindset and if you can provide any background, I'd appreciate it.”

    If anyone has any substantiated allegations about the Shriners and/or Jesters, please email me at sandyleefrost@yahoo.com. Documentation is required.

    So, the comment section is open. Please make sure you comply with Newsvine’s Code of Honor.

    Back to work and thanks for being here,

    Sandy

    All copies of material reprinted or duplicated from "by Sandy Frost" must include the following credit line: From http://sandyfrost.newsvine.com. Copyright (c) 2010 by Sandy Frost. Used by permission.

  • The jury specifically found that, over the course of the five-year grant, Dr. van Gorp and Cornell knowingly submitted three progress reports containing false or fraudulent statements to NIH in order to continue the funding of the grant.

  • Editor's Note: The burn treatment described below is the same as "PermaDerm" (tm), a cultured skin substitute developed at Shriners Hospital in Cincinnati. PermaDerm (tm) is currently being brought to market by a new company named Regenicin. It is not clear if the product's developer or those at Regenicin have disclosed the below information, especially about the adverse effects, including death, and that the study was shut down by the FDA due to thousands of clinical research violations, to their investors, the SEC, the Patent Office, the Office of Human Research Protection (OHRP) and/or the high profile, influential board members who have come aboard to help get FDA approval for this burn treatment as it heads towards a market worth $3 billion.

    Sandy Frost, Starbucks, WA September 13, 2010

    A twenty-year clinical study to develop a burn treatment conducted by doctors at the Shriners Burn Hospital (SHC) in Cincinnati and overseen by the University Of Cincinnati (U of C) School Of Medicine Institutional Review Board was such a mess that:

    • The Office of Human Research Protection (OHRP) issued warnings in August, 2000
    • FDA conducted a "for cause, high priority inspection" from March 7 – June 21, 2006
    • FDA's June 23, 2006 Establishment Inspection Report listed hundreds of violations
    • FDA sent warning letters to both SHC and U of C in January, 2007
    • FDA issued Integrity Hold letter on February 2, 2007 that suspended the study
    • Two independent audits found hundreds more violations, even after suspension
    • FDA recently denied a compassionate use exemption for a badly burned boy

    Two weeks ago, on June 15, the FDA denied a compassionate use request from the U of C to use an experimental cultured skin substitute (CSS) on eight year old Alfred Real, who’d been admitted to the Shriners Burn Hospital after playing with gasoline and suffering burns over 80% of his body.

    News outlets mistakenly blamed the FDA for initially denying the burn treatment without correctly reporting that it was doctors and officials at both SHC and U of C who gave the agency cause to suspend the study. The FDA suspended the SHC study in February, 2007 for “lack of data integrity, system wide failures in the methods for conducting and managing clinical trials and patient safety violations.”

    The FDA’s letter stated “We regret to inform you that your request (for compassionate use) is not approved and you may not treat this patient with the above cited investigational device.” It explained that the U of C’s compassionate use request failed to prove how using the burn treatment was less dangerous than the burn patient’s condition and failed to convince agency officials why the experimental cultured skin substitute should be used when FDA approved alternative treatments were already being used by doctors in burn units.

    The letter continued:

    “Given the availability of the above-mentioned alternatives and the lack of sufficient credible information about the investigational device FDA cannot assume that the probable risk of using the investigational device is not greater than the probable risk from the disease condition. FDA would welcome the opportunity to learn more about the safety of this product if you can identify clinicians who are knowledgeable about the Autologous Cultured Skin Substitute because considerable concern exists about the validity of the data generated under this IDE, we believe that these knowledgeable clinicians should be independent from the two investigators performing this study and their understanding of the product should be derived from experience other than this IDE study or publications by Drs. Kagan and Boyce.”

    In other words, the FDA would and did consider a second compassionate use request as long as it excluded research from or publications produced by the doctors in charge of the suspended study. The FDA did grant a compassionate use application to the U of C on June 28 after the school accepted total responsibility for the procedures and the patient’s safety.

    The FDA’s denial letter spelled out three areas of concern, even after U of C and SHC doctors, officials and staff have had over three years to resolve these failures, including:

    Problems with data integrity

    • Failures to maintain accurate, complete, and current records regarding each subject’s case history and exposure to the device, including all relevant observations.

    • Failures to report unanticipated adverse device effects to the sponsor and reviewing IRB.

    • Failures to maintain accurate, complete, and current records regarding the receipt, use, and disposition of a study device and failure to maintain each subject’s case history and exposure to the device, including all relevant observations.

    • Failures of the investigator to maintain records of protocol deviations.

    • Failures to obtain approval of significant changes to the protocol from the sponsor and reviewing IRB.

    System wide failures in the methods of conducting and managing clinical trials

    • Failure to ensure investigator compliance with the signed investigator agreement; investigational plan, and applicable federal regulations, (e.g., diagnostic procedures/assessments were not performed and unanticipated adverse device effects were not documented and reported).

    • A lack monitoring procedures and the absence of monitoring clinical studies.

    • Deficient records of device accountability.

    • Failure to submit IDE progress reports at regular intervals and at least yearly to FDA and reviewing IRBs.

    These Patient safety issues were called out in a third party audit submitted to the FDA on March 25, 2010

    • Auditors determined that only 5 of 24 subjects which should have received additional informed consent information, were properly re-consented, (page 10).

    • Auditors found that the sites did not understand the reporting of adverse events (page 44).

    • Based on the definition of unanticipated adverse device effects and serious adverse effects developed by your Data Safety Monitoring Board (DSMB), 1782 out of a total of 7331 adverse events were reported. An additional 5547 AEs were extracted by the auditors based on the DSMB-generated list of adverse event reports (page 77).

    • In the 2007 annual report (i.e., after issuance of the Warning and Integrity Hold letters), only 8 adverse events (AEs) were reported. During the independent audit a total of 695 reportable AEs were identified. In the 2008 annual report 36 unanticipated adverse device events were reported. In contrast, the auditors identified 760 such events (page 144).

    • The case report forms (CRFs) for 33 of 44 subjects audited from 2003 – 2009 were not properly completed. Individual pages were incomplete and follow- up visits were not documented, even when subjects were being seen in the outpatient clinic (page 16).

    • Less than half of the subjects had results from the pre-treatment serum antibody tests (page 40) and 119 of 159 antibody tests required by the protocol at POD 28 were not performed (page 60). This led auditors to conclude that “the results of the serum antibody studies were virtually impossible to identify. The records were maintained in an extremely poor manner and not sufficient for auditor review” (page 40).

    • While documentation states that the principal investigators (PIs) did not check the “Post Operative Date Completion for all Sets” CRFs until the subject completed the initial year, some of these “checks” were signed up to two or three years after the closure of the subject’s initial year on study (page 44).

    • Regarding microbial cultures, the auditors noted a decline in data collection the longer the time period after treatment. For example, the number of completed samples was 120/159 (pre-operation), 119/159 (POD 0), 111/159 (POD7) and 77/159 (POD 14) (page 52).

    • The audit report states (page 177) that a uniform protocol was not used at all of the study sites. Dr. Boyce stated that the same protocol was not used at each of the Burn centers and protocols had variations that were site specific. This suggests that the study was performed with protocols that were not reviewed or approved by FDA.

    • There was no evidence that appropriate data safety monitoring was put into place as part of the research plan, thereby ensuring that appropriate risk assessments were being made as part of the screening process (page 22).

    • Regarding device quality assurance testing, the auditors determined that:

    1. Only 67/155 (43%) histological exams were completed and could be verified by source documents.

    2. There was not sufficient documentation with respect to the storage, shipment, handling or disposition of the device used in the study.

    3. While sterility tests were to be performed both five days before and on the day of surgery, only 10/159 (6%) tests were completed five days before surgery. The majority of the sterility tests were performed 7-10 days before surgery. 43 of 159 tests (27%) were not done on the day of surgery. Five additional samples had incomplete data or could not be verified. (page 121 - 122).

    The letter concluded “FDA believes it is appropriate to stop further enrollment of compassionate use subjects” until the U of C submitted a Corrective Action Plan that addressed unresolved concerns, three years after the fact.

    The following illustrates events that gave the FDA cause to suspend the study as well as exclude the doctors in charge from compassionate use consideration.

    In 1998, Dr. Steven Boyce began developing a burn treatment otherwise known as a cultured skin substitute while working at both U of C and SHC. The study was conducted at the Shriners Burn Hospital under the oversight of the University of Cincinnati’s School of Medicine’s Institutional Review Board or IRB. According to a Shriner fact sheet:

    "The Cincinnati Shriners Cultured Skin Substitute was developed through nearly two decades of research by Dr. Steven Boyce. The process begins when a business card size piece of skin is taken from the burned child and is cultured to grow in about three weeks to the size of 100 business cards. The cultured skin substitute is then taken to surgery for application to the burn site.”

    Problems with the study were first noticed by the Office of Human Research Protection or OHRP between 4/15/98 – 7/17/00 when the agency found that the informed consent documents used by the first 28 subjects enrolled between these dates that received cultured skin substitute (CSS) in this study did not have IRB approval. The first IRB approved consent form was dated 09/06/00.

    On August 7, 2000, the OHRP presented SHC doctors an allegation from the Mother of a badly burned child who claimed that she was urged by a nurse to sign the informed consent document because "The Doctors need these papers signed immediately. If she has any chance at all, this is the only chance she has." It further explains "No one at any time explained the documents to her and/or that they were consent for Experimental Programs." This same OHRP letter further detailed how an otherwise excluded pregnant woman was enrolled as a research subject, to include the "collection of skin tissue for preparation of grafts as part of the research." It continues that the OHRP was presented another allegation "that the investigators continued to conduct research on a subject after the subject's family withdrew permission for her participation in research." The letter explains that though only the pregnancy allegation could be substantiated, guidance suggested changes in protocol and informed consent language so as to not inflate potential benefits to the research subjects.

    On November 21, 2002, the OHRP sent a letter of noncompliance to U of C regarding Shriners’ CSS study.

    An April, 21, 2003 OHRP letter noted that "the University of Cincinnati has required the investigators in the above-referenced research to conduct an audit of research subjects enrolled to ensure that no additional protocol violations had occurred. In addition, OHRP notes that the investigators have been made aware of the requirement to request changes to a protocol approved by an IRB prior to the initiation of such changes, except when necessary to eliminate apparent immediate hazards to the subject. OHRP recommends that UC also consider reminding all investigators of the regulatory requirements to obtain IRB approval for changes in approved research during the period for which the IRB approval has already been given."

    In other words, the OHRP asked that the doctors in charge of the study audit patient records for proper informed consent and to make sure protocol changes got IRB approval.

    Three years later, the FDA conducted a “high priority, for cause” inspection and found that doctors had not complied with the OHRP’s requirements in addition to discovering hundreds of other violations detailed in the inspector’s Establishment Inspection Report (EIR) issued on June 23, 2006.

    The EIR explained that “Dr. Kagan is the principal investigator for this trial and as such, is responsible for overseeing initial patient assessments, planning surgeries, estimating the amount of cultured skin substitute needed, performing surgeries and assessing healing and progress.”

    It further stated that:

    “Dr. Kagan did not complete, review or sign any case report forms. He is the principal investigator of the trial, but he did not seem to have the most knowledge of the trial…Dr. Steven Boyce and Dr. Richard Kagan stated that they did not realize the importance of following the investigational plan exactly. They misunderstood the requirements for operating the IDE. They felt that though this inspection revealed numerous deficiencies that patient safety was never put at risk. I (the FDA inspector) explained the provisions that the FDA has available to them as a follow-up to the inspectional observations, which included a warning letter, disqualification or criminal prosecution. Dr. Kagan and Dr. Boyce are extremely concerned with addressing all observations and continuing to operate this IDE. They feel this trial is extremely important to the Shriner's patients and community and they will do all they can to meet all FDA concerns and regulations."

    Six months later, on January 12, 2007, the FDA sent a warning letter to Dr. Richard Kagan, chief of staff at SHC Cincinnati.

    Two weeks later, on February 2, 2007, an FDA Integrity Hold Letter formally suspended the study.

    March 25, 2010 audit submitted to FDA.

    June 15, 2010 FDA denies compassionate use request from U of C.

    The audit showed that though the study had been suspended, violations continued. The audit found that:

    • Only 19% of adverse events as defined by the Data Safety Monitoring Board were reported.
    • The 2007 annual report reported only 1% of adverse events even after the warning and integrity hold letters.
    • The 2008 annual report reported only 2% of adverse events.
    • Case forms for 33 out of 44 subjects audited from 2003 to 2009 were not properly completed.

    All copies of material reprinted or duplicated from "by Sandy Frost" must include the following credit line: From http://sandyfrost.newsvine.com. Copyright (c) 2010 by Sandy Frost. Used by permission.

  • The Shriners Hospital for Children in Spokane begins billing insurance companies next week, a major change for a charitable organization that for decades cared for children with crippling bone, joint and muscle problems, and absorbed the expense.

  • The FDA is stepping in to suspend the use of a cultured skin substitute developed at the Shriners Burn Hospital in Cincinatti because of a previous inspection report that itemized hundreds of violations in the product's clinical research study. Prior to the FDA's warning letter, the same study had received a warning letter from the Office of Human Research Protection (OHRP) due to wrong informed consent. The OHRP required the doctors audit the patient files to make sure that the correct forms were being used but the FDA found the same violations in their inspection that led to the warning letter and subsequent denial of this particular burn treatment.

  • The June 7 criminal complaint in the case of United States of America v. Michael Lesinski paints a clear picture of “Mirth and Merriment,” Royal Order of Jesters style.

    That’s how they describe their activities to the IRS, you know.

    The Jesters tell the IRS that their tax exempt mission is “promoting fellowship and fraternalism and extending good cheer to others” and that they hold annual events “devoted to fraternalism and spreading the gospel of mirth and good cheer.”

    Apparently, this is code for renting a limo to get about a dozen “Jester Girls” from the Buffalo, New York airport to work as prostitutes at a Jester national meeting held in Niagara Falls Ontario, Canada.

    Lesinski is charged with “knowingly, willfully and unlawfully combining, conspiring and agreeing together with others, including Ronald Tills, to commit an offense against the United States, that is to knowingly transport women in interstate and foreign commerce, with the intent that said women engage in prostitution, in violation of Title 18 (Mann Act) and that at least one overt act was committed in furtherance of the conspiracy, in that the defendant, Michael Lesinski, on April 18, 2005, did rent limousines in order to transport said women from the Buffalo airport to Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada, with the intent that the women engage in prostitution.”

    The Royal Order of Jesters is an appendant body of Masonry. Once one becomes a Master Mason, they can join other groups such as the Scottish Rite, Knights Templar and Shriners. The Shriners are best known for their red fezzes and supporting a network of 21 hospitals that provide free medical care to burned and crippled children. One must first be a secretly invited Shriner before joining the Jesters.

    This all started when Dan Herbeck and Aaron Besecker of the Buffalo News reported on March 9, 2008 that three Jesters were under investigation after getting caught in an FBI human trafficking sting. All three confessed and pleaded guilty to either conspiring to or violating the Mann Act after they were caught driving an illegal alien Asian woman from a Buffalo massage parlor under surveillance for prostitution to a weekend meeting of the Royal Order of Jesters in eastern Kentucky.

    Lesinski’s complaint begins by listing agencies that make up the New York Human Trafficking Task Force and Alliance that are investigating the Jesters. These include the FBI, Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement or ICE, and deputies from the Erie County Sheriff’s Office. It then lists the criminal statute allegedly violated, that being the Mann Act.

    Next, and for the first time, the Royal Order of Jesters are defined in their own self-titled section.

    It begins:

    “The Royal Order of Jesters (“ROJ”) is a worldwide fraternal organization whose membership is limited to individuals invited to join by other members. The motto of the ROJ is ‘mirth is king.’ The ROJ has local chapters or ‘courts.’ On occasion, a local court or group of local courts in the same geographical area sponsor social gatherings known as ‘books of the play’ or ‘books.’ The sponsoring courts organize the ‘books’ and arrange for food, lodging, and entertainment at the ‘books.’ The ROJ also sponsors a yearly national ‘book,’ the equivalent of a national convention. In April, 2005, the Jester’s national book was held in Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada.”

    “As set forth below, a typical feature of a ‘book of the play’ is the presence of prostitutes (‘Jester Girls’) who engage in commercial sex acts with members of the ROJ. Arrangements for the prostitutes are generally made by the organizer of the ‘books,’ or the region hosting the national ‘book.’ On occasion, individual Jesters make arrangements to transport prostitutes to ‘books.’”

    According to the complaint, investigators began interviewing several Jesters in January and February of 2008. Jester John Trowbridge, a retired captain with the Lockport, New York, Police Department, told investigators about how he attended a number of “books” throughout the United States and Canada that provided prostitutes for those members in attendance.

    Trowbridge described a number of occasions where members of the Buffalo Court, including Ronald Tills, then a New York State Supreme Court Judge, and his law clerk, Michael Stebick, made arrangements for Jester Girls to attend “books.” Tills was in charge of getting the prostitutes to the Jesters’ national “book.”

    According to his plea agreement, in or about spring, 2006, Tills admitted to coordinating the prostitute’s travel with national Jester officers.

    Trowbridge also described how Tills was in charge of getting the Jester Girls to the national meeting and that the judge asked Lesinski to take care of it.

    Lesinski, at the time, was a deputy sheriff with the Erie County Sheriff’s Department.

    Trowbridge then disclosed that Lesinski rented a limousine to transport about a dozen prostitutes from Buffalo to Canada.

    The Jesters’ 2005 tax return lists $70, 049 for transportation. The complaint includes a receipt from Lakeview Limousine that indicates a deposit of $980 was paid for by check, with a total cost of $1,175.

    The complaint then includes co-conspirator Michael Stebick’s description of how Jester ‘books’ are typically held in hotel hospitality rooms where members can pick from a list of Jester Girl prostitutes. It continues that in April, 2008, Trowbridge provided investigators with contact information for the 13 prostitutes as he’d spoken with each of them as they gathered at the Buffalo airport though there were other prostitutes he’d not spoken with.

    In June 2008 Tills told investigators that there were about 30 women at the national book and “described a network of members who had the ability to supply such women.” It was then that he identified Lesinski’s renting of two limousines that took the prostitutes to Canada.

    According to “Sex Traffic Rises, Along With Scramble for Solutions” by We-news correspondent Rich Daly:

    These (2010 United States Human Trafficking Report) statistics come out as Rep. Chris Smith, a New Jersey Republican and co-chair of the Congressional Human Trafficking Caucus, is co-sponsoring a bill to establish an international registry of known sex offenders to help foreign and U.S. law enforcement agencies crack down on underage sex tourism also linked to trafficking.

    ‘This is modern day slavery and it's a winnable war,’ Smith said in an interview with Women's eNews.

    The Smith bill, called the International Megan's Law, was approved by the House Foreign Affairs Committee on April 28 and could come up for a House vote in the next few weeks, Smith said.”

    Representative Smith’s bill can be found here. In summary, H.R. 1623:

    • Requires registered sex offenders to notify appropriate jurisdictions of their intent to travel not later than 21 days before their departure or arrival in the United States. Imposes a fine and/or prison term of up to 10 years for failure to report such travel.
    • Requires diplomatic or consular missions in each foreign country to establish and maintain a countrywide sex offender registry for sex offenders from the United States who temporarily or permanently reside in such country.
    • Directs the Commissioner of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to issue directives for the assessment of sex offenders whose travel is reported to determine whether such offenders are high risk sex offenders.
    • Directs the President to establish the International Sex Offender Travel Center to monitor the travel of high risk sex offenders.
    • Authorizes the Secretary of State to rescind the passports of individuals awaiting trial for a sex offense against a minor or a permanent resident who has been convicted of such an offense.
    • Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to make convicted sex offenders inadmissible to the United States.

    If passed as written, these new international sex offender laws would rescind the passports of any Jesters on trial for things like child sex tourism and require any other registered sex offenders to report their intention to leave the country at least 21 days before doing so.

    All copies of material reprinted or duplicated from "by Sandy Frost" must include the following credit line: From http://sandyfrost.newsvine.com. Copyright (c) 2010 by Sandy Frost. Used by permission.

  • BeaShrinerNow.com fails to mention the main attraction of their secret sub-group, the Royal Order of Jesters!
    If the Shriners promoted their sub-group's involvement with prostitution, they'd probably get more members!
    The Shriners continue to stick their heads in the sand, hoping the Jester prostitution scandals will go away, Things are going to get much more worse before they get better. I'm working on a story about the leader of a Jester court who not only coordinates the parties from his house and work, his court's tax forms are mailed to his local Shriner temple.
    Maybe they didn't see the ABC News report that the FBI and ICE are investigating the Jesters for prostitution and child sex tourism.
    I wonder who came up with this bright idea for PR and how much it cost the donors?
    Sandy

  • More problems for Shrine Circuses. The Orlando Sentinel invetigated a Shrine Circus ticket scam over twenty years ago after arena ticket takers were replaced with Shriners. Apparently about $30K was unaccounted for. Police investigated and found nothing. They were also Shriners.

  • Story Photo

    Officials at the FDA and the University of Cincinnati have confirmed investigations into the clinical study for a burn treatment developed at the Shriners Hospital for Children (SHC) in Cincinnati as it appears to be heading to market (1).

    A 2006 FDA inspection, categorized as “high priority” and “for cause,” led to this 41 page report. It itemizes hundreds of violations found in the Shriners Hospital study of “Burn Wound Repair with Cultured Skin Substitutes” as SHC doctors experimented on badly burned children while trying to get a cultured skin substitute to market for commercial and military applications.

    This list of observations resulted in the FDA sending a warning letter to Dr. Richard Kagan, Chief of Staff at SHC Cincinnati on January 12, 2007. This means that the study’s results could be invalid or even fraudulent if it can be proven that the patient’s charts were intentionally left incomplete, that adverse effects were intentionally and repeatedly not reported or if invalid informed consent forms were knowingly used on patients enrolled in the study.

    Details about the unresolved warning letter can be read here.

    The violations are organized according to six main categories of observation, including:

    1. Not preparing and submitting complete and accurate reports of unanticipated device effects to sponsors. “Specifically, the subjects listed below, in which cultured skin substitute (CSS) was regrafted, was not reported as graft failures to the sponsor or the IRB and the case report forms do not reflect these losses.

    ”Informed consent not properly documented in that the written informed consent used in the study was not approved by the University of Cincinnati’s Institutional Review Board or IRB. The informed consent documents used by the first 28 subjects enrolled between 4/15/98 and 7/17/00 that received cultured skin substitute (CSS) in this study did not have the IRB approval. The first IRB approved consent forms were dated 9/6/00.”

    2. The investigation was not conducted according to the investigational plan.

    “Specifically, the investigational plans (the protocol and amendments) dated November 1, 1999 and June 1, 2004 were not followed.”

    This includes not taking photographs and tracings within protocol timelines, not performing qualitative outcome and scaring assessments by an investigator not responsible for the acute care of the patient, not collecting wound cultures and antibodies during the specified timeframes, not irrigating wounds or changing bandages according to protocol and not applying graft to a comparative site when cultured skin substitutes were grafted.

    3. Records for each subject concerning anticipated adverse device effects were not all accurate and complete.

    “Specifically, none of the subjects anticipated adverse events were listed in the subjects case report forms or reported to the IRB or sponsor."

    Unreported adverse events include pneumonnia, elevated temperature, conjunctivitis, necrotic muscle, six bouts of sepsis with elevated temperatures, fever, itching, jaundice, high blood pressure and vomiting.

    4. Records of each subject’s case history were not all accurate and complete, specifically three cases of not documenting the receipt of a CSS, not documenting the application of a CSS to a patient’s abdomen, incomplete biopsy, blood culture, microbiology and photography logs and in one case, a blank photography log.

    5. Records of each subject's case history are not all accurate and complete.

    6. Records showing dates and reasons for each deviation from protocol are not all complete.

    "Specifically, the investigator did not maintain records showing the dates and reasons for all protocol violations that occured during this study. Out of the30 subjects audited, I noted 423+ deviations that were not reported as protocol deviations."

    The report further states that of the subjects enrolled, 61 were treated with cultured skin substitute and that “Of the remaining subjects, 14 expired prior to receiving the cultured skin substitute” with subject 036 expiring during this study.

    The report further states that this trial obtained approval to operate on November 17, 1999 from the University of Cincinnati Medical Center Institutional Review Board or IRB. University representatives have declined to comment on the current situation because “It would be improper for us to comment on any aspect of the device while there is an ongoing audit.”

    According to the FDA, “Every year since this trial began in 1990, Dr. Boyce has submitted an annual report to the IRB.” The annual reports contain the number of deaths and significant adverse events but reports for each year from 7/99 to 7/05 “do not contain all significant adverse events that were listed in the patient’s medical files. Additionally, graft losses were not reported to the IRB or sponsor.”

    Successful clinical studies rely on traceable medical records and chain of custody source documentation to reproduce duplicatable results. The FDA violations mean that the doctors in charge of this SHC burn treatment study may not be able to reproduce and report successful results to financial sponsors including the National Institute of Health and those in charge of administering research grants for the Shriners, though all aspects of this research are supposed to be overseen by the University of Cincinnati Institutional Review Board (IRB).

    The FDA is charged with making sure that these medical facilities meet certain guidelines and follow strict protocols concerning conflicts of interest and the protection of human subjects.

    FDA Commissioner Margaret Hamburg M.D. told the Food and Drug Law Institute “Every company with products or activities under FDA’s jurisdiction has a duty to comply with the law…and to meet the standards that the FDA has set to protect the public.” (2)

    This is the second time SHC Cincinnati received warning letters from a government agency about the same study. Violations were previously noted in this warning letter issued by the Office of Human Research Protection (OHRP) concerning studies being conducted by Dr. Glenn Warden, then chief of staff of SHC Cincinnati and Dr. Steven Boyce, principal investigator of the SHC study of “Autologous Cultured Skin Substitutes for Treatment of Full-Thickness Burns.” The OHRP required that the doctors audit the study’s patient records for proper informed consent but if they audited the records as the OHRP requested, would the FDA inspector have found the invalid informed consent forms three years later?

    Dr. Warden, along with the current SHC Cincinnati chief of staff Dr. Richard Kagan, helped form another nonprofit group, Ohio Valley Skin and Tissue that was later renamed U.S. Tissue and Cell. According to their 2005 tax return, the group’s exempt purpose is to:

    “Provide skin, bone and other tissues to the medical community for transplantation and research.”

    This return has a few red flags.

    Page 17 of the return shows that Dr. Warden, listed as President and CEO, was paid $573,960, much more than the $58,000 to $188,500 paid to the others.

    Page 20 tells us that Dr. Richard Kagan earned $102,125 as full-time medical director for U.S. Skin and Tissue while also working as:

    Chief of staff for the Shriners’ hospital

    Director, University Hospital Burn Special Care Unit

    Consulting surgeon for Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, Cincinnati VA Hospital and Drake Center

    Faculty for the Compass Medical Education Network, Director of Surgery

    This is in addition to his work for the American Burn Association, the advisory board for Allosource and six different editorial boards.

    This editorial board part is important because those who oversee or write for professional journals, as well as those who give presentations or otherwise represent the validity of their clinical research, are supposed to disclose any financial interests in their research as was the case with Dr. Boyce, if they’re defendants in cases like the one against Allosource and U.S. Tissue and Cell for personal injury and professional liability or if they’re the subject of warning letters like those from the Office of Human Research Protection or the FDA.

    Additionally, experts agree that these potential conflicts of interest “should be reported to sponsors contacting them about new clinical trials and to IRBs, including during the continuing review process.” Such disclosures let the public know that the doctors conducting such research to help others instead of helping themselves.

    Disclosure also lets the public know who’s in bed with who.

    The U.S. Tissue and Cell 2005 tax return fails to list the Shriners or the Jesters as related groups because of the common board memberships shared and positions held Drs. Kagan and Warden as well as William Siders, listed on the U.S. Tissue and Cell tax return as a trustee. He is a past chairman of the SHC Cincinatti Board of Governors and is listed on this Royal Order of Jesters 2005 tax return as “Royal Stage Manager, on this return as “Royal Tragedian” and on this return as “Royal Impresario.”

    Back to the FDA report.

    It continues that Dr. Kagan is the principal investigator for this trial and as such, is responsible for overseeing initial patient assessments, planning surgeries, estimating the amount of cultured skin substitute needed, performing surgeries and assessing healing and progress. The report further states that:

    “Dr. Kagan did not complete, review or sign any case report forms. He is the principal investigator of the trial, but he did not seem to have the most knowledge of the trial.”

    So how did Drs. Kagan and Boyce react to this report?

    "Dr. Steven Boyce and Dr. Richard Kagan stated that they did not realize the importance of following the investigational plan exactly. They misunderstood the requirements for operating the IDE. They felt that though this inspection revealed numerous deficiencies that patient safety was never put at risk. I explained the provisions that the FDA has available to them as a follow-up to the inspectional observations, which included a warning letter, disqualification or criminal prosecution. Dr. Kagan and Dr. Boyce are extremely concerned with addressing all observations and continuing to operate this IDE. They feel this trial is extremely important to the Shriner's patients and community and they will do all they can to meet all FDA concerns and regulations."

    Two years later, it appears that they’re still working on it, though their seemingly unduplicatable product is being guided through FDA approval and is expected to hit the marketplace in the next few months.

    (1) “In 2007, nearly 100 companies were involved in developing engineered tissues, cell-based therapeutics, or related technologies (Applied Data Research, February 2007). Overall the industry had an annual growth rate of 16% from 1995-2001. The "structural" industry segment (e.g., skin, bone, cartilage) showed 85% growth from 1998-2001. In 2004, the U.S. market for tissue-engineered skin replacements/substitutes and active wound repair modulators were valued at approximately $195 million. Sales are expected to increase at a compound annual rate of 9.5%, reaching approximately $481 million in the year 2014 (MedTech Insight, Windhover Information, September 2005). The total U.S. market for advanced wound care technologies was worth more than $2.3 billion in 2005. By the end of 2006 the market will reach almost $2.6 billion, and over a five-year period will grow at an average annual growth rate of 12.3% to reach $4.6 billion in 2011 (BCC Research, PHM011E, January 2007).” From Patentdocs.

    (2) Thanks to Newsvine columnist AdipicAcid for suggesting this link.

    All copies of material reprinted or duplicated from "by Sandy Frost" must include the following credit line: From http://sandyfrost.newsvine.com. Copyright (c) 2010 by Sandy Frost. Used by permission.

  • "My strong suspicion is that the frequency of fraud is much greater today than it has ever been," Relman said.

    He cites two reasons for this trend: intensifying financial pressures – including the "domination of corporate interest and control of medical practice behavior and research by financial institutions" – and the fact that more and more clinical studies are being conducted every year."The economic pressures on authors who conduct the studies are much higher."

    "The commercialization of medicine poses the greatest threat to U.S. health care," Relman said.

  • Story Photo

    So many have asked "How many members of law enforcement or the judiciary or elected officials or other high profile agencies are also members of the Royal Order of Jesters (ROJ)?"

    In case you're just joining us, the ROJ is a secret sub-group of the Shriners, best known for their red fezzes and operating a network of 22 hospitals that provides free medical care to burned and crippled children. This investigation began in April, 2006 by looking into allegations of tax fraud, mismanagement, corruption, and misuse of charitable donations.

    Today, we're learning about the Jesters' prostitution and child sex tourism scandals that include three who were busted in a FBI trafficking sting out of Buffalo NY as well as those 19 Jesters who were expected to testify about their first hand knowledge of sex with prostitutes while fishing in Brazil. The guy who took them on their fishing trip/s was indicted by the Brazilian federal police last April after being charged with sex crimes.

    This same guy sued a competitor for defamation after he alleged involvement with prostitution. Depositions from the case report that these Jesters asked to be called "Masons" and for girls over 13.

    As far as memberships go, one must first be a Master Mason before joining the Shriners. One must be then invited from the Shriners to join the Jesters.

    Now, these aren't just any prostitutes either.

    Those three who pleaded guilty to violating the Mann Act admitted that they drove an illegal alien prostitute from the Buffalo area to a Jester party in Kentucky. These depositions from five Brazilian Indian girls describe being illegally lured off their reservations into prostitution for North American fishermen.

    One alleged that she was left pregnant after one such trip at age 13.

    The rumor is that highly placed Jesters use their influence to participate in, promote and/or protect their weekend prostitution parties, though it didn't work out too well for those three caught by the FBI.

    They include a former state Supreme Court judge, his law clerk and a retired police captain.

    The judge is spending his holidays at Club Fed.

    He's going to hang out at Federal Correctional Institute Jesup, located in southeast Georgia, until January 24, 2011.

    He's 74 years old and is paying a heavy price for being part of an enterprise that appears to be operating a nationwide network of prostitution.

    His court documents paint a RICOesque picture of a nonprofit fraternity made up of groups with guys who find girls for their weekend parties. Because of his cooperation, the judge got a reduced sentence in an apparently minimum security facility. His cooperation has led to the Jesters being investigated for the sexual exploitation of minors and international travel for those purposes.

    Child sex tourism.

    Stop and think about this.

    These "pillars of the community" have somehow hijacked our tax system to create fraternal and charitable nonprofit groups that facilitate partying with prostitutes at tax payer expense.

    And these aren't just any parties, either.

    Here's a Jester tax return that shows spending nearly $600K on their big weekend party AKA the "Book of the Play."

    FYI, here's an announcement for an upcoming bash in Indiana.

    So, how can we find out if Jesters are also cops, judges, or other highly placed and influential members who are sworn to protect their brothers above all else?

    A Google search of news archives provides clues from beyond the grave.

    The following is from Jester obits that, out of respect for their friends and family, will not name names but will, in no particular order, list their job titles, newspaper, and date published.

    Former FAA Executive. "In 1949, he joined the Civil Aeronautics Administration, a precursor to the FAA, in Indianapolis. He was a member of the American Bar Association as well as bar associations in Arlington and the District." Washington Post, Nov. 17, 2004.

    Retired judge. South Florida Sun, Feb. 2, 1990.

    Judge. "He also was a member of the Florida Bar and Seminole County Bar associations, the Scottish Rite F&AM No. 62 in Sanford; and the Royal Order of Jesters No. 166 and Bahia Shrine, both in Orlando." Orlando Sentinel, Nov. 14, 1991.

    "Connecticut and Town Official Drops Dead While at Work in Office Vault at New Milford Recently Treated For Heart Ailment. Governor Cross Learns of Death at First Cabinet Meeting Here; Praises His Service Connecticut Official Dead at 48." Hartford Courant, Sept. 30, 1947.

    Longtime Chief Knox County Criminal Court Judge Dies, ROJ Court 57. WVLT TV, Dec. 18, 2007.

    Retired Lt. Col. served in the Army in World War I and World War II. He was an elected San Antonio city commissioner of taxation and finance. At one time, he served concurrently as mayor pro tem and as a substitute judge of the corporation court. San Antonio Express-News. June 25, 1992.

    Superior Court Judge served the people and in the courts of Pierce County for 49 years. He served on the University Place School Board during World War II and as chairman of the American Bar Association Juvenile Delinquency Committee in the late '60s. Tacoma News Tribune, May 7, 2001.

    Retired State Supreme Court Justice, member of a prominent political and judicial family, state judge since 1985. Buffalo News, May 2, 2003.

    He was a Navy veteran and was a magistrate judge. Macon Telegraph, Sept. 15, 2000.

    "Trial lawyer in the office of the judge advocate general of the Navy, joined the Energy Department's Economic Regulatory Administration and the Office of Fuels Programs as a fuels analyst." Washington Post, Feb. 28, 1999.

    "Retired Army colonel, appointed district Judge of the 141st District Court." Fort Worth Star Telegram, Jan. 25, 2006.

    "Retired police chief of Glen Carbon, worked in the Madison County sheriff's." St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Sept. 4, 2003.

    Retired Cincinnati Police Capt. Cincinnati Post, Feb. 7, 1997.

    "He retired in 2004 as assistant Alleghany County superintendent during a career in which he held every rank, from patrolman to acting superintendent." Pittsburgh Post Gazette, Sept. 21, 2008.

    Retired Portland Police Chief, policeman for 33 years. Portland Press Herald, Feb. 24, 1998.

    A retired clerk of Norfolk Circuit Court and a former policeman. The Virginian Pilot, June 30, 1991.

    Assistant Director of the Cook County Sheriff's Merit Board. Chicago Tribune, May 3, 2003.

    Lt. and a 19-year veteran of the Deptford, NJ, Police Department. Philadelphia Daily News, Jan. 4, 1985.

    The first chief of the California Highway Patrol having served for 23 years and a leader in the creation of the California State Police. The Sacramento Bee, June 7, 1984.

    The commanding officer of the Police K-9 Training Unit, 40 year police veteran. Philadelphia Daily News, July 31, 2000.

    Police officer. Kansas City Star, Dec. 30, 2001.

    Retired law enforcement officer for the Cocoa Beach Police Department. Orlando Sentinel, Jan. 17, 1987.

    Retired from the Cedar Rapids Police Department in 1990 after 33 years. The Gazette, March 8, 1999.

    Retired Fairview Boro Police Chief. Erie Times News, May 4, 2007.

    FBI inspector. Washington Post, May 10, 1990.

    During World War II he served in the FBI, returning to Miami after the war to enter private practice. He was elected Mayor of the City of Miami in 1947. Miami Herald, May 15, 2007.

    A lawyer in Maryland and then a special agent for 25 years for the FBI. St Petersburg Times, Oct. 21, 1999.

    He retired from the Suffolk Police Department, previously the Nansemond Police Department, and the Department of Motor Vehicles. Virginian Pilot, Dec. 27, 1998.

    A special agent for the FBI, worked for NSA, a retired National Security Agency employee, worked for the NSA at Fort Meade for over 20 years. The Baltimore Sun, Jan. 12, 1993.

    FBI special agent and Wichita City Council member. Wichita Eagle, Dec. 8, 2000.

    Retired CIA employee. Ocala Banner, Feb. 7, 1997.

    Employed 30 years with the IRS. St. Paul Pioneer Press, Sept. 28, 1998.

    Former Warwick state senator. The Providence Journal, Jan. 19, 1990.

    US Treasury Department internal auditor for the IRS retiring in 1995. Kansas City Star, Sept. 10, 1998.

    Former state rep. Boston Herald, April 23, 1994.

    Journal Clerk of the N.J. state Senate, and served as Atlantic County prosecutor from 1959 to 1963. AtlanticCity.com, Aug. 8, 1997.

    Retired LAPD Detective. LA Times, Dec. 19, 1990.

    Vigo County Prosecutor, Congressman, Judge. Tribune Star, March 17, 2007.

    Former City Mayor. The Morning Call, Feb. 14, 1986.

    Chairman of the section of administrative law for the American Bar Association and a member of the Administrative Conference of the United States, assistant U.S. attorney. Washington Post, Nov. 20, 1997.

    U.S. Official. Washington Post, Nov. 10, 1995.

    Retired State Department Foreign Service officer who had served as ambassador to Honduras and Haiti, named an inspector of the Foreign Service for the State Department. Washington Post, Nov. 17, 1991.

    Deputy and Chief Deputy Sherriff for Oxford County. Sun Journal, Jan. 20, 1998.

    New York State Correctional Services at Auburn and Moravia Correctional Facilities. He was also employed with the Onondaga County Sheriff's Department as a member of the Special Deputies Association for over 20 years. The Post Standard, Sept. 6, 2009.

    Orange County deputy sheriff. Orlando Sentinel, Mar. 22. 1994.

    CIA Official, Professor. "A retired deputy director for administration at the Central Intelligence Agency who later taught at the Defense Intelligence College." Washington Post, March 29, 1995.

    CIA Agent, "A longtime member of the Central Intelligence Agency's Boston office." Boston Globe, June 18, 2001.

    Arizona Acts House Resolution 2007 of the 2nd Regular Session 2000: "He was elected to the Arizona House of Representatives, serving until 1990. He also served as a precinct committeeman and captain and was active on the Republican State Committee." State of Arizona.

    Two United States Presidents.

    At the end of the day, these guys, these Jesters, are sworn to protect their brothers, above all else.

    The question is "Are today's Jesters, in these same positions, disclosing that they are members of a group being investigated by the FBI for sex crimes on their conflict of interest statements for their security clearances?" because if not, this presents a clear and present danger to us all as our tax dollars pay for protection.

    All copies of material reprinted or duplicated from "by Sandy Frost" must include the following credit line: From http://sandyfrost.newsvine.com. Copyright (c) 2009 by Sandy Frost. Used by permission.

  • From the article:

    "In order to provide owners additional incentive to sell their interests, the settlement authorizes Interior to set aside up to 5 percent of the value of the interests into a college and vocational school scholarship fund for American Indian students."

  • Story Photo

    "LAKEWOOD, Wash. - Four Lakewood police officers lost their lives Sunday morning when a gunman opened fire on them as they sat in a Parkland coffee shop preparing to begin their shifts.

    The city of Lakewood says the officers were original members of the police department that formed five years ago.

    According to the Pierce County Sheriff's Department, the slain officers have been identified as 39-year-old Sergeant Mark Renninger, 37-year-old Officer Ronald Owen, 40-year-old Officer Tina Griswold and 42-year-old Officer Greg Richards." - King5.com

    "The officers were in full uniform and wearing bulletproof vests, sitting in Forza coffee shop near 116th Street and Steele Street on the east side of McChord Air Force base at about 8:30 a.m.. They were preparing for their shift when the suspect walked in, went up to the counter as if to order coffee, then turned and opened fire. " King5.com

    These pictures were taken where the four Lakewood Police Officers were killed on November 29, 2009. This is while their caskets were being unloaded for memorial at the Tacoma Dome.

    Those who were there shook hands with and thanked the Chaplain and Seattle Police Officer on duty.

    Note McChord Air Force base in some of the backgrounds.

    As a U.S. Navy vet myself, it is about the honor and respect that should be shown not only for the fallen but for all of us.

    Thank you for being here,

    Sandy

    All copies of material reprinted or duplicated from "by Sandy Frost" must include the following credit line: From http://sandyfrost.newsvine.com. Copyright (c) 2009 by Sandy Frost. Used by permission.

  • FOX News Atlanta reporter Dale Russell spoke at this event and said this about plagairism:

    "Everything we're talking about is so simple: If it's not your work, attribute it."

  • Story Photo

    Update: 11/11/2009: The author of the Royal Order of Jesters "Mirth Missives" newsletter, Mack "Tazmack" Gooding, filed a second copyright infringement notice with Newsvine today, incorrectly claiming that I edited out his copyright notices on the newsletters as well as the subscription lists previously linked to in this article. FYI, here is a copy of the first notice he filed last March. For those of you in possession of past "Mirth Missives" as well as the subscriptlon lists, you know that there are no copyright notices anywhere on these documents. Here's a question for the rest of you. What kind of a nonprofit group has members who will go to any length to hide their newsletter and subscription list? What kind of a tax exempt group has members who threaten to drag a journalist to federal court because they are desperate to discover the sources who have provided these materials because that is what this is all about. Therefore, I am removing the links in question to protect my sources.

    Thank you,

    Sandy Frost

    Adult content warning: Links to the Jesters official publication, the "Mirth Missives," make public material of a sexual, racist, misogynistic and otherwise offensive and derogatory nature. If you don't want to be offended, don't click on the links. Seriously.

    Editor's Note: I've been investigating allegations of Shriner tax fraud and misuse of charitable donations for three and a half years. We're way beyond that now as their secret sub-group, the Royal Order of Jesters, is under investigation for operating a nationwide network of prostitution and child sex tourism. That's going to other countries to have sex with kids. As a matter of clarification, the Shriners, those goofy old guys in the red fezzes who work hard to support their beloved network of 22 hospitals that provide free medical care to burned and crippled children, are first Master Masons. Most have no idea that their charity has been compromised by those Shriners who accepted secret invitations to join the Royal Order of Jesters. This is the biggest nonprofit scandal of our time; that some Shriners hid behind burned and crippled children and conspired to convince the IRS to grant tax exempt status to their own nonprofit group so they could throw huge parties at tax payer expense. Like a nearly $600,000 weekend party. The IRS grants tax exempt status in exchange for providing some social or community benefit. The Jesters exempt purpose is "Promoting fellowship and fraternalism and extending assistance and good cheer to others" though they fail to detail their program accomplishments on their tax returns. So, when the Jesters don't pay certain taxes, fees and other obligations in exchange for providing program services, they are the only ones who benefit. This is illegal. When the Jesters don't pay taxes, the rest of us make up for it. That's how nonprofits work. It is my hope that the Shriners can somehow clean up their fraternity, to include denouncing, disassociating from and severing all ties to the Royal Order of Jesters, because oversight by law enforcement is no way to help the kids.

    Sandy Frost

    October 23, 2009

    The Shriners secret sub-group, the Royal Order of Jesters, continues partying with prostitutes at tax payer expense, in spite of being investigated for interstate prostitution and child sex tourism.

    It's business as usual for who have sex with hookers like Misty LaSweet because they think that their Jester brothers in law enforcement and the judiciary system will protect them above all else.

    Remember, those Jesters caught by the Buffalo FBI in a human trafficking sting included a former New York Supreme Court Judge, his law clerk and a retired police captain. All pleaded guilty and were sentenced for taking an illegal alien prostitute from the Buffalo area to a Jester party in Ashland, Kentucky.

    Doesn't look like anyone went to bat for those guys. Instead, national Jester leaders like Gary N. Martin tell reporters that the Buffalo bust was an isolated incident, implying that the Jesters don't participate in prostitution.

    This invitation from the Jesters of Texas 2008 announces that the group will honor Royal Director Gary N. Martin at a Stag bash and that "Mirth - It's Bigger and Better in Texas!"

    This party was scheduled two weeks after Hurricane Ike closed the Shriners Hospital for Children (SHC) in Galveston. Nowhere on the invitation does it ask these Jesters, invited from the ranks of Shriner leaders, to help their hospital rebuild or raise money to again provide free medical care to burned children.

    In addition to being Royal Director of the Jesters, Martin is also on the board of the Mexico Shriners hospital.

    In mid-August 2009, Jesters were meeting in Montana for their Book of the Play.

    It's their initiation for the 13 new Shriners invited each year. That's after the candidates tell a review board ten self-incriminating secrets that no one else knows about them. For the privilege of joining the Jesters, the prospective members blackmail themselves by admitting to embezzlement and anything and everything else to keep them from squealing on their brother Jesters.

    If they talk, these secrets are then used against them.

    Here's an announcement for a Jester event in Yosemite put on by Fresno Court #157.

    Here's a copy of the Jester newsletter, (Link Removed 11/11/2009) "Mirth Missives" from Super Bowl Sunday 2008. It includes a Jester wide warning about me and an offer from the then- publisher for free pharmaceuticals.

    Here's another (Link Removed 11/11/2009) "Mirth Missives" with a picture that advises: "Play Dumb - If she looks TOO young, just assume she is 18."

    According to sources, the then publisher replaced his computer last August because it "crashed," destroying all evidence of Jester records, confidential subscription lists and archived "Mirth Missives" in the process. He later demitted from the Royal Order of Jesters last October "for personal reasons."

    Here are "Mirth Missive" subscription lists from April, 2006 (Link Removed 11/11/2009) and February, 2008 (Link Removed 11/11/2009).

    As you scan the lists to see if you can recognize any of the names, you'll find no copyright marks on either the subscription list or the "Mirth Missives."

    According to sources, the Jesters also traffick prostitutes around the country for their weekly meetings.

    The U.S. Attorney"s office describes the Royal Order of Jesters as:

    "This organization maintained chapters throughout the United States, including in Western New York, and it was the custom of these chapters to host periodic meetings, usually on weekends, for their members. At most of these meetings, some members of the organization would be tasked to arrange for the presence of women at the meetings, for the specific purpose of utilizing the women to engage in sexual intercourse and other sexual activity with the organization's members in exchange for money."

    Sources claim that these "Books" include hospitality rooms for high stakes gambling, with as much as $100,000 in the middle of the tables.

    They also allege that the Jesters pay for the prostitute's expenses, to include one who regularly accompanies a married member of the Royal line from state to state. These expenses are then hidden on the Jesters' tax returns as un-itemized expenses for the "Book of the Play" and payments to hotels on financial statements.

    Additionally, sources identified a Jester doctor who certifies that the prostitutes are disease free.

    It's also been alleged that most Masonic Grand Lodges across the country will not throw out Jesters involved with prostitution or any other crimes except for murder or treason. Sources say that Masonic committee members responsible for prosecuting such crimes instead quash investigations to protect themselves and/or their Jester brothers.

    All copies of material reprinted or duplicated from "by Sandy Frost" must include the following credit line: From http://sandyfrost.newsvine.com. Copyright (c) 2009 by Sandy Frost. Used by permission.

  • Story Photo

    This next week, the Shriners will be swarming Las Vegas to support the Justin Timberlake Golf Tournament benefitting their hospitals. Hanging out with the rich and famous; living like rock stars on charitable donations; basking in the limelight as reporters buzz about how these old guys in funny red hats help the kids while having fun.

    That’s their motto.

    Helping kids while having fun.

    The Shriners operate a $5 billion network of 22 hospitals that provides free medical care to burned and crippled children.

    But before a man can be a Shriner, he must first be a Master Mason.

    Turns out that the Shriners are led by members of their own secret sub-group, the Royal Order of Jesters.

    Last year, three Jesters were caught in an FBI human trafficking sting out of Buffalo, New York. They all pled guilty to taking an illegal alien prostitute to one of their weekend parties in Ashland, Kentucky. Those caught were a retired police captain, a former New York State Supreme Court Judge and his law clerk.

    All pleaded guilty to violating the Mann Act, apparently on official Jester business. This means deducting their expenses because the Jesters are a nonprofit fraternity.

    The judge is in federal prison for 18 months because he got hookers for Jester parties in Florida, Pennsylvania and Canada.. His sentence was reduced for helping the FBI investigate the Jesters for the sexual exploitation of minors and foreign travel for those purposes.

    In another case, the fishing tour operator who took 19 Jesters fishing on the Amazon was indicted by the Brazilian federal police for using underage prostitutes to lure North American customers. Former fishing tour operator and real estate salesman Richard Schair had sued a competitor for alleging he was involved with prostitution. A witness list for the defense named 19 Jesters who were expected to testify about their first hand knowledge of drug use, sex with prostitutes and with minor prostitutes.

    Depositions provided by fishing guides testified that the Jesters asked to be called "Masons" and for girls over 13.

    On June 19, 2009, Schair submitted an application for habeas corpus to a Brazilian federal judge, asking her to dismiss the case against him, though he'd been indicted by the Brazilian federal police six weeks earlier.

    She denied his application because it lacked merit.

    The witness list named a Las Vegas financial consultant, Samuel "Scutter" Newton, also a member of the Las Vegas Court #181. He’s listed on the latest Jester tax return as a national officer.

    Turns out that the Jesters weren’t so secret after former Nevada Assemblyman Joe E. Dini Jr.:

    "DECLARED, That the members of the Assembly of the State of Nevada hereby express a hearty welcome to the Royal Order of Jesters, Reno Court 33 and Las Vegas Court 181, and the Shrine of North America in their endeavors to provide fun and fellowship for its members and to bring necessary medical treatment to children across the United States. Declared by the Assembly March 9, 2001."

    So, some attorney convinced the IRS to grant the Jesters tax exempt status to "spread the gospel of merriment and mirth."

    This translates to throwing weekend parties called "The Book of the Play."

    Tax returns show the Jesters spent $600,000 on one.

    That's over $12,000 a minute.

    This redacted "Jester Girl Code of Conduct" indicates that Jesters secure prostitutes rooms and implies that they submit certificates, presumably proving that they're disease free.

    All these groups, the Masons, the Shriners and the Jesters, are nonprofit, meaning that they pay no or significantly reduced taxes for providing social benefit. Members are also prohibited from any benefit; financial, professional, personal, or otherwise.

    The real crime is hiding behind burned and crippled children and using those clueless Shriners who dedicate their lives to driving goofy little cars in parades or putting on clown make up at zero dawn thirty to drive a hundred miles so they can twist up animal balloons and put a smile on the bandaged face of a badly burned baby.

    The real criminals here are those “pillars of the community” who have hijacked the IRS and taken advantage of us, all of us, so they can party with prostitutes at tax payer expense.

    All copies of material reprinted or duplicated from "by Sandy Frost" must include the following credit line: From http://sandyfrost.newsvine.com. Copyright (c) 2009 by Sandy Frost. Used by permission.

  • Surprise, surprise, surprise!

    Back on March 9, 2001, Nevada Assemblyman Joe E. Dini Jr. (D) formally welcomed both the Shriners and Royal Order of Jesters to Nevada. Speaking on behalf of the Nevada State Assembly, Dini:

    "DECLARED, That the members of the Assembly of the State of Nevada hereby express a hearty welcome to the Royal Order of Jesters, Reno Court 33 and Las Vegas Court 181, and the Shrine of North America in their endeavors to provide fun and fellowship for its members and to bring necessary medical treatment to children across the United States. Declared by the Assembly March 9, 2001."

    The most recent Jester tax return lists Samuel "Scutter" Newton of Las Vegas Court #181 as an officer of the national court. A witness list for the defense in the federal defamation case Schair v Marsteller states:

    "Witness has firsthand knowledge of prostitution, minor prostitution, use of illegal drugs and/or entry into Indian reservations by Schair and/or his customers.

    Mr. Newton was a customer of the Plaintiffs, who fished with Plaintiffs in Brazil during approximately late August/early September, 2007. Based on the Wet-a-Line Tours LLC website, he is believed to be a member of the Royal Order of Jesters as were all other participants on this trip. He is expected to testify that there were twenty Jesters who paid for the trip and that he was one of the nineteen who ultimately participated. He is expected to testify that two boats were supplied by the Plaintiffs, one for the Jesters and one for the twenty or so girls who accompanied the Jesters. He is expected to testify that the 'activities' of the Jesters that week and the nature and extent of services provided by and/or arranged by Plaintiffs or Plaintiffs' representatives. He is also expected to authenticate the many hours of videotape and still photographs taken by Defendants of the Jesters 'activities' during the 'fishing trip.' He is expected to identify by way of photographs and association with the members of the Jesters group and identify by name or by description of the girls aboard, the ages of the girls aboard and the exact nature of the activities viewable in the videotape."

    Fishing guides testified that the Jesters asked to be called "Masons" and for girls over 13.

    Richard W. Schair, a Georgia real estate salesman and former fishing tour operator, sued competitor Philip Marsteller for defamation after he alleged Schair's involvement with prostitution. Schair settled out of court for $15,000 as mounting evidence supported the allegations.

    Schair was indicted by the Brazilian federal police on April 29, 2009 as part of their investigation into the sexual exploitation of girls living along the Amazon. The police took depositions from five "Jane Does" who described how a North American named "Richard" lured them onto his fishing boats with promises of work but once they got there, the girls found that they were expected to drink whiskey and have sex with North American tourists. Schair was charged with using underage prostitutes to lure customers to his Brazilian fishing tour business.

    Schair's indictment was made public in the Brazilian court system after Judge Maria Lucia Gomes De Souza denied his application for habeas corpus in which he asked that all charges against him be dropped, though he'd already been indicted. Police and prosecutors are currently preparing reports for De Souza so she can decide within the next few months whether or not to prosecute Schair's indictment.

    Documents related to this and other cases can be found here.

    The Jesters were in the headlines last year after three were caught in a FBI human trafficking sting and included a retired police captain, a former New York state Supreme Court judge and his law clerk. All three pleaded guilty to violating or conspiring to violate the Mann Act as they took an illegal alien prostitute from Buffalo, New York to a Jester "meeting" in Ashland, Kentucky. The judge also admitted to arranging for prostitutes at Jester weekends in Pennsylvania and Florida as well as to working with Jester officers to get girls to a national meeting in Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada. And for doing so, he's heading to federal prison for 18 months.

    The text of Dini's official welcome to the Shriners and Jesters follows with Nevada Assembly records here.

    “REMARKS FROM THE FLOOR

    Assemblyman Dini requested that the following remarks be entered in the Journal.

    Declaration

    WHEREAS, The Shrine of North America was founded in 1872 by a group of 13 men belonging to the Masonic Order in order to provide fun and fellowship for its members, and through the growth of its membership has become a philanthropic organization dedicated to helping others through the establishment of specialized hospitals that have provided expert medical care at no charge to more than 600,000 children; and

    WHEREAS, The Shrine of North America is an international fraternal organization with over 525,000 members and 191 Shrine temples located throughout the United States, Canada, Mexico and Panama, consisting of many special units, including the motor corps, band and clown units, and the Royal Order of Jesters, all dedicated to providing activities to help support the Shrine’s philanthropy; and

    WHEREAS, The Royal Order of Jesters, a subsidiary of members of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, was founded in 1911 by a group of Shriners on their way to Honolulu for a Shrine visitation; and

    WHEREAS, The Royal Order of Jesters is an exclusive group of men who enjoy life and have fun, consisting of over 26,000 members, with nearly 200 courts existing in various cities in the United States; and

    WHEREAS, Membership into the Royal Order of Jesters is by invitation only and the member must have been a supporter of the community or active in other areas of the Shrine of North America; and

    WHEREAS, Travel to various parts of the United States is among the many activities enjoyed by members of the Royal Order of Jesters, and the members of the Jesters share a spirit of camaraderie, deep friendship, and good fellowship; and

    WHEREAS, The Royal Order of Jesters have two courts in Nevada, Reno Court number 33 and Las Vegas Court number 181, full of members dedicated to having fun and spreading Mirth and Joy; now therefore be it

    DECLARED, by the MEMBERS of the Nevada State Assembly, That the Royal Order of Jesters are encouraged to continue participating in activities that encourage fun, enjoyment, and companionship; and be it further

    DECLARED, That the members of the Assembly of the State of Nevada hereby express a hearty welcome to the Royal Order of Jesters, Reno Court 33 and Las Vegas Court 181, and the Shrine of North America in their endeavors to provide fun and fellowship for its members and to bring necessary medical treatment to children across the United States.

    Declared by the Assembly March 9, 2001.

    Mr. Speaker announced if there were no objections, the Assembly would recess subject to the call of the Chair.
    Assembly in recess at 11:09 a.m."

    Former Assemblyman Dini is a member of the Hope Lodge #22 of the Free and Accepted Masons (F & AM) and Kerak Temple Shrine. His son, Jay, is listed as the W. Grand Bible Bearer of the Nevada Grand Lodge and is included on the Feb. 1, 2008 Jester "Mirth Missives" subscription list.

    All copies of material reprinted or duplicated from "by Sandy Frost" must include the following credit line: From http://sandyfrost.newsvine.com. Copyright (c) 2009 by Sandy Frost. Used by permission.

  • Former Judge Ronald Tills is being sentenced tomorrow for pleading guilty to violating the Mann Act. He was caught with two others in a FBI human trafficking sting for taking illegal alien prostitutes to weekend meetings of the Royal Order of Jesters so their Master Mason brothers could have sex.

    The Jesters, like their parent organizations, the Shriners and Masons, are nonprofit groups, so it's like partying with prostitutes at taxpayer expense.

    In his defense, pre-sentencing memoranda and letters of support have been submitted and are available on the United States federal court record system AKA PACER.

    A few things bear discussion here but let's first review what happened.

    The FBI had been watching four massage parlors near Buffalo, New York that were fronts for prostitution except that the girls working there were Asian illegal aliens. As agents watched and listened to phone conversations, they heard then Judge Ronald Tills calling the boss lady for appointments with the girls and to giving advice on how to keep them from talking because one had discovered that if she was arrested, she could become a legal resident.
    Not only did Tills frequent the prostitutes, he began taking them to weekend meetings of the Royal Order of Jesters, a secret sub-group of the Shriners.

    Yes, the Shriners.

    They're best known for their red fezzes and driving goofy little cars in parades as they raise money to support their network of 22 hospitals that provide free medical care to burned and crippled children.

    Most people can't wrap their heads around the fact that this secret group, the Jesters, descends from Freemasonry, a group of men who try to make themselves better while preaching brotherly love, tolerance and family values.

    So, Judge Tills was busted with two other Jesters who have already been sentenced to probation, fined and must now register as sex offenders.

    He's being sentenced tomorrow, Friday, August 7 and most likely will spend about two years in the slammer.

    Either way, if he's in prison or somehow sentenced to probation like the other two, he's pretty much screwed.

    Or maybe the better way to put it is marked for death.

    Why?

    As a judge, he sentenced many of the guys he might be hanging out with if he's sent to prison. His pre-sentencing memorandum states that he's had quadruple bypass surgery, has high blood pressure and is in poor health overall.

    No one will need to shank him.

    All they'll have to do is scare him to death.

    I've been investigating the Shriners for over three years now and one of the most shocking things I've learned is that their bylaws state that Shrine law does not include the law of the land. And, like the Masons, if their secrets are revealed, bad things will happen.

    Masonic secrecy vows state "I swear... binding myself under no less a penalty than that of having my throat cut from ear to ear, my tongue torn out by its roots..."

    The Masons swear to protect each other and even lie except in the cases of murder and treason. Other than that, anything goes. If you break them, they will cut you in half and burn your intestines and scatter you to the wind or something equally warm and fuzzy.

    The Shriners will pierce your eyeball with a three bladed knife and flay your feet and send you out to walk the burning sands.

    Judge Tills has cooperated with the government's investigation into the Royal Order of Jesters for sex trafficking and child sex tourism, much like the articles that have been written about Richard Schair, the former fishing tour operator who's close to being prosecuted in Brazil for rape, operating a prostitution network and corruption of minors. Schair came to my attention because he filed a defamation lawsuit against a competitor who produced a witness list in his defense that named 19 members of the Royal Order of Jesters who, as Schair's customers, were expected to testify about their first hand knowledge of sex with minor prostitutes.

    Tills' pre-sentencing memorandum states that when he joined the Royal Order of Jesters, "the group's practice of inviting women, called 'Jester girls,' to the meetings for sexual activities was already a long-standing tradition. Every few years, a letter was sent out advising members that women should not be brought to Jester functions, but everyone knew that the letters were window dressing and not to be taken seriously. Indeed, women always were at Jester functions. The behavior was not isolated to the Buffalo group of Jesters. In fact, it was reported to have occurred at Jester meetings across the country. The motto taught to newcomers 'What you hear here, what you see here, stays here when you leave here' evidences the sort of activity expected at Jester meetings."

    According to the memorandum, the judge recognized that what he saw at the time as friendship and camaraderie in a national organization really was morally bankrupt and often criminal. The judge arranged for women to travel to the various Jester meetings not to make money for himself or even for the organization but only because it was part of his "job description" as the Director of the Buffalo Chapter of the Jesters.

    Judge Tills is the first to testify this extensively against this group and for doing so, is risking his life.

    His attorneys probably should have asked for witness protection because there are 24,000 Jesters wishing he'd never been born.

    Or if you look at it another way, Tills may have helped uncover the biggest front for prostitution ever, with over 20,000 potential "Johns" neatly recorded in membership rosters filed away at national headquarters in Indianapolis, Indiana. If these Jesters didn't participate in or arrange for the prostitution, they at least knew about it and, as such, are accessories who should have reported these crimes.

    Instead, these Master Masons have protected each other.

    Tills cooperation has opened up the floodgates and if the FBI continues investigating, they will find Jesters as deputy directors of law enforcement commissions, high ranking elected officials and even among their own.

    One would think that there would be a huge outcry among the leaders of Freemasonry for the Jesters bringing such shame and bad PR to their doors. But the problem is that many of them attend the same weekend prostitution parties and even arrange for the girls to be there, just like Tills admitted to.

    There is a good part in all of this and that is he's getting help for his alcoholism.

    This next Saturday, I will celebrate 27 years of sobriety.

    I know that we do things we're not proud of while drunk.

    One of the most interesting things from Tills' memorandum is a letter from a service coordinator who works with Alcoholics Anonymous.

    This is an unusual break from tradition but speaks highly of Tills dedication to living sober one day at a time. It's guys like this, who hit rock bottom, who can help other alcoholics recover more than anyone else.

    More than doctors and chemical dependency counselors, it's the reaching out to another alcoholic, sitting down with them and a cup of coffee and letting them know they're not bad, just sick, and by going to meetings and living lives of service and gratitude, there is hope for recovery.

    The United States position is that Tills didn't take prostitutes across state lines once or twice, like the other two he was caught with, but that he did it for years and should spend a couple years thinking about it in prison.

    But what about his cooperation to help investigators uncover a nationwide network of prostitution that is part of the biggest nonprofit fraud of our time?

    Even the U.S. Attorney's office describes the Royal Order of Jesters as an organization that "maintained chapters throughout the United States, including in Western New York, and it was the custom of these chapters to host periodic meetings, usually on weekends, for their members. At most of these meetings, some members of the organization would be tasked to arrange for the presence of women at the meetings, for the specific purpose of utilizing the women to engage in sexual intercourse and other sexual activity with the organization's members in exchange for money."

    Judge Tills has risked his life and the lives of his loved ones by standing up to a group of men who want to see him dead for betraying their dirty little secret.

    Remember, the Jesters are invited from the ranks of Shriner leaders who ruthlessly retaliate against those who expose the fact that they have long abused their positions of public trust for personal gain.

    Yes, Judge Tills should indeed pay his debt to society.

    But society will be better off if he's made an example of by suffering in public as the one who exposed the Royal Order of Jesters instead of spending the rest of his life locked away to suffer in silence.

    .
    All copies of material reprinted or duplicated from "by Sandy Frost" must include the following credit line: From http://sandyfrost.newsvine.com. Copyright (c) 2009 by Sandy Frost. Used by permission.

  • Looks like the Shriners want to return to the business of helping the kids instead of sustaining politics as usual.

  • This former potentate does not appear to be a member of the Royal Order of Jesters, currently under federal investigation for child sex tourism.

  • From the article:

    Kapordelis was initially charged with traveling to Russia and the Czech Republic to engage in "sex tourism" with minors. Prosecutors said the logistics of locating and bringing young witnesses to the United States, combined with the evidence uncovered from computers seized at Kapordelis' home, led them to pursue a child porn case instead.

    U.S. Attorney David Nahmias said in a statement that the appeals court decision "confirmed that Dr. Kapordelis committed sex crimes against children for many years."

    "The court's decision highlights Dr. Kapordelis' complete lack of remorse in the face of these terrible abuses of trust," Nahmias said. "Further, the opinion explains how, if not for the dedicated work of federal investigators who uncovered the complex ways that Dr. Kapordelis concealed both his conduct and his cache of child pornography, we would never have discovered the extent of his crimes."

  • Retired police captain John Trowbridge got off light for his part in the Buffalo Royal Order of Jester prostitution ring.

  • Here are updates in two Shriner and Jester court cases, news that the owner of the fishing tour business who took members of the Royal Order of Jesters (ROJ) fishing on the Amazon has closed shop and has been indicted by Brazilian authorities as well as my reaction to a ROJ spokesman disavowing knowledge of activities for which two Jesters are to be sentenced after both pleaded guilty to violating the Mann Act.

    These seemingly random events could point to the possible convergence of independent investigations involving the Shriners secret sub-group, the Royal Order of Jesters and prostitution.

    First, memberships go like this.

    The Shriners and the Royal Order of Jesters are appendant groups of Freemasonry. One must first be a Master Mason before being able to join sub-groups like the Scottish Rite, Knights Templar and the Shriners. However, one must first be an invited Shriner before joining the Royal Order of Jesters, a self-described "luxury organization for only those who can qualify and who can afford it."

    There are about 23,500 Jesters organized into "courts" that correspond to the 191 Shriner temples located across North America.

    The Jester statement of denial was part of "Probe of Jesters' carousing goes national, Case against 3 men from area wraps up," by Buffalo News reporter Dan Herbeck. It was published yesterday and can be read here.

    Herbeck reminded us that retired police captain John Trowbridge is scheduled to be sentenced tomorrow as he was caught with former New York state Supreme Court justice Ronald Tills and his law clerk Michael Stebick in a FBI human trafficking sting out of Buffalo, New York. The three admitted that they conspired to and/or got prostitutes to weekend Jester parties in Kentucky, Pennsylvania, Florida and Ontario, Canada.

    Stebick was sentenced late last year, details here.

    The Buffalo News also reported that the ROJ court in Big Sandy, Kentucky, was "put on probation because of incidents uncovered in the same federal probe."

    Tills was scheduled to be sentenced on Thursday, May, 7 but instead, a status hearing will be held to reschedule sentencing.

    The other court case involves the University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB) v the Shriners Hospitals for Children as the UTMB is requesting an injunction to prevent the Shriners from closing their Galveston burn hospital because they allegedly failed to give the UTMB adequate notice to relocate all the research projects. The April 29 hearing was rescheduled to June 17. “Shriners Close Galveston Hospital, Sued by UTMB” can be read here.

    According to an announcement on the Peacock Bass Fishing website forum, Richard Schair will be closing his fishing tour company, Wet-A-Line Tours, which is the same fishing company that took members of the Royal Order of Jesters on fishing trips to the Amazon.

    Schair and others were recently indicted by Brazilian authorities who have been investigating “that minor Indian and other girls living near the rivers in the regions of Autazes became victims of sexual exploitation by North-American foreign tourists.”

    Schair had sued a rival fishing tour operator for defamation in May, 2007 after it was alleged that he illegally entered Brazilian Indian reservations to recruit girls, some underage, into prostitution for his clients.

    A witness list for the defense named 19 Jesters who were expected to testify about "their first hand knowledge of prostitution, minor prostitution, use of illegal drugs and/or entry into Indian reservations by Schair (plaintiff) and/or his customers."

    The U.S. District Court witness list also explained that each:

    "was a customer of the plaintiffs who fished with the plaintiffs in Brazil during approximately late August/September 2007. Based on the Wet-A-Line Tours, L.L.C. website, he is believed to be a member of the Royal Order of Jesters as were all other participants on this trip. He is expected to testify that there were twenty Jesters who paid for their trip and that he was one of the nineteen that ultimately participated. He is expected to testify that two boats were supplied by Plaintiffs, one for the Jesters and one for twenty or so girls who accompanied the Jesters. He is expected to testify that the 'activities' of the Jesters that week and the nature and extent of services provided by and/or arranged by Plaintiffs or Plaintiffs representatives. He is also expected to authenticate the many hours of videotape and still photographs taken by Defendants of the Jesters' 'activities' during the 'fishing' trip. He is expected to identify by way of photographs and association the members of the Jesters group, the identity by name or by description of the girls aboard, the ages of the girls aboard and the exact nature of the activities viewable in the video tape."

    Those witnesses believed to be Jesters include William Dewane Meeks, Ferrel Harrison Adams, Jr., Robert Rex Lee, M.D., Robert Rex Lee, II, Thomas Raymond Lee, Don Anderson, Douglas Allan Boynton, Norman Lee Broschous, Robert George Duncan, Phillip Carl Spellens, Claude William Grimes, Carl Wayne Mixon, Sr., Walker Jenkins, Samuel Emmett Newton, Jr., Roy Edward Pennington, Roy Edward Pennington Jr., Edward Beynroth Schwimg, Edward William Sparks, Harry Howlett Waldron.

    It is not clear if there are any connections between Tills' sentencing being rescheduled and Schair's indictment however the transcript of Tills' courtroom plea appearance reports that he was providing "proactive cooperation with respect to the unlawful transportation of individuals for prostitution or other sexual activity prohibited by law, and that includes sex trafficking, sexual exploitation of minors or any international travel for that purpose."

    Court documents in the Schair case indicate that the Brazilian federal police were investigating allegations of sexual abuse brought by five victims who, in their depositions, described how a man named "Richard" lured them into "cleaning" on his fishing boats to discover that they were expected to drink whiskey and have sex with North American tourists.

    You can read more about the Jesters Brazilian fishing trips here:

    Jesters to Testify about Illegal Drugs, Child Prostitution?

    Brazilian Fishing Trip Depositions, Masons pictured having sex with teen prostitutes?”

    Child Sex Tourism: Brazilian Teens Testify About Being Lured into Minor Prostitution for American Tourists

    Finally, here is my reaction to a statement by Rob Leonard, a spokesman for the national Jesters organization who said that the illegal activities involving the Buffalo chapter and prostitutes are highly unusual incidents, involving conduct that would never be condoned by Jesters leaders. He also said the national leaders of the organization have made it very clear to members throughout the country that this kind of conduct is unacceptable.

    Here is my reaction:

    "I've investigated nonprofit corruption for over six years, three of which have been spent looking into the Shriners and am also the first author to expose their dark side. I've been investigating the Royal Order of Jesters (ROJ) for two, so that’s five years. After I was named as a secondary party of interest in a defamation lawsuit filed by the Shriners against the two whistleblowers who first alerted me to this, I wondered what it was that the Shriners were so desperate to hide.

    I published the first ever article about the ROJ just over a year ago and the unexpected response was like hand to hand combat.

    I say to Rob Leonard and the Royal Order of Jesters 'Prove it' because the paper trail leading through the Michael J. Dillon U. S. Court House in Buffalo indicates otherwise.

    So, where is this Jester directive?

    Who wrote it?

    When was it sent?

    What did it say, because a directive sent to the ROJ membership last January indicates they're updating their emailing list so they can continue keeping track of their 'Books around the Realm' and that 'the only reason for this medium to exist is to promote spreading the Gospel of Mirth by encouraging our members to travel.'

    It was sent at the direction of Gary N. Martin, a head Jester who is also on the Board of Governors for the Mexico Shriner hospital. (Update: The contact name and phone number on the Jester e-mail have been verified and are that of a California anesthesiology and medical practice consultant.)

    This illustrates why those concerned about hospital closures should factor in the possibility of mismanagement as the majority of those on both Shriner boards are also Jesters. This should reinforce the importance of that internal investigation into allegations of unethical conduct and corruption by two top Shriner leaders who are also Jesters.

    Plea agreements include facts agreed upon by both the defendant and the U.S. government. In Judge Tills' case, the transcript of his plea agreement hearing before Judge Skretny reports that he's considering reducing Tills' sentence for pleading guilty to violating the Mann Act from ten years down to possibly a year and a half for providing proactive cooperation in the government's investigation in to sex trafficking and the sexual exploitation of minors and international travel for those purposes.

    This tells me that the Feds are also investigating the Jesters for child sex tourism.

    Both Tills and the U.S. government further agreed to the fact that he coordinated prostitutes for a national meeting up in Canada with the cooperation of ROJ national officers. Additionally, court documents have basically described the Royal Order of Jesters as a men’s organization with nationwide chapters, for which some members get prostitutes for their weekend meetings.

    This is contrary to what Rob Leonard said.

    I’ve studied all associated court documents since you first broke this story and let me say that I have compassion for those three Jesters caught in the FBI human trafficking sting because it looks like ROJ national is throwing them under the bus.

    Those comments by Jester leaders indicate they’re either truth challenged or are ignorant of the facts.

    Do I think the Royal Order of Jesters should lose their tax exempt status?

    From all indications, the IRS needs to launch a CSI-type investigation to make that determination. Additionally, the Senate Finance Committee should hold hearings into issues of nonprofit compliance with the Royal Order of Jesters as a test case because, according to sources, they’ve known about this for over a year now.

    The worst thing is that it hurts of all those hardworking Shriners who have dedicated their lives to helping the kids. They should never have been so misled, abused and disrespected.”

    All copies of material reprinted or duplicated from "by Sandy Frost" must include the following credit line: From http://sandyfrost.newsvine.com/ Copyright © 2009 by Sandy Frost. Used by permission.

  • Jesters deny, all other sources, including me, have their say about this Masonic group's nonprofit ties to prostitution.

  • Story Photo

    Editor's Note:
    This resource was created as a public service for those wanting to know more about the Shriners' secret sub-group, the Royal Order of Jesters. The intention is to provide more information in advance of the April 29 UTMB v Shriners hearing in Galveston, Texas and the May 6 and 7 sentencings of those two Jesters caught by the FBI in a human trafficking sting out of Buffalo, NY.
    Thank you,
    Sandy Frost
    Starbucks, WA

    The buzz at this year's Shriner Fourth of July convention is going to be how their endowment lost $3 billion in less than a year, on top of losing $1 million a day since 2001, as everyone was blindsided by the news that the joint boards are considering closing six of their hospitals "because of the economy."

    If anyone asks Shriner leaders "Where did all the money go?" they will be hushed up or threatened or told to leave or brought up on "charges" before an internal kangaroo court or sued for defamation or otherwise retaliated against.

    There is a bigger problem, however, that the Shriners should address. It is one that leaders will never acknowledge and one that members will never be allowed to discuss and that is the Shriners secret sub-group, the Royal Order of Jesters and their prostitution/sex crime scandals.

    Though the Jesters are holding their annual meeting at the same time as the Shriners convention in San Antonio, they will be persona non grata and swept under the rug.

    Why?

    Because the majority those who control the Shriners joint boards are also Jesters. Why would they implicate themselves and invite more scrutiny when the media is already asking about hospital closures? What if anyone factored mismanagement, corruption and a lack of ethics into the "blame the economy" equation to hypothesize a corporate model that either allowed or facilitated these staggering losses?

    So what does the Shriner/Jester family tree look like?

    The Shriners and the Royal Order of Jesters are appendant groups of Freemasonry. One must first be a Master Mason before being able to join sub-groups like the Scottish Rite, Knights Templar and the Shriners. However, one must first be an invited Shriner before joining the Royal Order of Jesters, a self-described "luxury organization for only those who can qualify and who can afford it."

    There are about 23,500 Jesters organized into "courts" that correspond to the 191 Shriner temples located across North America.

    Below is a list of Jester related articles, beginning with "Jesters Exposed," the first article ever written about the ROJ.

    It was published on February 15, 2008 and was mostly about nonprofit tax technicalities and how the nonprofit group's leaders ordered that the internet be scrubbed of ROJ information to "minimize to the extent possible, our public exposure or its access to Jesters information" because it had been alleged that their weekend meetings were nothing more than prostitution parties where they drank and played high stakes poker at taxpayer expense.

    A few days after that, I learned about how 19 Jesters were named on a witness list for the defense in a defamation action between two fishing tour operators who took groups to fish the Amazon in Brazil. "'Jesters' To Testify about Illegal Drugs, Child Prostitution?" was published about three weeks later, on March 6, 2008, and reported how these Jesters were expected to testify about "their first hand knowledge of prostitution, minor prostitution, use of illegal drugs and/or the alleged illegal entry of one of the tour operators into Indian reservations by the plaintiff and his customers."

    Three days later, on March 9, 2008, The Buffalo News reported "Former Judge Tills resigns amid FBI prostitution investigation."

    Reporters Dan Herbeck and Aaron Besecker wrote:

    "A retired State Supreme Court justice resigned his post as a hearing officer as federal agents investigate his alleged role in taking a local massage parlor worker across state lines for purposes of prostitution. FBI and U.S. Border Patrol agents are investigating allegations that retired Judge Ronald H. Tills, his former law clerk and a retired police captain took the female massage parlor employee in a motor home to a gathering of members of a nationwide group called the Royal Order of Jesters."

    Turns out the judge, his law clerk and the retired police captain got caught in a FBI human trafficking sting and pleaded guilty to taking, or conspiring to take, illegal alien prostitutes to Jester parties in Kentucky, Pennsylvania and Florida as well as a national meeting held in Ontario, Canada. The law clerk was sentenced last December to four months home confinement, fined $5,000, ordered to 250 hours of community service and put on two years probation.

    The former judge and retired police captain are scheduled to be sentenced May 6 and 7 for violating the Mann Act.

    Below is a chronological list of Jester articles, with links to those documents being described including Jester tax returns that show how they spent nearly $600,000 on one of their weekend parties, a revised constitution that shows the interdependence between the Shriners and Jesters, a list of meetings, ceremonies like "The Book of the Play," depositions and plea agreements.

    http://sandyfrost.newsvine.com/_news/2008/02/15/1304754-jesters-exposed”">Jesters Exposed Fri Feb 15, 2008 9:35 PM EST

    This is the first article ever written about the Shriner secret sub-group, the Royal Order of Jesters or ROJ. It reports:

    • ROJ 2005 tax returns AKA the 990s show that the Jesters fraternal brought in over $1.3 million dollars with assets totaling over $1.8 million dollars.

    • ROJ 2005 tax returns show that Jesters charitable brought in over $420,000 with assets totaling $835,000, for a combined worth of about $2.65 million dollars and that charitable contributions went toward building their new $1.2 million 5,000 square foot HQ/museum in Indianapolis, Indiana.

    • In 2006, ROJ executive director Alex Rogers, who is also an attorney and past potentate, submitted an application for property tax exemption to the Marion County Assessor that was initially denied because tax authorities were not convinced that the Jesters qualified as a charity, based on the museum claims, under Indiana law.

    • Rogers appealed the decision and convinced the Indiana Tax Assessment Board of Appeals that the Jesters are an appendant body of Masonry. Both parties entered into a Settlement Agreement in January, 2007 that stipulated a 100% fraternal tax exemption for the year 2005, otherwise the Jesters would have had to cough up about $12,000 in property taxes.

    • Two ROJ executive directors appear to be practicing law out of Jester HQ in Indiana and Texas. IRS nonprofit laws state that no one shall benefit personally from a nonprofit group.

    • “Royal Stage Manager” Dennis Schueler sent a letter to Jester webmaster Frank Baillie, informing him that the Jesters had “directed the abolition of all Jester-related bulletin boards and internet sites. The primary reason behind such action was the desire of the Board to minimize to the extent possible, our public exposure or its access to Jesters information.”

    • ROJ functions have always been listed on the Imperial Council’s annual session agenda.

    • Shriners’ corporate communications director, Alicia Aargiz-Lyons failed to respond to phone messages and emailed questions about the Royal Order of Jesters.

    "Jesters" To Testify about Illegal Drugs, Child Prostitution?
    Thu Mar 6, 2008 1:35 PM EST

    This article is about how 19 Jesters were named on a witness list for the defense in a federal defamation lawsuit and associated court documents. It reports:

    • Federal court documents filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida, Miami Division regarding a defamation lawsuit between two fishing tour operators, Richard Schair and Phillip Marsteller, includes a defense witness list that names 19 witnesses who are members of the ROJ and are expected to testify about fishing trips to Brazil and “their first hand knowledge of prostitution, minor prostitution, use of illegal drugs and/or entry into Indian reservations by Schair (plaintiff) and/or his customers.”

    • The ROJ was investigated by the Masonic Grand Lodge of Texas in 2005 after they received a complaint alleging Jester parties revolved around sex with prostitutes, illegal gambling and alcohol. It ended with no “prosecutions.”

    • The Wichita Jester Court #24 reported to the IRS that they spent $122,102 in 2006 for the exempt purpose of “recreation, entertainment and companionship.”

    • The Long Beach Jester Court #161 reported to the IRS that they spent $82,543 in 2006 as “benefits paid to members.”

    • Five girls gave statements to Brazilian federal police officers last year as they were investigating “minor Indian and other girls living near the rivers in the region of the Municipality of Autazes/AM who became victims of sexual exploitation by North American foreign tourists.”

    • These depositions described how the girls were, at the time of the alleged minor prostitution, aged 13, 14, 16.

    • One of the 16 year olds stated that her 14 year old sister was also recruited.

    • All the girls state they were lured onto the fishing boat by someone named "Richard."

    • These depositions describe the crime otherwise known as “child sex tourism.”


    Judge Central Figure in FBI Probe, the S.O.B.I.B. and the Jesters' Half Million Dollar Weekend Parties

    Sat Apr 12, 2008 1:30 PM PDT

    This article describes how Shriner/Jester and former New York Supreme Court Judge Tills has become the focus of the FBI’s investigation, exposes a clandestine Jester sub-group called the S.O.B.I.B. and details shocking data found on Jester tax returns. It reports:

    • Tills is listed as a member of an inside Jesters group called the "S.O.B.I.B." The acronym allegedly stands for something like "Secret Order of Brother/s in Blood."

    • Ralph Semb, chairman of the board of trustees for the Shriners Hospitals for Children, is both a Jester and a member of the S.O.B.I.B.

    • The International Royal Order of Jesters, Inc. and the National Court of the Royal Order of Jesters fail to list the S.O.B.I.B. on line 80b of their 2003, 2004 and 2005 tax returns. Line 80a asks "Is the organization related (other than by association with a statewide or nationwide organization) through common membership, governing bodies, trustees, officers, etc., to any other exempt or non exempt organizations?" Line 80b asks “If 'Yes,' enter the name of the organization."

    • The Jesters further fail to correctly answer questions about their exempt purpose.

    • Tax returns report that in 2003, the Jesters' weekend ritual “The Book of the Play” (BOP) expenses were $226,268, with income of $400,548. In 2004, they spent $545,806 on the BOP, with income of $584,661. In 2005, they spent $307,345 with income of $454,783.

    • Three years of ROJ tax returns report that director's expense as $31,116, $24,778 and $31,865 respectively, though these expenses are not reported in Part II.

    • Three years of ROJ tax returns list $0 for Program Services.

    • Three years of ROJ tax returns report gross receipts of $1,208,146, $1,394,551 and $1,310, 539.

    • A Thursday, December 20, 2007 request for the ROJ 2006 990 and Form 1023 remains unanswered. (The Form 1023 is a group's application for tax exempt status. IRS regulations state that the organization must provide the requested document/s within 30 days from the date it received the request.)


    Brazilian Fishing Trip Depositions: "Masons" Pictured Having Sex with Teen Prostitutes?

    Sun May 25, 2008 3:55 PM PDT

    This is the second article requiring an “Adult Warning.” What began as a defamation lawsuit between two fishing tour operators has led to the possibility that “Masons” participated in child sex tourism and minor prostitution. It reports:

    · Two fishing guides, previously employed by the plaintiff, were deposed by the Brazilian federal police to describe what they witnessed as part of their same investigation into the international crime of “child sex tourism.”

    · These guides spent three days in Miami with attorneys from both sides, interpreters, a videographer and both parties as they testified about what they witnessed in pictures of “Masons” allegedly having sex with teen prostitutes on “Wet-a-Line” fishing boats, some underage.

    · Brazilian teens lured into prostitution told fishing tour guides that they had “sex of all kinds” with those on “Wet-A-Line” tours.

    · Tour guides described going by fishing boats as the girls engaged in oral sex with the fishermen.

    · Tour guides identified groups of American men who went on these tours year after year to party, drink, watch strip contests, have sex and take drugs.

    · Tour guides said that girls as young as 9, 13, and 14 were used as prostitutes on the fishing boats.

    · Tour guides identified those who returned each year as “Masons.”

    · “Masons” were pictured with two underage prostitutes at a party on the fishing boat.

    · The “Masons” asked for girls over 13.


    Child Sex Tourism: Brazilian Teens Testify About Being Lured into Minor Prostitution for American Tourists

    Mon Jun 2, 2008 5:58 PM EDT

    This is the third of three articles related to how 19 Jesters were called as to testify for the defense in a federal lawsuit about their alleged firsthand knowledge of minor prostitution while fishing trips to Brazil. It reports:

    · Child sex tourism is in the news.

    · Five girl’s depositions were taken by the Brazilian Federal Police that allege how same man named

    · “Richard” went to the same village every year, luring girls to help him with housekeeping and cooking on his boat.

    · Upon arriving at the boat, the girls discover they were to drink whiskey and have sex with the fishermen.

    · The girls report that they are victims of sexual abuse perpetuated by a group of North American tourists.

    · One 13 year old reported that was left pregnant.

    · These Indian families live way below poverty.

    · “Richard” failed to pay the girls what was promised.

    Jester Confesses to Wife He Organized Prostitutes
    Mon Aug 25, 2008 4:10 PM EDT

    This is an interview with a wife who discovered that as her husband became more and more involved with the Jesters, he was getting prostitutes to Jester functions. It reports:

    · The ROJ is a strictly stag, luxury organization for no purpose other than to “spread mirth.”

    · Wives are allowed at only two events a year.

    · The husband said that the Jesters have a “pool” of girls.

    · Certain Jesters request their favorite girls.

    · Each court's director assigns the job of inviting the girls.

    · The Jesters have a doctor who checks the girls “papers.”

    · Every court has a member who organizes the girls for their BOP.

    · The U.S. Attorney's office describes the Royal Order of Jesters as organization that “maintained chapters throughout the United States, including in Western New York, and it was the custom of these chapters to host periodic meetings, usually on weekends, for their members. At most of these meetings, some members of the organization would be tasked to arrange for the presence of women at the meetings, for the specific purpose of utilizing the women to engage in sexual intercourse and other sexual activity with the organization's members in exchange for money."

    Judge Tills Pleads Guilty, Admits Coordinating Prostitutes with Jester National Representatives
    Thu Sep 11, 2008 10:14 PM EDT

    This article is based on a Department of Justice press release that reports “Terrance P. Flynn, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of New York, announced today that RONALD H. TILLS, 73, a former State Supreme Court Judge from Hamburg, New York, pleaded guilty to Information charging him with knowingly transporting a female in interstate commerce with the intent that the female engage in prostitution (Mann Act).” It reports:

    • The 9/11 terrorist attack did not deter Judge Tills from getting prostitutes to a weekend Jester party because air traffic was delayed or suspended.

    • Judge Tills arranged for the transportation of prostitutes from the Buffalo airport to the Jesters’ national meeting then being held in Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada.

    • Tills agreed with representatives of the Jesters’ National Court that members of the Buffalo Court #22 would get the women from the Buffalo airport to the hotel in Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada, where the national Jesters meeting was being held.

    • Judge Tills paid one of these prostitutes to engage in sexual acts with him at a massage parlor.

    • Tills and Trowbridge knowingly transported a different illegal alien from New York to a Jester meeting in Pennsylvania to engage in sexual intercourse and other sexual activity

    • Judge Tills arranged for a woman from Buffalo to attend a Jester party in Florida to engage in sexual intercourse and other sexual activity and be paid for it.

    • Judge Tills arranged for several women from New York, Ohio and Texas to attend a Jester meeting in Brantford, Ontario, Canada to engage in sexual intercourse and other sexual activity and be paid for it.

    • Judge Tills held high offices in the Masonic Grand Lodge of New York and the Ismailia Shriners.

    • ROJ bylaws show that they are closely related to the Shriners, with national events being held together as well as ROJ courts dependent on where Shriner temples are located.

    Jester Prostitution Updates, Stebick Sentenced
    Sun Dec 7, 2008 7:11 PM EST

    This is the last story of the year and the headline sums it up. It reports:

    · Michael Stebick, 61 was put on probation for two years, ordered to pay a $5,000 fine and directed to provide 250 hours of community service.

    · According to sentencing Judge Skretny, the victim in the case was put up in a hotel by the Jesters, with a sign stating '$70-an-hour' posted outside her room.

    · Pictures show Jesters fishing, drinking and cuddling with Brazilian girls.

    · John Trowbridge’s sentencing November 4 date was been again rescheduled for May 6, 2009.

    · The owner of the “massage parlors,” Len Wah Chong, was sentenced on November 19 to six years in federal prison for enslaving as many as 11 illegal alien prostitutes. She pleaded guilty early last April to "Sex Trafficking of Persons by Force, Fraud and Coercion." She forfeited two properties, $70K in cash and jewelry seized and now must pay $350,000 in restitution to those she kept as sex slaves.

    · The Richard W. Schair and Wet-a-Line Tours LLC v Phillip Marsteller and Amazon Tours, Inc. defamation lawsuit was settled out of court on Friday, December, 5.

    · Defendant Marsteller was honored on Monday, September 15, 2008 at a ceremony held at the Church Center of the UN. He, on behalf of his Peacock Bass fishing business Amazon Tours, Inc., took a public stand against child sex tourism by signing "The Code" AKA Code of Conduct for the Protection of Children from Sexual Exploitation in Travel and Tourism. The event was sponsored by ECPAT, which stands for "End Child Prostitution Child Pornography and Trafficking of Children for Sexual Purposes."

    · On Wednesday, December 3, 2008, Imperial Potentate Douglas Maxwell, Chairman of the SHC Board of Trustees Ralph Semb and Corporate Director of Public Relations Alicia Aargiz-Lyons were emailed the following questions "What is your reaction to the latest news articles about those members of the Royal Order of Jesters pleading guilty in Buffalo to violating the Mann Act?” and “Those Jesters allegedly involved with child sex tourism?" To date, no response.

    Results: The plaintiff in the defamation lawsuit between two fishing tour operators settled out of court with the defendant.

    Tills' Sentencing Rescheduled in Jester Prostitution Case
    Mon Jan 12, 2009 4:17 PM PST

    This article reports that:

    · Judge Tills’ sentencing was rescheduled from January 12, 2009 to May 7, 2009.

    · Questions about these matters repeatedly phoned and emailed to the Masonic Grand Lodge of New York remain unanswered.

    · On Wednesday, December 3, 2008, Imperial Potentate Douglas Maxwell, Chairman of the Shriners Hospitals for Children Board of Trustees and member of the Royal Order of Jesters, Ralph Semb and Corporate Director of Public Relations Alicia Aargiz-Lyons were asked “What is your reaction to the latest news articles about those members of the Royal Order of Jesters pleading guilty in Buffalo to violating the Mann Act?" To date, all three have failed to respond.

    The Shriners & "Management by Mirth"
    Sat Mar 14, 2009 5:31 PM PDT

    This editorial points out that the majority of those on the Shriners joint boards are also members of the Royal Order of Jesters and reports:

    · Eleven out of twelve on the SHC board of trustees are Jesters.

    · Nine out of fourteen of those listed on the 2006 fraternal tax return are Jesters.

    · By the end of 2008, four key executives had "resigned" because they opposed recontracting with a fundraiser as not being in the hospital's best interests and may have personally benefitted some board members.

    · With the hospital's executive vice president, director of corporate development, controller and senior attorney gone, those Jesters in charge were free to run things without much, if any, corporate oversight.

    · The corporate model of "Management by Mirth" could prove fatal because it's based on undisclosed conflicts of interest. It's based on deception because the Shriners have hidden this affiliation with the Royal Order of Jesters from the IRS by not listing them as an affiliated group on their tax returns.

    All copies of material reprinted or duplicated from "by Sandy Frost" must include the following credit line: From http://sandyfrost.newsvine.com/ Copyright © 2008 by Sandy Frost. Used by permission.

  • Ralph Semb is featured in this Associated Press article as he explains about the Shriners' financial crisis and decisions to strongly consider closing many of their hospitals because they can't afford to keep them open. He's telling the press the endowment has been shrinking since 2001 but fails to disclose that he's been at the helm since 2002. In other words, this has happened on his watch, the loss of $1 million a day.

  • Lois Lerner, the IRS's director of tax-exempt organizations, told a gathering of lawyers representing charities Monday that scrutiny of nonprofits' pay practices is likely to increase.
    Ms. Lerner said a recent IRS report on nonprofit hospital pay "raised some eyebrows." The report, which surveyed 489 institutions, found pay for the top official at nonprofit hospitals averaged $490,000 a year. Among a select 20 hospitals that paid relatively higher amounts, the compensation figure averaged $1.4 million. The IRS declined to name the hospitals.

  • This guest column in the Beaumont Enterprise shares this:

    "On Jan. 4, 2009, 22-month-old Alexandra Galaviz died in a San Antonio hospital after suffering burns to 35-40 percent of her body in a mobile home fire between Houston and Galveston. Because the Shriners Hospital in Galveston was unavailable, the little girl was flown to San Antonio by medical helicopter for treatment. If the Shriners Hospital had been available, the flight would have taken a few minutes and there is a good possibility that she would still be alive. During that same week, several other severely burned children were flown from Houston to San Antonio for treatment because it was closed."

  • Here are community comments in reaction to the Spokane SHC being considered for closure.

  • GALVESTON — Local Shriners vowed Wednesday to take their case for reopening the storm-damaged Shriners Hospital for Children in Galveston to convention delegates after the national leadership again decided to keep it closed.

    Officials of the 1,000-member Galveston-based El Mina Shrine were notified Tuesday that their plea to reopen the hospital and its world famous burn center had been denied for the second time.

  • The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston asks a Galveston County District Court for a restraining order against Shriners Hospital Galveston to prevent the hospital's closing because they were given only two weeks notice to move the research lab, equipment and projects.
    The Shriners joint boards decided last Tuesday to close the Galveston hospital, citing a loss of $3 billion out of $8 billion.

  • Another news story about the implications of the Shriners keeping SHC Galveston closed and what it means to a lifelong Shriner when his own grandson, who was badly burned, can't be treated quickly by the hospitals he's spent his life supporting.

    From the article:

    "Before Ike, Dylan would have been taken to the Shriners Burn Hospital in Galveston. But now the closest pediatric burn unit capable of handling his case was in Shreveport, Louisiana. The news was heartbreaking to Dylan's grandfather, a lifelong Shriner."

  • Results of the Shriners' decision to close SHC Galveston are reported in this news story from the Houston Chronicle. It begins:

    A toddler has died after suffering burns to 35 to 40 percent of her body in a mobile home fire in east Harris County over the weekend, investigators said.

    Alexandra Galaviz, a 22-month-old girl, died around 7:45 p.m. Sunday at University Hospital in San Antonio, where she was flown by medical helicopter after the blaze.

    She is one of several young burn victims from the Houston area flown to the San Antonio hospital's pediatric burn unit in the past week. Shriners Hospital for Children in Galveston remains closed since Hurricane Ike devastated the island.

  • If you scroll down to the bottom of this page, you will find if you have a representative on this sub-committee. This hearing has huge implications for those who oversee clinical research and profit from it.

  • Animal Rights Group Debuts New Ad Urging Parents to Pursue Legal Action on Behalf of Kids Hurt While Waiting to Ride Elephant

  • Story Photo

    You know the Shriners.

    Those grandfatherly types with the secret handshake who proudly wear their red Fezzes while parading around in those goofy little cars.

    Their Saturdays are spent repairing their clubs so they can raise money for their Shriners Hospitals for Children (SHC) by serving up pancake breakfasts and family fish fries.

    Some will get up at zero dawn thirty and start applying their clown makeup so they can drive in their colorful costumes to a nearby hospital, where they will dance and sing while twisting up balloon animals to put a smile on the bandaged face of a badly burned baby.

    Others drive hundreds of miles transporting patients.

    These 375,000 or so men meet in 191 North American temples to support their $8 billion network of 22 hospitals that provides free medical care to burned and crippled children.

    They are retired business men, military vets, lawyers, doctors, politicians, bankers, sheriffs, judges and others who want to share the secrets of their success and best business practices to support their hospitals and beloved fraternity. Their fraternal bonds are first established through Freemasonry as one must first be a Master Mason before joining appendant groups like the Scottish Rite, the Knights Templar, the Shriners and their secret sub-group, the Royal Order of Jesters.

    The hospitals are staffed with thousands of dedicated professionals, who may have spent the day studying for their latest certification, only to return to a kitchen destroyed by the piranha clan's latest feeding frenzy. These professionals make sure that everything is ready so they can save an incoming child's life while calming the terrified parents. They also see if the patient qualifies for clinical study because some of these hospitals conduct world class research to develop commercial burn treatments.

    This is the good stuff.

    Then there are those Shriners who've been kicked out, sued into silence and otherwise retaliated against for asking questions like "Why are your tax returns so messed up?" or "Where does all the money go?"

    These are not those who've been investigated by the Office of Human Research Protection, the FDA, the EEOC or a first ever internal committee organized to investigate allegations that two top Shriner leaders behaved unethically. The FBI and Western New York Human Trafficking Task Force and Alliance are currently investigating the Royal Order of Jesters for sex crimes.

    These investigations don't quite match the squeaky clean image carefully crafted by Shriner spin doctors because after the curtain is pulled back, we find a dark side, hidden even from their own, until now.

    A list of findings includes how:

    • An internal Shriner committee was organized to investigate allegations that Ralph Semb, Chairman of the SHC Board of Trustees and Imperial Treasurer Gene Bracewell behaved unethically and with conflicts of interest.

    • Semb fired the hospitals' Director of Development in retaliation for not supporting his efforts to rehire of Vantage Direct Marketing after the fundraiser pocketed $43 million out of $47 million raised for the hospitals.

    • Semb and Bracewell contacted confidential employment reviewers to get the same guy fired for poor job performance.

    • Bracewell admitted he got a free trip from Vantage in 2007.

    • Semb executed an allegedly fraudulent tax return.

    • Headquarters personnel lived in a culture of fear, scared they'd be fired if they didn't bend to the wills of leaders like Semb and Bracewell.

    • The Director of Temple Accounting told the Shriners' Treasurers Association to disclose the minimum to the IRS.

    • 15 out of 18 temple crimes go unprosecuted to keep their names out of the newspaper. Compared to the $43 million kept by Vantage, losses ranging from 91% to 84% are apparently acceptable.

    • A former CFO is currently visiting Club Fed after embezzling over $820,000 from the St. Louis SHC.

    • The Shriners' East West game lost nearly $2 million over four years.

    • The Cincinnati SHC was named in warning letters from both the Office of Human Research Protection and the FDA for violating clinical study rules and regulations.

    • The EEOC investigated the Chicago SHC and found in favor of two Latina employees who are now suing the hospital for civil rights violations.

    • The FBI is investigating the Royal Order of Jesters for interstate prostitution.

    By the way, both Semb and Bracewell are also Jesters.

    So, why are things so screwed up?

    Maybe it's because eleven out of twelve of SHC trustees are Jesters.

    Fourteen out of twenty one of those listed on the SHC 2006 tax returns are Jesters.

    Nine out of fourteen of those listed on the 2006 fraternal tax return are Jesters. (1)

    By the end of 2008, four key executives had "resigned" because they opposed the Vantage deal as not being in the hospital's best interests and may have personally benefitted some board members. With the hospital's executive vice president, director of corporate development, controller and senior attorney gone, those Jesters in charge were free to run things without much, if any, corporate oversight.

    So, why should anyone care if the Shriners are run by members of secret sub-group with guys who coordinate prostitutes for their weekend parties?

    Or according to one U.S Attorney:

    "This organization maintained chapters throughout the United States, including in Western New York, and it was the custom of these chapters to host periodic meetings, usually on weekends, for their members. At most of these meetings, some members of the organization would be tasked to arrange for the presense of women at the meeting, for the specific purpose of utiizing the women to engage in sexual intercourse and other sexual activity with the organization's members in exchange for money."

    So, again, why should anyone care?

    Because the IRS does.

    Nonprofit groups exist for any lawful purpose that provides public benefit in exchange for billions in tax considerations.

    The Shriners describe their exempt purpose as:

    "An international network of pediatric hospitals dedicated to providing excellent patient care, research, and education for orthopaedic conditions, burns, spinal cord injuries and cleft lip and palate. Our specialized medical care, backed by the skills and knowledge of the staff in 22 hospitals, delivers expert, family focused care at no charge."

    The Royal Order of Jesters describes their exempt purpose as:

    "Held annual events which were devoted to fraternalism and spreading the gospel of mirth and good cheer."

    The Jesters' National 2007 tax return reports that they spent nearly $600,000 on one of their weekend parties, page 11, "Other Expenses."

    That's over $12,000 an hour.

    That's how much an average family of four spends a year on health insurance.

    This guy tells you how to live on $12,000 a year.

    So, how much do nonprofit tax considerations amount to?

    According to Steven T. Miller, Commissioner of the IRS Tax Exempt section:

    "The annual tax expenditure for these entities (that is, the cost to the government to forego tax) is estimated at $283 billion per year. In a word, our job at TE/GE is to insure that those who are getting this enormous benefit are the kinds of entities, engaged in the kinds of activities that Congress intended when it granted the exemption."

    Miller explained one abusive situation:

    "The first category concerns charities that abuse their tax-advantaged status. One example consists of charities that are established in order to benefit their donors. Typically, these involve a donor who receives a charitable contribution deduction while maintaining control over the contributed assets, often using them for personal gain." (2)

    A lawsuit between fishing tour operators included a witness list of 19 Jesters, called by the defense to testify about their first hand knowledge of sex with minors while on a Brazilian fishing trip. What if these guys donated to their Jester court, deducted these donations on their personal tax returns, then had the Jesters pay for their fishing trip?

    Back to the Jester controlled joint boards.

    The corporate model of "Management by Mirth" could prove fatal because it's based on undisclosed conflicts of interest. It's based on deception because the Shriners have hidden this affiliation with the Royal Order of Jesters from the IRS by not listing them as an affiliated group on their tax returns.

    Considering both groups' scandals, could there be a common mindset here, common to these Shriner and Jester ethical lapses? Maybe its how certain leaders act, as if they are above the law? Shriner by-laws state that "Shrine law does not include the law of the land."

    These investigations are calibrating the tipping point between the public benefit provided and the public burden of us paying for these expensive, extensive investigations.

    Though "Management by Mirth" may have seriously sidetracked the Shriners from their exempt purpose, oversight by law enforcement is no way to run a nonprofit group.

    (1) These numbers may be off by one or two, but either way, the Jester majority still exists.

    (2) Steven T. Miller, Commissioner TE/GE, SPEECH TO IRS Tax FORUMS, Houston, Texas, July 12, 2005

    All copies of material reprinted or duplicated from "by Sandy Frost" must include the following credit line: From http://sandyfrost.newsvine.com/ Copyright © 2009 by Sandy Frost. Used by permission.

  • TAMPA - Police arrested the chief of staff of Shriners Hospitals for Children, Tampa Unit on a misdemeanor-driving under the influence charge this morning, records show.

  • Shriners Hospitals for Children not named on Forbes "Safest Hospitals" list.

  • GALVESTON — The chairman of Shriners Hospitals for Children is scheduled to be in Galveston on Monday first for a meeting with the local board of directors and then an afternoon session with employees of the Galveston hospital.

    The board already sent a letter to Semb arguing for the hospital to remain open.

    A contingent of Shriners also is expected to hold a rally outside the hospital Monday morning. Representatives from the Mexican Consulate are also expected to be there.

  • GALVESTON — Ralph Semb, CEO of Shriners Hospitals for Children, spent more than an hour Monday besieged by hundreds of employees, volunteers and patients — some who said they had been betrayed and misled — demanding answers to many questions, including those about how managers had allowed the endowment that funds the island hospital along with 22 other pediatric centers to lose $3 billion.

  • The UNICEF Centre rehabilitates sexually exploited girls by providing them with vocational training and medical care, including HIV testing and psychological support. Nadia is pursuing vocational training to become a hairdresser. Nadia, now 15, was 13 when she first got involved.

  • Omar Temple is in the news again, this time for not sharing their parking lot with bridge walkers/runners whose street parking creates dangerous situations. This matter had to go up the chain of command and reflects Shriner corporate's true attitude. The article cites the reason as having too many scheduled events yet there is nothing to indicate this on the Omar Temple website.

  • A newspaper in Ashland, Kentucky picks up on their end of the FBI's investigation into the Royal Order of Jesters prostitution scandal.

    "A former New York Supreme Court official was sentenced in federal court last month for using his motor home to transport an illegal alien prostitute to a convention that took place in Ashland in 2005."

  • The article reports that assistant prosecutor Bill Anderson proved that police officer Clayton Neel, the illustrious potentate of Shriners' Sinai Temple 59 in Walnut Hills, had returned the license to a fellow Shriner, who was manager at the Grenadier Club, a social club for Shriners.

    During the trial, King testified Neel returned his license when the two were in the Grenadier Club.

    Neel blamed one of his fellow officers for making the paperwork on King's arrest disappear.

  • BRIDGEPORT, Conn. (AP) — A New York man was sentenced Friday to more than 24 years in prison for sex trafficking a 12-year-old girl in a case authorities say was a modern form of slavery.

    Corey ``Magnificent'' Davis, 36, was sentenced to 293 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Janet Hall after pleading guilty in March to a federal sex trafficking charge.

    Prosecutors say Davis forced girls as young as 12 to work as dancers and prostitutes, confining them to a house in Queens, N.Y. while he lived a life of luxury that included driving a Mercedes and wearing expensive jewelry.

  • Story Photo

    Update:

    A second Jester has come forward.

    His answers are now included.

    Sandy Frost
    December 9, 2008
    Starbucks, WA

    Editor's Note: Not that gambling wildly, getting snot slinging drunk and doing prostitutes are bad things. I mean, what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas, right? But to do so as a non profit group is, well, nothing more than a hardcore hustle. Last spring, three Jesters were caught by the FBI and pleaded guilty to violating the Mann Act. Their plea agreements describe how other Jesters’ organize prostitutes for their weekend binges. In another case, nineteen others are linked to child sex tourism. Here is an interview with two former Jesters that confirms the original email that started it all. FYI, questions about the Royal Order of Jesters sent to the Grand Lodge of New York and the Shriners the past year remain stonewalled.

    Thank you,

    Sandy Frost

    Starbucks, Washington

    In December, 2002, Jester National Officer Dennis R. Schueler, wrote to Jester webmaster Frank Bailie:

    "The purpose of this letter is to inform you that at a recent Board of Directors meeting of the Royal Order of Jesters, a resolution was passed which directed the abolition of all Jester-related bulletin boards and internet sites. The primary reason behind such action was the desire of the Board to minimize to the extent possible our public exposure or its access to Jester information.

    Royal Director Bill Ross appointed me to investigate all such sites and to request the webmaster to terminate them forthwith."

    Then, in April, 2005, it became apparent why they wanted to be invisible.

    The "Sam Houston" email was published online and instantly became the sole source of information about the Shriners' dirty little secret, the Royal Order of Jesters.

    It had been sent to Texas Masons as well as the Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Texas, begging him to investigate the Royal Order of Jesters for prostitution and other "unMasonic" activities. The investigation found nothing as none of those questioned would incriminate themselves or betray their Shriner/Jester brothers.

    Fortunately, two former Jesters have come forward to verify what "Sam Houston" wrote.

    But first, memberships go like this.

    One must first be a Master Mason who can then join groups like the Scottish Rite, the Knights Templar and the Shriners. A Shriner must be secretly invited into the Royal Order of Jesters.

    Some say that the Jesters wield undue influence over the Shriners.

    Seven out of twelve of the Shriners Hospitals Board of Trustees are also Jesters, including Chairman Ralph Semb,
    Gene Bracewell, W. Brandt Bede M.D., Charles A. Claypool, Raul L. Frevel, Sr., Bernard J. Lemieux M.D., and Gary Dunwoody.

    Jesters on the Shriner Imperial Divan include Imperial Treasurer Gene Bracewell, Alan W. Madsen, current Imperial High Priest and Prophet and Director of the Royal Order of Jesters Court #109 in Charlotte, N.C., Jack Jones, current Imperial Recorder and Jerry Gantt, current Imperial Second Ceremonial Master, chairman emeritus of the Houston Shriners Hospital Board of Governors and past director of Houston Court #136 Royal Order of Jesters.

    Like the Shriners, the Royal Order of Jesters has two non profit components. The 501c10 fraternity includes about 24,000 members organized nationwide into about 200 "courts." The 501c3 charity was organized to house a "museum" at a new million dollar headquarters building in Indianapolis, Indiana.

    So, how close are the Shriners and Jesters?

    Like brothers.

    The Royal Order of Jesters bylaws state:

    • The Annual Meeting of the National Court of the Royal Order of Jesters shall be held on the day preceding the annual meeting of the Imperial Council, A.A.O.N.M.S., at the city chosen for such meeting, or at such time or place chosen and voted by the National Court.

    • A subordinate court may be established by the National Court in a jurisdiction where a temple of A.A.O.N.M.S. is located and where a Subordinate Court does not exist upon petition there for by not less than (13) Nobles of the Mystic Shrine all of whom shall be actual residents of and who maintain their domiciles in the jurisdiction of said temple of A.A.O.N.M.S.

    • Upon action of the Imperial Council A.A.O.N.M.S. issuing a dispensation for a new temple A.A.O.N.M.S., the National Court may, upon application of the required number of Nobles of the A.A.O.N.M.S. for a new Subordinate Court and the recommendation of the Charters and Dispensations Committee, and the approval of the Royal Director and Royal Impresario, issue a dispensation for a Subordinate Court of Royal Order of Jesters.

    The FBI and Human Trafficking Task Force are currently investigating the Royal Order of Jesters after catching three members in a human trafficking sting.

    They confessed to taking prostitutes over state lines to their weekend stag parties and to a Jester national meeting in Canada. These include a former New York Supreme Court judge, a retired police captain and former Erie County prosecutor. Nineteen other Jesters were called to testify in a federal libel/slander lawsuit about their first hand knowledge of drugs and sex with minors AKA child sex tourism while on sanctioned fishing trips to Brazil.

    Next are questions and answers with Jester A and Jester B.

    Then, the "Sam Houston" email.

    Jester A: I do not know where to even begin. I have found it difficult putting this into words

    What did you see at the parties?

    Jester A: Drinking, Gambling, Pigeon Shoots, Prostitution, Sexual Hazing. I could write pages on these subjects.

    Jester B: The girls walking around in nothing but their G-strings, advertising so they can take a Jester to their own room. Oral sex contests. High stakes poker. Lots and lots of drinking. Porn movies running 24/7 in the hospitality room.

    Who did you see at the parties, or know of, in terms of being "pillars of the community?"

    Jester A: Country music stars, Politicians, lawyers, doctors, Sheriffs, Elected officials.

    Jester B: Federal judges, a governor, Masonic Grand Masters, state representatives, community leaders, an Imperial Potentate sucking on a prostitute.

    What do you think of the recent news coverage about those Jesters who pleaded guilty in Buffalo to taking prostitutes across state lines to their weekend parties?

    Jester A: What do you want me to say? This was common practice for the books or parties.

    Jester B: If these guys don't change, they will end up like Judge Tills and the others caught by the FBI. The busts in Buffalo are just the tip of the iceberg.

    What do you think should happen to the Royal Order of Jesters? Non profit status suspended? Have the group disbanded?

    Jester A: Officials and leaders need to be prosecuted and the Royal Order of Jesters disbanded.

    Jester B: Both. The group needs to be disbanded because tax payers should not be forced to bear the tax burden as these Jester groups take advantage of their tax exempt status.

    How extensive is the Jesters' network?

    Jester A: Every state and every major city.

    Jester B: It’s very active on the east coast.

    Why in the world would the Shriners support such an organization?

    Jester A: Shrine pleas ignorance, most fraternal and hospital leaders in the Shrine are Jesters.

    Jester B: It's this sense that they’re special and can do whatever they want. Those who are sworn to uphold the law turn their heads if they learn of it or even participate. The Jesters control the Shrine, so no one wants to blow the whistle on himself. It’s kind of like teenage boys in a "circle jerk." You all do it because it’s supposed to be exciting and no one is supposed to tell.

    Have you reported these activities to law enforcement? If so, what happened?

    Jester A: Yes, Nothing because the police/sheriffs were paid to be security at the events.

    Jester B: No.

    Have you reported these activities to any Masonic officials? If so, what happened.

    Jester A: Yes, I was prosecuted and not one Jester was prosecuted.

    Jester B: No.

    What would you tell the FBI and the Human Trafficking Task Force if you could?

    Jester A: Hard to know where to begin this has been going on for years.

    Jester B: Keep investigating, especially those who might be involved with child sex tourism. Now that is so sick, to think any of these guys might be, well, you know.

    What would you tell the IRS about charitable donations being spent on prostitution if you could?

    Jester A: Follow the money for research, studies within the Shrine. See where these lead to. Imperial Officers only do business with Jesters.

    Jester B: The IRS needs to see if the Courts' used their money to pay for the girls or their rooms or their transportation. This could be a nationwide abuse of the non profit tax system used to support interstate prostitution. And see if the members took tax deductions for their "donations."

    What would you tell the other Jesters if you could?

    Jester A: Enough is Enough, End this. We can have legal meetings without all of this

    Jester B: Quit lying to your wives. And uphold your Masonic vows. A Mason is pledged to be a "better man," not a drunk, gambling womanizer who's fooling the IRS.

    What would you tell the Jesters wives if you could?

    Jester A: You do even want to know what is really going on at these meeting or parties.

    Jester B: Marriage counseling. And it’s not your fault that your husband is doing these things.

    Feel free to tell the world about this organization and your thoughts about what should happen next?

    Jester A: Jesters are deeply rooted into the Shrine and Masons. You have to go after all of them for this to end. Mason and Shriners are Jesters so they allow this to happen. Those who speak out are vanished from the groups.

    Jester B: It's not the organization I thought it was when I joined. I thought it was for the leaders in the Shrine. I never visualized that things like this were going on because of our Masonic oath that says we’re not to have intercourse with anyone but our wives and that is what it boils down to. I thought it was an up and up organization but I found out that it was not. The government needs to get a hold of this organization and straighten it out.

    From: "Texas Mason"

    To: mason_stoppers@yahoo.com

    Subject: Shriners: Royal Order of Jesters

    Date: Tue, 19 Apr 2005

    Please post this anonymously! Please do not include my email address in your posting of this message. Masons and Shriners are pissed off about this email in Texas.

    This was an email sent out about 3 weeks ago to all Texas Masons by a Mason going by the name of Sam Houston. He charges that a secret group within the Shriners called the Royal Order of Jesters is involved in an illegal prostitution and illegal gambling ring. He chose a very fitting name since Sam Houston was the first Grandmaster of the Grand Lodge of Texas. Here is the email that was sent:

    "OH LORD MY GOD IS THERE NO HELP FOR THE WIDOW'S SON!"

    "OH LORD MY GOD IS THERE NO HELP FOR THE WIDOW'S SON!"

    "OH LORD MY GOD IS THERE NO HELP FOR THE WIDOW'S SON!"

    Most Worshipful Grand Master of the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge of Texas, Right Worshipful Grand Officers, and Brethren:

    I’m a Shriner in Texas. I have been a Shriner for many, many years.

    I am also a Jester in the Royal Order of Jesters within the Shrine. I have not attended Blue Lodge in ages. I am going to leave my name anonymous for various reasons. I am married to a wonderful woman (the 2nd one in my life thanks to the Shriners) and I have children who have moved on to lives of their own. However, what I am about to portray to you could endanger my life and the life of my family.

    I have told a few select brethren the story I am about to relay to you. I am not sure who they told, if they told anyone. More than likely, when you are done reading this email, you will surely be in disbelief of what has transpired in the past, what is transpiring today, and what is planned for the future within the Shriners organization to the disgrace of Ancient Free and Accepted Freemasonry.

    When I started Masonry prior to the mid 70's, it was the best experience of my life. The brotherhood that I found was beyond belief. The Blue Lodge was truly the pinnacle of my Masonic experience. I became a 32nd degree Scottish Rite Mason that same year, although I never really participated in the organization. I became a Shriner somewhere in that time period. This is where my story really begins...

    While in the Shrine I was very active. Taking my family with me on the weekends to events was a very exciting time in my life, and the life of my family. I was approached in the Shrine and was told that I was a good Shriner and that I was invited to join a secret society within the Shrine--The Royal Order of Jesters. This "secret society" was started back in the late teens of the 20th century. The motto was "Mirth is King" and was devoted to not brooding over sorrows, but to forget them as far as possible. This meant home life as well.

    My brothers, I am a sinner. I have sinned against my family. I have sinned against myself. I have sinned against God.

    The Holy Bible, Master Mason Edition, 1 Corinthians 5:11:

    "But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortionist; with such an one no not to eat."

    During the initiation of new Jesters I was offered the opportunity by another fellow brother to sleep with a whore, even though I had a wife and kids waiting for me to come home. I was not strong at the time and I violated every oath I had ever taken with my wife. This did not stop at initiation. These were a constant occurrence at our Jester functions and they are a common occurrence today. The initiation practices have not changed as well. Prostitutes were offered/made available at our functions and often brothers would have sex in front of other brothers.

    Oral sex competitions between brothers were considered “fun” activities to build a strong brotherhood bond between members of the Royal Order of Jesters. Potentates and Chaplains, Attorneys and Judges, Past Masters and brothers all participating or watching with open eyes, but closed minds. I often felt ashamed of what I was doing, but the pleasure outweighed the guilt. I had fallen within a deep hole and my cable-tow had been severed.

    Sex, illegal gambling and alcohol were and are the preferred order of business to ease the "pain" of brother Masons. Prostitutes are available at Jester functions for the brothers to have their way with.

    There is also illegal gambling at our functions where Masonic brethren are playing high-stakes games with hard-earned cash. I have seen it all, brothers, and it is going on today, right under your noses, within your communities, and these men are calling themselves your Masonic brothers.

    I am currently active in the Shriners and the Jesters. I am ashamed of what I have become and what the Shriners have become. I have seen threat after threat made against Masonic brothers who have not agreed or have spoken against the activities of our club. These activities are in every Royal Order of Jester’s club in the USA, and beyond our borders. You would be surprised if you knew who was Jester from your local Blue Lodges--outstanding, moral men--at least by their outwardly appearance. Our Most Worshipful Grand Chaplain of the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge of Texas is a member of the Royal Order of Jesters, along with the Deputy Grand Master of the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge of Texas!!! I’m calling you out brothers. It is time for us to raise the bar of Masonry in Texas, even at the expense of our fraternity. Our Most Worshipful Grand Master Elmer Murphy of the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge of Texas always talks about the character of a Master Mason and now he has the opportunity to present his true Masonic character when dealing with this issue given how close he is in relation to current active members in the Royal Order of Jesters.

    The Jesters pride themselves in having control of all leadership positions at all of the Shrine Temples in the US and Canada as well as the Imperial Shrine leadership. Also, they have risen through the ranks in every body of Masonry including the Scottish Rite, York Rite, Rosicrucian’s, Red Cross of Constantine, Eastern Star and the Demolay organizations. There have been numerous past masters of the Grand Lodge of Texas who have been Jesters, including our most recent Grand Master Boyd Patterson, Reese Harrison Jr., and Michael Nanny. Find out who these other Masons are brothers within your local lodges and hold them accountable for their actions. I have invoked the cry of a Masonic brother in need of help!

    I lost my first wife due to her finding out what went on at one of my outings. Don’t let this happen to your Masonic brothers or your friends. I am not sure if anyone in the Blue Lodge really knows this is going on, but to those of you receiving this email, you are now armed with the knowledge and it is the truth. I challenge you to prove me wrong.

    I ask the Most Worshipful Grand Master Elmer Murphey of the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge of Texas to conduct a full Masonic investigation into these allegations. I ask you, my brothers, to do the same within your local Blue Lodges. I am guilty. Hold me accountable, hold your Masonic brothers accountable, and hold our Most Worshipful Grand Master accountable!!!

    I charge myself and every member of the Royal Order of Jesters in the State of Texas under the Laws of the Grand Lodge of Texas, Article XIII, Section VI, Paragraph 5, "Behavior at Home and In Your Neighborhood":

    "You are to act as becomes a moral and wise man; ...and by avoiding gluttoness or drunkenness, that your families be not neglected or injured, nor you disabled from working."

    I also invoke the request to the Most Worshipful Grand Master under Title V, Discipline, Chapter 1

    Article 498 (531) "Accused's Lodges to Be Notified--notification to lodges of members who are members of the Royal Order of Jesters."

    Article 499 (532) "Neglect by Lodge of Duty to Disclipline-District Deputy Grand Masters should obtain list of Jesters in their jurisdictions."

    Article 499a "Powers of the Grand Master- Set this investigation in motion and work to re-establish our Masonic beliefs of ‘Making Good Men Better’."

    Charges I believe should be filed against every member of the Royal Order of Jesters:

    Article 506 "Certain Other Offenses":

    2. "Actions which disgrace Masonry."

    5. "To indulge in the intemperate use of intoxicating liquor, gambling or profane swearing."

    8. "To willfully abandon his family."

    13. "To cohabit with lewd women."

    I encourage blue lodges in other states to conduct investigations of their own into these allegations as well.

    I ask the Most Worshipful Grand Master of the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge of Texas to suspend all Master Masons in the State of Texas who are members of the Royal Order of Jesters, which would cease their activities within the various Shrines across the state until a full investigation may be conducted.

    This email is going out to every lodge in Texas that has a website, the Grand Lodge officers of every state, the York and Scottish Rites.

    Please ask questions, talk about this in your Blue Lodge, and contact the Most Worshipful Grand Master Elmer Murphey and demand this be investigated by the Grand Lodge of Texas. This information will eventually go before the public eyes if it is not handled within our Masonic fraternity. Let every Master Mason who is in a position of leadership or anyone thinking of ascending to a position of authority be on notice that their activities in the Royal Order of Jesters and their adherence to the Masonic oaths and morality will be brought into the light.

    Again I am pleading for an immediate statewide investigation and a purging of the Grand Lodge line, Scottish Rite, York Rite and the Shrine. I have collected 18 local chapter rosters as well as the national Kochina group rooster. I urge every Mason to forward this e-mail to as many brother Masons and Shriners as possible. I also challenge my fellow Jesters to come out in the light and explain their actions as well as their failure to comply with their oaths to their brother Masons and families.

    I know this is hard for many of you to believe. Doubt me. Prove me wrong! This is my plea! Brothers, over the years I have traveled to numerous states and the same activities occur in NY, Florida, California, Wyoming, Texas, etc.

    These are your Masonic brothers, just as I am, but we are not doing what is right nor are we following Masonic principles. Help me expose this atrocity within our fraternity brothers. I am helpless without your help and support.

    Fraternally,

    Your Brother

    Sam Houston
    Texas Mason

    All copies of material reprinted or duplicated from "by Sandy Frost" must include the following credit line: From http://sandyfrost.newsvine.com/ Copyright © 2008 by Sandy Frost. Used by permission.

  • Story Photo

    Update:

    I decided to follow up about noon on December 8 and called Shriners Hospitals for Children HQ to ask if Edgar McGonigal, SHC Director of Corporate Development, still worked there.

    The operator connected me to his answering machine. My instincts told me to not leave a message, thinking that “If he doesn’t work there anymore, why would his answering machine still be on? So higher ups could spy and see who was trying to call him?”

    I then called the Shriners’ HR department and asked “Are you able to verify that Edgar McGonigal is still an employee of Shriners Hospitals for Children?” I was told the head would get back to me.

    Time was ticking away. It was 1:30 here but 4:30 back there, so I called again and left a message for the head of HR. I called back and asked for PR but surprisingly, was put through to the Legal Department, and left a message for the VP of Legal as she would not be in until the next morning.

    No one returned any of these calls.

    About 7 the next morning, I knew it was 10 back there and again called the Shriner legal department. I asked for Laurie Spieler, was put into her voicemail and left a message, again asking “Is Edgar McGonigal still employed at Shriners Hospitals for Children?”

    I finally got a hold of Laurie Spieler about 9:30 this morning. It was about noon thirty back there.

    I again asked if McGonigal still worked there?

    To her credit, she answered “We don’t comment on employee status. We take employment confidentiality very seriously.”

    So, was Edgar McGonigal finally fired last November?

    Allegedly.

    Sandy Frost
    December 9, 2008
    Starbucks, WA

    Editor's Note:

    This editorial is presented as a public service.

    Thank you,

    Sandy Frost

    Starbucks, Washington

    When one thinks of the Shriners, what comes to mind?

    Helping the kids?

    The red fez?

    Retaliation?

    Yup.

    From the top on down, some Shriner leaders distinguish themselves by ruthlessly retaliating against their own.

    They will stop at nothing to protect their turf and keep their secrets secret.

    Kind of a strange way to run an $8 billion charity, huh?

    Fraternal Shriner courts are stacked with real life judges and attorneys who seemingly conspire to ruin the lives of innocent Shriners by prosecuting them on trumped up charges.

    Just for standing up to these power hungry elitists.

    Maybe this is because their bylaws state that "Shrine law does not include the law of the land."

    Then there are those sued for asking "Where does all the money go?" and "Why are your taxes so messed up?"

    Hey, IRS? Is funding revenge a proper use of charitable donations?

    I didn't think so.

    Top level retaliation was revealed after immediate past Potentate, Bernard Lemieux, called for an internal committee to investigate allegations that Chairman of the Board of Trustees for SHC, Ralph Semb and Imperial Treasurer Gene Bracewell had violated conflict of interest policies by behaving unethically.

    The April 10, 2008 Special Committee's Interim Report detailed how Semb and Bracewell tried to fire a corporate executive who opposed their efforts to rehire a fundraiser who kept $43 million out of $47 million raised for the hospitals.

    The hospitals only got $2.5 million.

    It looks kind of like this:

    Vantage Fundraising - $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
    Shriners Hospitals - $$s

    The committee reported that SHC executive vice president and COO James Full breached the confidential employment records of Shriners Corporate Director of Development Edgar McGonigal to avoid a confrontation with Semb as he and Bracewell tried to generate unfavorable employee evaluations so they could get him fired. The committee wrote that "it was apparent that Messrs. Semb and Bracewell ignored important elements of the 360 degree review process, including the necessity for confidentiality of the identities of the reviewers."

    Semb said that he fired McGonigal at Full’s direction, which was inconsistent with what others had told the investigators.

    They also reported that as President of the SHC Board of Trustees, Semb felt he had every right to unilaterally fire a senior executive for no reason. He apparently did so without any regard for HR input or support. They viewed Semb’s exercise of authority as "potentially dangerous for the organization in an era in which employment termination decisions are frequently litigated at considerable expense and loss to employers."

    The committee also found that Semb's unsuccessful firing of McGonigal was not an isolated incident. Senior executives described a "culture of fear" among senior management at SHC because individuals such as Semb and Bracewell implicitly threatened to fire them if they didn’t "bend to their will."

    So much for all that Masonic brotherhood stuff.

    Remember, one must first be a Master Mason before joining sub-groups like the Scottish Rite, the Knights Templar and the Shriners.

    The committee reported that one board member was scared to serve with them because he’d spent tons of money for his board position and wanted to keep it. If the investigation was critical of Semb and Bracewell, he feared being kicked off key committees in retaliation.

    The committee stated that allegations made by former controller Willard Fawcett required further investigation, including:

    · The 2006 990 may have contained "improper reporting of certain items"

    · The fraudulent 990 was knowingly executed by Semb

    · Improper expense reimbursements didn't support SHC's exempt purpose

    · Contracts that were not in SHC’s best interests

    · Contracts that may have personally benefited members of the Joint Boards

    The committee expressed deep concern that possible "excess benefit transactions" were not reported to the IRS and this could lead to fees, penalties, excise taxes as well as the suspension of the Shriners tax exempt status.

    They also wrote:

    "Even if any financial irregularities do not implicate criminal liability, their existence may reflect a breakdown of internal financial controls and lack of oversight by the joint boards."

    These "excess benefit transactions" include board members taking their wives on trips and a free trip admitted to by Gene Bracewell. Then there is the possibility that these board members also failed to report these transactions as income on their own tax returns.

    To see if anything has changed over the past ten months, Imperial Potentate Douglas Maxwell, Chairman of the SHC Board of Trustees Ralph Semb and Corporate Director of Public Relations Alicia Aargiz-Lyons were asked:

    "What have you done to address and institute the recommendations of the Special Committee called to investigate allegations of unethical behavior of Ralph Semb and Gene Bracewell? Specifically, what is being done to:

    • Reprimand Semb and Bracewell?

    • Further investigate the allegations of Mr. Fawcett by both internal accounting personnel and senior executives at
    SHC as well as independent forensic accounting by Deloite & Touche Forensic Advisory services?

    • Authorize all actions to address the matters identified in the KMPG letter with respect to expense
    reimbursement policies and review of reimbursement records of the Members of the Joint Boards and
    Senior executives to determine whether there is a need for corrective action with respect to reporting or
    recovery of reimbursement amounts? In the spirit of non profit transparency, disclosure and
    accountability please email a copy of the KMPG letter for reference.

    • Amend the Conflict of Interest Policy and the Bylaws to a) vest authority in a designated full-time
    member of the Legal Department of SHC to determine in advance whether any conflict of interest exists
    with respect to any transaction, on the request of a Member of the Joint Boards, an Officer or a Senior
    Executive or b) vest authority in a designated Committee of the Joint Boards, which may be a newly
    organized Corporate Compliance Committee, to investigate and report to the Joint Boards on any potential
    violation of the Conflict of Interest Policy?

    • Amend SHC bylaws to debar from business with SHC any entity that provides or offers any gifts, gratuities or favors
    to any member of the Joint Boards, any Officer or Senior Executive of SHC?

    • Implement a program for corporate compliance, including a hot-line or other similar confidential means for
    employees, senior executives, trustees or directors to report suspected incidents or corporate wrongdoing, conflict
    of interest, violations of corporate policy or violations of the law, and which requires confidential investigation of any
    such reports and reporting to appropriate corporate authorities for resolution and corrective action?"

    All three have failed to respond.

    Does their stonewalling suggest more secrecy and cover-up?

    The public needs to know why the Shriners continue to support those in positions of public trust who abuse their positions for personal gain.

    Or is it more important to control business operations as top Shriner leaders practice the politics of punishment?

    Heed the words of Writer and futurist John Renesch:

    "Revenge stops us from expanding as a species, it keeps us locked in our box of limitations and dooms us to endless cycles of vengeance and violence; reparation, reconciliation and forgiveness expands our horizons to expand so we can grow as a species. This is part of the new thinking we must employ to evolve consciously."

    All copies of material reprinted or duplicated from "by Sandy Frost" must include the following credit line: From http://sandyfrost.newsvine.com/ Copyright © 2008 by Sandy Frost. Used by permission.

  • This Buffalo News article about lack of prosecution in the Spitzer case mentions how Judge Ronald Tills pleaded guilty to violating the Mann Act for getting prostitutes to parties of the Royal Order of Jesters, the secret sub-group of the Shriners.

  • Extremists Mark Chryson and Steve Stoll helped launch Palin's political career in Alaska, and in return had influence over policy. "Her door was open," says Chryson — and still is.

  • The Alaska Supreme Court upheld a lower court's decision that paves the way for the legislative committee's investigator to present the results of his investigation into allegations that Sarah Palin abused her office in a personal vendetta to fire her ex-brother in law.

  • Native American leaders endorse Obama.

  • Story Photo

    Note: Updated with links 9/30/08.

    Celebrities who support charities have been in the news lately.

    Passionate philanthropist Paul Newman passed on last Saturday.

    MSNBC ran a story last Friday about celebrities and their charities. It explains:

    “For today’s celebs, charity work is almost as much a part of the job as walking the red carpet. Famous names have become affiliated with preventing domestic violence, curing breast cancer, fixing smiles and saving farms from development.”

    The article continues:

    “You have to care about something other than what’s going to make you money,” said Morris L. Reid, managing director of Westin Rinehart, a firm that does brand strategy for public figures. “You have to be charitable. It shows that you care about someone other than yourself. It also shows that you are in touch with the average American’s needs and plights.”

    Charity groups like the Shriners Hospitals for Children (SHC) work hard to attract sponsors and donors.

    Who doesn’t want to help the $8 billion network of 22 hospitals that provides free medical care to burned and crippled children?

    Two celebrities have recently thrown their hats, or helmets, into the Shriners ring.

    Grammy winning pop star Justin Timberlake is sponsoring a Shriners PGA tournament scheduled for October 13 - 19 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

    NASCAR driver David Ragan recently named the Shriners Hospitals for Children as his official charity. He began racing in a Shriner-themed helmet last weekend and will soon show off his car’s new Shriners Hospital themed paint job.

    When asked about how celebrities are supporting the Shriners, presumably without knowing about their links to theft, mismanagement and related sex crimes, Reid responded “You have to do your homework. Whether you’re a celebrity or someone brokering deals like this, you need to dig a little deeper.”

    “Ultimately, the client is only as reputable as the brands that they are associated with,” he explained. “But it’s a two way street. The celebrity and the charity can’t go into this blind. Both must exercise due diligence and dig and ask the hard questions. You can’t just rely on what each says. Both must look for the obvious. It’s just the smart thing to do.”

    On the surface, the Shriners are those all American pillars of the community who proudly wear their red fezzes as they support their hospitals.

    Such pillars include a former New York state Supreme Court judge, a retired police captain and a former Erie county prosecutor. It just so happens that these pillars were caught by the FBI in a human trafficking sting. The judge, the police captain and prosecutor all pleaded guilty to transporting prostitutes across state lines to meetings of a Shriner secret sub-group, the Royal Order of Jesters.

    According to their plea agreements, the U.S. Attorney describes the Jesters are a nationwide group with guys in local chapters who get prostitutes for their weekend parties.

    The judge, Ronald Tills, admitted, among other things, to working with representatives of the Jesters’ National Court to get prostitutes to the same Canadian hotel where their national meeting was being held.

    No wonder the Shriners spent millions of dollars the past year trying to convince their members, donors, and the public that they are “the world’s greatest philanthropy” because they may soon be known as “the world’s greatest non profit scandal.”

    If they had a history of submitting complete and accurate tax returns, the IRS and the public would know that seven out of twelve on the Shriners Hospitals Board of Governors are also Jesters.

    And who convinced the IRS that the Jesters qualify as a non profit group? Their 2006 tax return shows that though they lost $14,000, Jesters national spent over $575,000 on one of their weekend parties.

    I know.

    Some of you are thinking "Partying with prostitutes at tax payer expense? Where do I sign up?"

    First, you apply to your local Masonic lodge. If you are accepted into "the craft," you can complete three “degrees” to become a Master Mason who can then join sub-groups like the Knights Templar, the Scottish Rite and the Shriners.

    The Shriners are those red fez wearing secret hand shakers who “have fun while helping kids,” most of whom have no idea that their leaders are involved with such things.

    Selected Shriners are then secretly invited to join the Royal Order of Jesters.

    So, famous guys, who did your homework? What would you have done if you had known:

    • An internal committee investigated Shriner leaders for allegedly retaliating against an executive by firing him for not hiring a fundraiser who kept $43 million out of $47 million raised on behalf of the hospitals, who only got $2.5 million?

    •Over a million dollars in personal mortgages was not reported to the IRS?

    •The Jesters are being investigated by the feds for coordinating prostitution nationwide?

    But wait! There’s more!

    What about the retaliation, cultural misappropriation, warning letters from the FDA and Office of Human Research Protection, civil rights violations, and child sex tourism?

    Retaliation?

    The Shriners retaliated against Shriner whistleblower Vernon Hill and former IRS agent Paul Dolnier by suing them for defamation after they asked questions like “Where does all the money go?” and “Why are your tax returns so messed up?”

    Cultural misappropriation?

    The Shriners greeting "Es Salamu Aleikum" is Arabic for "Peace Be To God." They meet in mosques with names like Bagdad, Mohammed, Moslem, Syria and Tehran. Have the Shriners hijacked symbols of Islamic unity, costumes, and ceremonial practices in ways that could be viewed by others as offensive forms of ridicule, mockery or disrespect?

    Warning letters from the FDA and Office of Human Research Protection?

    Two Shriner Hospitals received three FDA warning letters after pre-market inspections found that they failed to obtain informed consent, failed to report adverse effects, failed to follow protocols, and failed to keep accurate patient and device records. Ten letters sent by the Office of Human Research Protection cited similar violations.

    Civil Rights Violations?

    Two Hispanic women filed a federal discrimination lawsuit against the Chicago Shriners Hospital after the EEOC found that hospital staff had violated their civil rights, discriminated against them and retaliated against them.

    Child sex tourism?

    Nineteen members of the Royal Order of Jesters were called as witnesses in a federal lawsuit between fishing tour operators to testify about their first hand knowledge of sex with minors while on a sanctioned fishing trip to Brazil.

    But hey, don’t take my word for it.

    Check the FBI press releases, documents in the PACER federal court system, AP, MSNBC, Newsday, the Buffalo News, and the New York Times.

    So, Justin, maybe you should have asked “What You Got?” because, it looks like the Shriners got you and the PGA by the, uh, golf balls.

    Need to take a mulligan?

    And David, you said it when you proclaimed “I don’t think there is a better way to tell the world about amazing organization than to display their name on my helmet and car.”

    The Shriners spent over $12 million this past year convincing everyone just how amazing they are.

    Dudes, you're sponsoring a charity associated with white collar crime, prostitution and human trafficking.

    I’ve done my homework.

    Too bad you didn’t do yours.

    All copies of material reprinted or duplicated from “by Sandy Frost” must include the following credit line: From http://sandyfrost.newsvine.com/ Copyright © 2008 by Sandy Frost. Used by permission.

  • Palin breaks her own pledge for transparency, the one she made as she ran for governor, by refusing to cooperate with the bi-partisan State Senate Legislative Counsel Committee investigation. The term "stonewalling" comes to mind.

  • Todd Palin must now answer investigators' questions about his wife's alleged abuse of power.

  • The Alaska Business Journal reports how a recent Congressional Senate hearing in Bethel heard how rural Alaskans are paying $11 a gallon for milk in Sarah Palin's Alaska.

  • Former Shriners Hospital CFO Pleads Guilty to Stealing
    More Than $828,000 from Shriners Hospital

  • Yet another example of lack of oversight as a Shriner leader steals from the group he is in charge of.

  • Story Photo

    Editor’s Note: This is the third of three stories that links the Royal Order of Jesters to prostitution. The first one, published here, reported how 19 members of the Royal Order of Jesters were called as defense witnesses in a federal lawsuit to testify about their first hand knowledge of illegal drugs and minor prostitution while on a fishing trip in Brazil. The second one, published by the Buffalo News three days later, reported that three Jesters, a former New York Supreme Court Judge, a former Erie County prosecutor and a retired police captain, were caught in a FBI prostitution/sex trafficking sting. Two of the three Jesters caught have pleaded guilty to one felony count each of violating the Mann Act after admitting they drove illegal alien prostitutes across state lines to Jester parties. The Jester wife will be referred to as JW. The Jester husband will be referred to as John.

    Sandy Frost

    Monday, August 25, 2008

    Starbucks, WA

    Imagine that you are a wife whose husband joined a social club and was happy with all the networking and activities it offered like golf, poker and recreational weekends. But, after a while, he begins acting way different as he starts travelling more and more. It’s as if you’re just left home while he lives it up because prior to him joining this club, you did everything together. Then, when he’s at one of his club’s weekends, you get a call from a girl on your home phone who is asking about who is going to drive her from the train station to the hotel.

    Then the confrontation.

    Then the discovery that yes, indeed, your husband is the guy who lines up the girls for the parties.

    You know.

    Gets the prostitutes to the hotels where the club members are staying.

    The club is the Royal Order of Jesters.

    Here is an interview with this wife.

    Sandy: You are married to a member of the Royal of Jesters?

    JW: Yes.

    Sandy: How long?

    JW: Married 35 years.

    Sandy: Was there a pattern of behavior changes as your husband got more and more involved with the Jesters?

    JW: When he first got involved with the Jesters, I thought it was the best thing for him. He met many, many men who became close friends. They have a saying, “There are no strangers in the Realm, just friends you haven't met.” He also started to collect Jester and Billiken memorabilia, some dating back to the early 1900's. He now has a very extensive collection of which he is very proud.

    He didn't “travel” much at first. That is going to 3-4 day weekend “Books” in other cities.

    Note: The Royal Order of Jesters’ parties are called “Books” that involve the members performing the “Book of the Play.” It can be read here. Apparently, the “Book of the Play” revolves around the murder of William Shakespeare. This, according to the Jesters’ website, is how they obtained IRS status as a “charity”:

    “The Royal Order of Jester's museum is 5,000 square feet. Founded in July 2003, the museum's purpose is to do research and education relating to the history of the Royal Order of Jesters and Jesterdom focusing on humor, laughter, and mirth, with particular emphasis on the works of William Shakespeare.”

    Now, back to the interview.

    JW: He maybe attended two a year for the first two years, but by his seventh year, he had 14 trips planned. Finally, I said “enough, where do I fit in anymore?” In all of our married years, John never stopped at a bar after work with the guys. He took, maybe, one golf trip a year without me. We were a team and did everything together.

    Everything he did now or anywhere we went was associated with the Jesters.

    He was completely obsessed, though he couldn't see it. I noticed how he bragged about being a member. Jesters are not supposed to advertise themselves as being Jesters, as it is kind of a secret organization. But John would wear purple, carry purple emblemmed golf bags, license plates, and boast about it being a strictly stag, luxury organization for no purpose other than to spread mirth. The more I heard that, the more disgusted I became. I also noticed that he was not taking cell phone calls in front of me, or he would go outside to talk. He used to let me answer his phone.

    Wives are allowed at only two events a year. One is the Christmas Party run by each local court and the other is the National Meeting. That is where I got to meet some of the friends. I would even meet the local Jesters after a day of recreation and sit at the bar with them. A lot of them knew me very well. I could tell that John was rising in the local ranks.

    Sandy: Did you discover this information after lingering suspicions or after one specific incident?

    JW: I had no lingering suspicions. I had heard about the girls by accident, about the second year that John was in. He certainly played it down, and told me he had nothing to do with them, they were kept separate, no contact at all. I believed him. I didn't ask any more questions. The Jesters oath is “What you hear here, what you see here, stays here when you leave here.” Every new member must take that oath. He was a bit open with me about some of the things that went on, I guess telling me just enough not to arouse any suspicions. So I definitely discovered our problem after a specific incident.

    Sandy: Would you please describe that incident? In other words, what prompted you to search for information?

    JW: It happened at the same time I realized how many trips he was taking. As a matter of fact he was at his court’s book, when I received a phone message:

    “Hi John, this is Jane from St. Louis. I'm at the Union Station in downtown Chicago and wonder if you're sending a Jester to pick me up of if I should get the shuttle.”

    I called him on his cell phone and told him he should train his Jester girls better so they don't call the wife. He of course didn't know what to say. This was on a Thursday. I thought he would come home right away, as the hotel was just 1/2 hour away. He didn't come home until Saturday night, although he did call me later to try to explain.

    Sandy: Did you confront your husband?

    JW: Yes.

    Sandy: What happened after you confronted him?

    JW: When I confronted him, he explained to me how it works. The Jesters have a “pool” of girls. Certain men have their favorites and make requests to have them at the books. It is up to each court's Director to assign the job of inviting the girls, a number based of the number of attendees. (1) In this case, eight girls were invited for between 180-200 men. He says that only about 20% of the men use the girls, but a friend said it's more like 70%. I really don't know. They get $100 an hour. In my calculations, to make it worthwhile, it would have to be more than 20%!

    He was asked to do the job because he travelled so much and knew who the girls were and who the favorites were. I believe with all of my heart that he never had sexual relations with any of them. He emailed them, called them or asked them in person to come to this book. He also confessed that he had helped with the scheduling the previous year. They also have a doctor who checks the girls “papers.” John’s Jester court does not pay for plane or rooms. Some courts do pay for rooms. I didn't know all of this went into it. I just thought the guys who used the girls called them and they came on their own.

    Sandy: Did he or anyone else threaten you?

    JW: I have never been threatened and don't expect to be.

    Sandy: Did you report this to law enforcement?

    JW: I saw no need to report this, as it was, as I considered, a personal problem. Off duty cops act as guards for the secure floors, so they already know about it. I did however lose all respect for any of the Jesters I have met in the past.

    Sandy: What was the most startling thing you found? What was the most startling thing you realized?

    JW: What I found and realized is that the Jesters have something that I can't put my finger on. I'm almost thinking in our case that it was because it is a “luxury” organization. It's like at Halloween when you dress up and are something you would never be any other day. That is the closest I can analyze how he felt with the Jesters. They drink only top shelf, money is no object, stay at the best places, dress in tuxedos and get away with whatever.

    My husband was a fun loving good husband before this. He didn't need the Jesters to create “mirth” in his life, yet it happened when he was 60 years old. It was like something was always missing from his life. I am not looking to myself, as I gave and did everything to him possible.

    Sandy: What impact has this had on you personally?

    JW: I did have three appointments with a psychologist. After blood tests, doctor's appointments, and some sleeping medication, he released me and said I am a strong woman. He wanted to prescribe anti depressants, but I refused. After these appointments, the doctor said that he thought that I could make the right decisions. I was so close to divorcing. If we had any money, I would have walked out. I am glad now that it did not get to that.

    Sandy: What would you like to tell other Jester wives?

    JW: I don't want to talk to other Jester wives. I talked to one, and she was as appalled as I was and also confronted her husband who has been a Jester for 25 years, telling her there are no women at any events. I want to put all of this behind me and move on from here. John and I are doing just that.

    Sandy: From what you found, please describe what goes on at these Jester functions?

    JW: Other than girls, there is a lot of high stakes poker, low stakes gin, and 24 hour hospitality rooms. The initiation involves “stunts” which I know include nudity, but I don't know much about it. John says they don't involve the girls...anymore!!! They also provide sightseeing, golf, etc. There is a lot of good stuff going on. They end with a black tie Royal Feast on Saturday night.

    Sandy: From what you found, is this widespread? In other words, are there others who facilitate prostitution for other Jester functions?

    JW: Every court lines up the girls to come to their books once a year. I never knew about any other functions that include them. There is not any other function that John’s court has. They have a monthly business meeting and a yearly book. That is it.

    Sandy: Did your husband tell the Jesters that you had found this proof?

    JW: Here is the crowning blow. John promised me that he would turn his “files” on the girls over to someone else. I found the girls’ business cards. After four months, I found that he still had it. I was furious. Now there is an edict from Jester HQ that no girls may be at any of the books. The guys were sweating it out not, that not only the wives would find out, but also the authorities.

    Sandy: What would you like to see happen? Why?

    JW: I am not sure what I want to happen. I think these men need to know that they are not special, even though they think they are. This group is not alone in doing things like this.

    Sandy: Why do you want to go public with this information? In other words, why should the public know about what you found?

    JW: I just thought before anymore relationships are ruined, it needs to stop. I did my part in stopping the girls coming to books...don't know how long that will last. I also did my part in getting my husband out of the grips of the organization. He harbors no ill feelings for anything I did and never felt embarrassed in front of the fellow Jesters because of it. We have worked together to get our relationship mended.

    Sandy: Do you know how the money worked?

    JW: I know nothing about the finances or handling of the money. I have told you now everything I know.

    The Royal Order of Jesters is a secret sub group made up of invited Shriner leaders. There are about 24,000 Jesters who are organized into about 200 “courts” that are, in turn, organized in relation to Shrine temples. This sameness is spelled out in their bylaws, that can be read here. The Jesters applied to the IRS and were granted two non profit classifications, one fraternal and the other charitable. The charity was formed so the National Jester Court could build a new million dollar museum/headquarters, from which to oversee the fraternity.

    The Shriners are classified the same, as the Shriners fraternal raises money for the charity, that is their network of 22 hospitals that provide free medical care to burned and crippled children. The current leaders of the Shriners fraternity and charity are also Jesters.

    To be a Shriner, one must first be a Master Mason.

    (1) According to court documents, the U.S. Attorney's office describes the Royal Order of Jesters as:

    "This organization maintained chapters throughout the United States, including in Western New York, and it was the custom of these chapters to host periodic meetings, usually on weekends, for their members. At most of these meetings, some members of the organization would be tasked to arrange for the presence of women at the meetings, for the specific purpose of utilizing the women to engage in sexual intercourse and other sexual activity with the organization's members in exchange for money."

    All copies of material reprinted or duplicated from “by Sandy Frost” must include the following credit line: From http://sandyfrost.newsvine.com/ Copyright © 2008 by Sandy Frost. Used by permission.

  • The Western Washington Pro Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists was named Large Chapter of the Year and was also awarded the Circle of Excellence Award for our communications efforts.

  • Story Photo

    Note: Insert Adult Disclaimer here.

    An attorney and member of two Masonic sub-groups has pleaded guilty to one felony count of conspiring to violate the Mann act after admitting to driving a prostitute across state lines so she could be sold for sex to members of the Royal Order of Jesters at one of their weekend stag parties.

    Michael R, Stebick, a former prosecutor for the Erie County district attorney's office, a former New York State Supreme Court law clerk and former Impressario or leader of the Jesters Buffalo Court #18 was caught with a retired police captain and a former New York State Supreme Judge, both also Jesters, during a fifteen month federal investigation into human trafficking.

    Human Trafficking is defined as "the recruitment, transportation, harboring, or receipt of people for the purposes of slavery, forced labor and servitude."

    Stebick has agreed to cooperate with the Human Trafficking Task Force/FBI investigation into the scandal plagued Jesters.

    Before a man can be a Shriner or Jester, he must first become a Master Mason. He can then join other sub groups like the Scottish Rite, the Knights Templar or the Shriners. So, a man who is a member of the Royal Order of Jesters was first an invited Shriner who was first a Master Mason. (1)

    Stebick is the second Jester to enter into a plea agreement with federal prosecutors for Mann Act violations. His plea agreement can be read here.

    Last March 20, retired police captain John Trowbridge pleaded guilty to one felony count of violating the Mann Act by transporting prostitutes to Jester parties in Kentucky and Pennsylvania. Trowbridge was originally scheduled for sentencing on July 31, but will now be sentenced on November 4 due to being a witness in other cases. His plea agreement can be read here.

    Ronald Tills, the former New York Supreme Court judge, has yet to go public with any cooperative agreements though federal court documents reveal that he was recently added as a defendant in an unrelated RICO complaint.

    "Cooperation" for both Stebick and Trowbridge is spelled out in both their plea agreements as:

    * Providing complete and truthful information regarding the defendant’s knowledge of any and all criminal activity, whether undertaken by the defendant or others, in any way involving or related to the unlawful transportation of individuals for prostitution or other sexual activity which is prohibited by law.

    * Submitting to interviews by government attorneys and agents.

    * Testifying truthfully and completely before grand juries and at such pre-trial and trial proceedings.

    * Testifying truthfully and completely in local, state, and federal courts in jurisdictions which have agreed to abide by the plea agreement.

    * Providing proactive cooperation to the government regarding individuals involved in criminal activity involving unlawful transportation of individuals for prostitution or other sexual activity which is prohibited by law.

    * Providing cooperation to any local, state, or federal authorities designated by the government.

    In exchange, Stebick could be imprisoned from four to ten months, be fined from $3,000 to $30,000 and be on supervised probation for two to three years.

    The plea agreement's factual basis is based on facts that both Stebick and U.S. Attorney's office agreed to. It states that in October, 2005, the defendant, Michael R. Stebick, together with John Trowbridge, Len Wah Chong, a former New York State Supreme Court Judge AKA "Judge" and others whose identities are known to the parties, agreed to knowingly transport a woman who was an illegal alien from New York to Kentucky.

    Chong owned four "massage" and "acupressure" businesses that were fronts for prostitution and kept as many as 11 illegal aliens as sex slaves. She pleaded guilty to a Felony Information early last April, charging her with "Sex Trafficking of Persons by Force, Fraud and Coercion." More details can be read here.

    Stebick's plea states that Trowbridge picked up the prostitute from Chong's Golden Acupressure business and then "drove her to a parking lot of Leisure Land in Hamburg, New York to board a motor home driven by Stebick to transport her, the co-conspirators and others known and unknown to the U.S. Attorney's office, to Ashland, Kentucky" so she could:

    "engage in sexual intercourse and other sexual activity in exchange for money with members of a men's organization of which the defendant, John Trowbridge and the Judge were members, and which organization was holding a gathering in Kentucky the weekend of October 28 - 30, 2005. This organization maintained chapters throughout the United States, including in Western New York, and it was the custom of these chapters to host periodic meetings, usually on weekends, for their members. At most of these meetings, some members of the organization would be tasked to arrange for the presence of women at the meetings, for the specific purpose of utilizing the women to engage in sexual intercourse and other sexual activity with the organization's members in exchange for money...The facts set forth above are those about which the government had independent information prior to the time the defendant indicated a desire to cooperate with the government and agreed to give statements regarding the defendant's involvement in criminal activity. It is understood and agreed to by the parties that additional information provided by the defendant cannot be used against the defendant."

    Part of Stebick's plea agreement was to "immediately criminally forfeit" his 2000 Challenger 335 MHA motor home. It will be sold, with the proceeds also forfeited.

    This is the second sex scandal to hit the Royal Order of Jesters after it was reported last March that nineteen members were also called as witnesses in a separate federal lawsuit to testify about their first hand knowledge of sex with minors while on a sanctioned Jesters fishing trip in Brazil.

    Additionally, these three will most likely face disciplinary actions overseen by the Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of New York, which could result in expulsion from the worldwide order. The Grand Secretary of the Grand Lodge of New York, Gilbert Savitzky, referred questions about the disciplinary process and the Grand Master's reactions to the Lodge's public relations firm, with no answers yet.

    Stebick and Tills, both attorneys and members of the New York Bar Association, also face automatic disbarment upon pleading guilty to federal felonies.

    A call placed to the Royal Order of Jesters headquarters to get reaction from executive director Alex Rogers was unsuccessful because their phone number has been disconnected.

    This investigation is being conducted by New York Western District's Human Trafficking Task Force and Alliance.

    According to a Department of Justice announcement, the task force was created in November, 2006 and "is a collaboration of local, state and federal law enforcement agencies and non-government service organizations working together to identify, rescue and assist victims of human trafficking, human smuggling and other civil and human rights offenses in the 17 counties of the district, through aggressive investigation, prosecution, training, education and outreach to law enforcement, non government organizations, vulnerable and affected persons and the general public."

    These groups include the FBI, Erie County Sheriff's Office, Custom and Border Protection, Unted States Border Patrol with the assistance of the Niagara County Sherriff's Office and the Tonawanda Police Department. The case is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert C. Moscati, who is also in charge of the task force.

    In closing, Moscati said "We will go wherever the evidence leads us."

    (1) The Royal Order of Jesters is an invitation-only fraternal sub-group of the Shriners, best known for operating a network of 22 hospitals that provides free medical care to burned and crippled children. The Revised Constitution and Bylaws of the National Court of the Royal Order of Jesters spells out the close relationship between the two groups. It can be read here. Both groups have been classified as "non profit" or "tax exempt" by the IRS. A Shriner committee that was tasked with investigating the alleged unethical conduct of hospital leaders Ralph Semb and Gene Bracewell. The committee's report revealed, among other things, that Semb may have knowingly executed a fraudulent tax return. Semb and Bracewell are also Jesters. The Interim Report can be read here.

    All copies of material reprinted or duplicated from "by Sandy Frost" must include the following credit line: From http://sandyfrost.newsvine.com/ Copyright © 2008 by Sandy Frost. Used by permission.

  • Story Photo

    Editor's note: Insert Adult Disclaimer here. Twenty years ago, the Orlando Sentinel reported that whistleblowers had alerted them to how a Shriner circus ticket scam was reported to police who failed to investigate allegedly because they were also Shriners. One of the main themes of this investigation is how some Shriners, those who are also sworn to uphold the law, turn a blind eye to crime though they learn of it or participate in it. It seems that this conduct may be the result of Shriner by-laws that state "Shrine law does not include the law of the land." Here is an update as to how the law of the land is being applied to a member of the Royal Order of Jesters, which is a secret sub-group made up of invited Shriner leaders. This Jester, retired police captain John Trowbridge, got caught by the FBI and pleaded guilty to one felony count of violating the Mann Act. The following is, in part, about his sentencing date. The rest of the article describes how a FBI application for a search warrant reveals how those Jesters caught by the FBI were involved with more than prostitution.

    Sandy Frost
    July 29, 2008
    Starbucks, WA

    Federal court documents reveal that there will be a delay in the sentencing of John Trowbridge. It had been scheduled for this Thursday, July 31 at 0900. The DOJ press release on Trowbridge's plea can be read here.

    Item 33 of Trowbridge's plea agreement states:

    "At the time of sentencing, the government will make the nature and extent of the defendant's compliance with this agreement known to the court. The government and its defendant will request that sentencing be adjourned until full satisfaction by the defendant of the terms of this agreement."

    The "Government's Affidavit In Support of Motion to Adjourn Sentencing" can be read here.

    It states that:

    "While the defendant has assisted the Government fully and completely to date, he has not completed all of the terms of his contemplated cooperation at this time. At this point, Mr. Trowbridge's testimony in related proceedings is still possible and would be required by the Government. Accordingly, the Government respectfully requests the defendant's sentencing date be adjourned sine die with the Government."

    Sine die means at an unspecified future date.

    So, as long as Trowbridge cooperates with investigators about what he may or may not know about Jester involvement with these or any other crimes, nothing he says can be used against him. There is no word yet about the other Jesters caught by the FBI, former Judge Ron Tills and his law clerk, Michael Stebick.

    Investigators and other members of the Western District of New York Human trafficking Task Force and Alliance have had to absorb the nuances of the "Mason," "Shriner," and "Jester" relationships, which can be confusing.

    Once a man joins his local Masonic lodge, he can complete three levels to become a Master Mason who can then join other "appendant" groups, such as the Shriners. Within the Shriners is a secret sub-group called the Royal Order of Jesters, made up of invited Shriners. The Jesters have been linked not only to this prostitution scandal but to the possibility that 19 others may have first hand knowledge of child sex tourism after a fishing trip to Brazil.

    According to a Department of Justice announcement, the task force was created in November, 2006 and "is a collaboration of local, state and federal law enforcement agencies and non-government service organizations working together to identify, rescue and assist victims of human trafficking, human smuggling and other civil and human rights offenses in the 17 counties of the district, through aggressive investigation, prosecution, training, education and outreach to law enforcement, non government organizations, vulnerable and affected persons and the general public."

    The following information is from a FBI complaint and application for a search warrant and will explain how the former judge and the retired police captain were not only caught visiting the prostitutes, but were actually helping Len Wah Chong operate her four brothels with illegal aliens.

    The information in the complaint/application was gathered by the FBI "in cooperation with the US Border Patrol, Immigration and Customs Enforcement or ICE and the Niagara County Sheriff's Department. It was gathered through interviews, physical surveillance, background investigations, consensually monitored meetings, wire intercepts and while examining financial records, pen registers and trap/trace data, and telephone subscriber/toll records pertaining to the investigation of the offenses described above."

    This application was also filed to obtain arrest warrants for:

    a. Keeping, maintaining, controlling, supporting or harboring an individual in any home or place.

    b. For the purposes of prostitution conspired to keep and control female aliens for the purposes of prostitution, or any other immoral purpose.

    c. Knowing or in reckless disregard of the fact that said individual is an alien.

    d. Failing to file the required statement concerning the individual within five business days of commencing such activity with the relevant immigration authorities.

    This fifteen month investigation was initiated in September, 2006, by the FBI and US Border Patrol on a tip that one of the acupressure businesses was a front for prostitution. Per the document, "full sets" refers to sexual intercourse and "half-sets" can be used to refer to either oral sex or hand-jobs (that is, anything less than intercourse). Other terms used are "mouth" or "oral," both meaning oral sex.

    Court ordered wire intercepts on three telephones revealed the following, to include references to other law enforcement officers as well as the judge and police captain. The following has been edited to include specific references to the "judge," the "police captain" as well as other law enforcement officers. A Department of Justice official confirmed that these are, in fact, Tills and Trowbridge.

    On August 23, 2007, CHONG placed a telephone call to premises 1. CHONG told an unknown Asian female (UAF) that the "police captain" is on his way to Premises 1. She instructed the UAF to give him a 45 minute service and wanted to know whose turn it was in the rotation. The UAF told CHONG it was an Asian female whom CHONG referred to as "Lala's" turn. CHONG told the UAF the "police captain" does not count in the rotation. It should be noted that the "police captain" was coming from Premises 5.

    On August 24, 2007, CHONG received a telephone call from Premises 1. An Asian female whom CHONG referred to as "Jenny" told her the propane tank is out of gas and they are unable to cook their food. It should be noted in human trafficking cases, victims are required to cook in the locations where they conduct the prostitution to limit their movement and thus maintain greater control over them.

    On September 4, 2007, CHONG made a telephone call to Premises 6. CHONG spoke to an unidentified prostitute she called Coco and asked if Coco did the Judge's friend who is short, and is claiming he did not get good service from Coco after he paid the sixty dollar house fee plus a tip. Coco told CHONG the guy wanted a full set (sexual intercourse) for forty dollars.

    On September 05, 2007, CHONG placed a telephone call to Premises 1. CHONG told an Asian female whom CHONG referred to as "Jenny" the "Police Captain" was on his way to Premises 1. CHONG told "Jenny" the "Police Captain" just visited her husband and his service will not be counted on the normal rotation.

    On September 5, 2007, CHONG made a telephone call to Premises 3. CHONG spoke to a prostitute named Amy and told her that customers who are friends of the Judge called her to complain about Mary. Chong told Amy she was at Golden and that Judge told her Lockport is a high class spot, and that girls should not solicit for tips and if they do, he (the Judge) will not help her out. CHONG added that the Judge informed her Mary offended every customer. CHONG said she told the Judge she fired Mary and that the Judge agreed with CHONG's actions and commented that if she had not fired Mary, she would have made trouble.

    On September 5, 2007, CHONG received a call to Premises 4. Feng Xian LI told CHONG she was considering bringing her son to the United States from China. Feng Xian LI said her divorce papers were filed but she is unsure if she can bring her son over. CHONG told Feng Xian LI to ask her regular customer, who is an INS officer, to help her bring her son to the U.S. Feng Xian LI said she should provide the INS officer a "full set" if she is going to ask him for assistance. CHONG stated she has a friend that knows this officer and he is scared about being caught since one of his friends was caught and fired.

    On September 06, 2007, CHONG placed a telephone call to Premises 1. CHONG told an Asian female whom CHONG referred to as "Jenny" the "Judge" was on his way to Premises 1. CHONG told "Jenny" the "Judge" to charge him for one hour even though he wanted a one and half hour service.

    On September 30, 2007, CHONG made a telephone call to Premises 6. CHONG spoke to an Asian prostitute named Lily and told her that the police left. CHONG told Lily that the police officer said he would like to try massage sometime. CHONG said the Judge and his friends he brought over wanted it for free and they were bad tippers.

    On October 1, 2007, CHONG made a telephone call to Premises 1. CHONG spoke to XU and told her to listen carefully. CHONG said they are on action (or alert), the government won't give girls tips intentionally. CHONG told XU she just got back from seeing the Sheriff because he was looking for her. CHONG told XU that law enforcement is not intentionally giving tips to the girls to see their reactions.

    On October 16, 2007, CHONG placed a telephone call to Premises 1. CHONG told a UAF the "Judge" called and could not make it to Premises 1 that day. CHONG told the UAF that Xiu LIN aka "Coco" went to New York City and told everyone if you get arrested in Buffalo, NY, you can get legal immigration status. CHONG told the UAF the "Judge" was also upset with LIN due to her conversations in New York City about obtaining legal immigration status after being arrested in Buffalo, NY. Chong stated the "Judge" advised her to have people from a church provide the girls with a letter in order to help their immigration status.

    On October 18, 2007, CHONG placed a call from Premises 5 to Premises 1. CHONG told an Asian female whom she referred to as "Jenny" the "Judge" and his friends will be going to Premises 1. CHONG told "Jenny" some of them wanted sex and they were to be treated as good customers no matter what.

    On October 21, 2007, CHONG placed a call to Premises 4. CHONG told Feng Xian LI the "Judge" is mad at Feng Xian LIN because she was talking too much lately concerning her situation. Xiu LIN is a victim/material witness in an ICE investigation which was taken down in March, 2007 in Buffalo , New York. CHONG stated that Xiu LIN told a lot of people that if you come to Buffalo, NY, you can get arrested and obtain legal immigration status. CHONG also stated another government agency is contacting the "Judge" now.

    On November 3, 2007, CHONG made a telephone call to Premises 1. CHONG told XU that "Da Quan" called her and informed her that a shop in Buffalo got raided and one girl without legal status was detained and that the two who were released are Da Quan's friends. CHONG told XU when the Sheriff arrived later he reminded the girls to be cautious and not to ask for tips. CHONG told a lot of her customers are police officers and public officials.

    This application led to Chong's arrest, with three others, on December 10, 2007. On April 17, 2008, she pleaded guilty to Sex Trafficking of Persons by Force, Fraud and Coercion and faces penalties including a minimum 15 years in prison and a maximum of life in prison.

    A copy of this application can be read here.

    All copies of material reprinted or duplicated from "by Sandy Frost" must include the following credit line: From http://sandyfrost.newsvine.com/ Copyright © 2008 by Sandy Frost. Used by permission.

  • Wikileaks Update:

    The below referenced document that had previously published on Wikileaks can be found here.

    Thank you,

    Sandy Frost

    January 4, 2011

    Editor's Note: Updated with timeline on July 21, 2008.

    Sandy Frost, Starbucks, WA

    A confidential "Interim Report of the Special Investigative Committee of the Joint Boards of Shriners Hospitals for Children" describes how immediate past potentate Bernard Lemieux appointed a committee to investigate the conduct of Shriner leaders, Ralph Semb, Chairman of the Shriners Hospitals for Children Board of Trustees and Gene Bracewell, Imperial Treasurer Shriners International Imperial Divan. The report was leaked online at Wikileaks.com and can be found here.

    The April 10, 2008 document describes how Lemieux appointed committee members on September 20, 2007 to "inquire whether Semb and Bracewell engaged in unethical conduct by intervening in the executive evaluation process (the so called 360 degree review) of Edgar McGonigal, Director of Development of SHC during the year 2007."

    It is believed that this is the first time that an Imperial Potentate has appointed such a committee to investigate allegations that top Shriner leaders behaved unethically.

    The report reveals how Semb and Bracewell pushed hard for continued contracts with one specific fund-raising company, Vantage Direct Marketing Services. Vantage raised over $46 million between 1999 and 2003 on behalf of SHC with only $2.5 million going to the hospitals.

    In other words, if someone donated $100 during these campaigns, $95 was kept by Vantage with only $5 going to the hospitals.

    Bracewell admitted to committee and board members that he got at least one free trip from Vantage in 2007.

    The report suggests that Semb retaliated against McGonigal, who opposed Vantage contracts, by unilaterally firing him on October 31, 2006 without first consulting the joint boards or HR.

    The report suggests that both Semb and Bracewell were attempting to accomplish their purpose by using subterfuge rather than by directly making their views known by "compromising the 360 degree review process in an unprecedented way." The committee reported that Semb and Bracewell contacted confidential employment reviewers in an effort to further retaliate against McGonigal by having him removed for poor job performance. This was done after executive vice president James Full allegedly violated employment confidentiality to "in part, avoid a confrontation with Mr. Semb."

    The report also describes how the committee was suspended by an unrecorded action of the joint boards in executive session on November 2, 2007. After the investigation was reinstated on January 26, 2008, it was expanded to include events surrounding the resignation of controller, Willard Fawcett.

    The report describes how Fawcett alleged "improper reimbursement of expenses that did not further the exempt purposes of SHC and contracts that were not in the best interests of SHC and may have involved self-interest on the part of members of the Joint Boards."

    "Of greater concern," the report explains "is Mr. Fawcett's allegation (which we emphasize is unsubstantiated at this time) that the 2006 Form 990 may include improper reporting of certain items, and that the form was executed by Mr. Semb notwithstanding the identification by Mr. Fawcett of irregularities in the return."

    The committee members also described how headquarters personnel worked under the threat of being fired in a culture of fear if they did not bend to the wills of leaders like Semb and Bracewell.

    The committee recommended that:

    * Semb and Bracewell be reprimanded for violating both SHC and AAONMS Code of Ethics.

    * Deloitte and Touche be hired for forensic accounting.

    * Records be reviewed to correct or recover improper reimbursements.

    * The Conflict of Interest Policy and Bylaws be amended to designate a full time member of the legal department for conflict of interest compliance.

    * The SHC bylaws be amended to "debar from business with SHC any entity that provides or offers any gifts, gratuities or favors to any member of the joint boards, any officer or senior executive."

    * SHC provide a whistle blower hotline or other program so employees, senior executives, trustees or directors can report suspected incidents, corporate wrong doing, conflict of interest, violations of corporate policy or violations of law.

    The report concluded the committee's investigation into the Semb/Bracewell/Vantage conflict of interest matter but stated that Fawcett's allegations required more investigation.

    NOTE: The following timeline is based on dates and information provided in the above mentioned Interim Report of the Special Investigative Committee and was added on July 21, 2008. Some dates are based on month and year only per the report.

    July 18, 1997 Joint Boards and SHC adopt conflict of interest policy.

    June, 1999 Vantage Direct Marketing Services enters into fundraising contract with SHC.

    October 2003 Henry Lewis and senior executives of Vantage DMS face criminal charges in Postal Service proceedings and settle after paying a fine of $4.5 million w/out admission of guilt by Vantage or its executives.

    December 2003 Contract w/Vantage terminated due to "unsatisfactory business relationship" because return from the direct mail campaign was very low with Vantage raising $46,155,104 and SHC receiving only 5.4% or $2,514,694. Vantage paid fees in addition to 93.9% profit.

    September, 2004 Edgar McGonigal hired as corporate Director of Development.

    May, 2006 Gene Bracewell arranges meeting w/Ralph Semb and McGonigal in Boston to hear a direct marketing proposal at Vantage Travel HQ. Proposal features names of Vantage DMS and Convergence.

    June 21, 2006 Convergence submits proposal to SHC for direct mail marketing services.

    August, 2006 Imperial Divan retreat where Bracewell urges approval of the Convergence proposal. One of the participants raises concerns about Convergence's relationship to Vantage Travel or DMS and raises improper relationships with Vantage. Bracewell reacts angrily and accuses McGonigal of leaking details. No minutes taken at this meeting, in violation of AAONMS and SHC by-laws.

    October 31, 2006 Semb attempts to terminate McGonigal for poor performance in advance of joint board meeting.

    November, 2006 Joint Boards meeting.

    November 27, 2006 Semb and Bracewell meet with McGonigal for a performance review.

    December, 2006 According to committee interviews, Bracewell is still in contact with representatives of both Vantage and Convergence. "Bracewell was concerned because several members of the joint boards were taking what he characterized as 'free trips' with Vantage Travel and that they should not be taking free trips from people they would not do business with."

    April 2007 Bracewell, John Cinotto and four other members of the Joint Board take a cruise arranged by Vantage Travel. Bracewell and Cinotto attend a presentation arranged by Vantage Travel. Presentation was by MCS Direct, a direct mail solicitation firm who is pursuing a vendor relationship with SHC. Cinotto is chairman of the Development Committee.

    April, 2007 Joint Boards meeting where Bracewell makes a motion to award McGonigal the raise that was denied to him in November 2006. McGonigal gets salary increase retroactive to January 1, 2007.

    April 18, 2007 Conflict of Interest Policy amended to include "A conflict of interest is deemed to exist whenever any director, trustee, officer or employee accepts gifts, gratuities or other favors from any individual or entity that does or is seeking to do business with SHC..."

    April 22, 2007 Semb and Bracewell execute disclosure statements in which they indicate that they were aware of no conflicts of interest within the meaning of the amended policy.

    May 14, 2007 Representatives from MCS and PEP Direct make marketing presentation to Semb, Bracewell, Cinotto and McGonigal. McGonigal reports that he has discovered an apparent joint venture between MCS Direct and Vantage DMS, per the Vantage website. "Bracewell was upset by mention if this issue and terminated the conversation."

    May 15, 2007 McGonigal sends Bracewell an email that points out that MCS proposal would cost more and did not compare to current arrangement w/current vendor, Barton Cotton.

    June 2007 Executive VP James Full begins the 360 degree review process for senior execs at SHC, including McGonigal.

    September 7, 2007 Semb contacts Full and requests that Robert Cotner, Director of Development at Chicago SHC and William Austin, Director of Development at Tampa SHC be included as reviewers of McGonigal's performance. Full regarded this as unusual, in that the identities of individuals providing reviews are intended to be confidential and Semb could not have known who would be designated for this purpose. Semb did not explain the reason for this request…Full acknowledged the request and did submit an evaluation form to Austin, in part to avoid confrontation with Semb.

    September 20, 2007 Imperial Potentate Bernard Lemieux appoints committee to investigate Semb and Bracewell for "unethical behavior."

    November, 2007 Cinotto reports a meeting w/Semb in his office at SHC and learned that both Semb and Bracewell had communicated w/Lewis of Vantage DMS and that Vantage was prepared to offer whatever was necessary to buy out SHC's obligations to Barton Cotton. Cinotto rejects idea as he believes Semb and Bracewell have a particular interest in Vantage. Semb and Bracewell deny having discussions w/Lewis other than to hear Lewis is going to make a "major gift" to SHC, but gift never materializes.

    November 2, 2007 Bracewell secretly tape records his interview with Special Committee.

    November 8, 2007 Investigation suspended by an unrecorded action of the Joint Boards in Executive Session.

    November, 2007 Bracewell admits to members of Joint Boards that he taped his November 2 interview w/the Special Committee.

    November 27, 2007 Full issues McGonigal's performance appraisal, stating good results in fundraising results but needs to improve interpersonal skills.

    January 17, 2008 Controller Willard Fawcett resigns/retires after 25 years.

    January 26, 2008 Special committee reinstated by joint boards.

    March 25, 2008 Semb interviewed by Special Committee and is asked about the circumstances concerning the 2006 990. Semb says he did not recollect signing the form because he signs so many. Semb denies receiving a letter from Fawcett detailing any concerns about the form and denies having a conversation w/Fawcett in which he suggested falsifying any information on the Form 990. Semb expresses view that "all of the direct marketing programs behave in unethical manners to attract business."

    March 27, 2008 Fawcett's attorney states that his client has information concerning the following matters: failure to report benefits as income (presumably reimbursement of personal, non-business expenses that should have been reported on either Form W-2 or form 1099-MISC and Form 990) and business transactions not in the best interests of SHC (presumably involving conflict of interest or private benefit or inurement).

    April 2, 2008 Bracewell interviewed by Special Committee and indicates he is unaware of any issues concerning his expenses and that he believes he has adequately documented all expenses reimbursed by SHC. He admits he 'took free passage."

    April 10, 2008 Interim Report issued by Special Committee.

    All copies of material reprinted or duplicated from "by Sandy Frost" must include the following credit line: From http://sandyfrost.newsvine.com/ Copyright © 2008 by Sandy Frost. Used by permission.

  • Sandy Frost is a great citizen journalist and is, in fact, quietly doing some of the best journalism on Newsvine. It'd be easier to write about topics which might land her on MSNBC such as which young actress got pregnant this week but instead she writes about a topic so specific and non-mainstream – the Shriners – that I didn't even know she existed or was doing such standout work at first.

    But like a criminal lawyer defending an unpopular client, she keeps plugging away with her articles and opinion pieces pointing out the problems she's learned about the Shriners since she got an email from a whistleblower over two years ago.

    Shriners have come to Newsvine with the purpose of trying to stop her from posting information they don't like. I can't think of any other Newsviner who has had an email distributed like the one she shared in
    this piece in which the emailer says:

    have learned that the only way to stop her from posting is to click on the " ! " (exclimation point) at the top of her page and choose " Inaccurate " when what she prints is untrue or misleading. You may want to get this information out to all brothers and if they find something that is inaccurate to mark it so.

    While some Shriners, including those here, like to attack her credibility and reputation, the fact that she has won
    journalism awards for two years in a row and she won a Newsvine RAV proves to me that she knows what she is doing; that she is proving that once again the adage that sunlight is the best disinfectant when it comes to gathering and sharing public information, especially of the type that does not smell right.

    I asked to interview Sandy because I was curious how she got started writing about the Shriners (my theory was one of little Shriner cars ran over her foot in a parade) why she continues to write about them versus, say, the Elks or Lions, and what it's like to have people coming to Newsvine and commenting on your stories with the apparent purpose of discrediting you.

    I also thought it important that other Newsviners become aware that this battle is taking place, that Shriners are emailing each other that if they hit the right button they can try to get rid of Sandy 's pieces.

    What follows is the resulting interview with Sandy .

    How did you get into Newsvine?

    I had finished up another non profit investigation in March, 2006. For three years, I'd challenged the non profit claims of a group made up mostly of retired spies. After three years, they finally became compliant with IRS regulations and after they posted their documents online, and I was essentially finished. I remember sitting here, wondering "Why in the hell did I go through all that?"

    I'd spent three years learning more about non profit groups than I ever imagined.

    Or wanted.

    Then, the next month, I got an email from Shriner whistleblower, Vernon Hill. He'd been looking for three years for a journalist who'd investigate his allegations of corruption and tax fraud. He'd been working with a former IRS agent who'd been analyzing some of the Shriners' tax returns and had put up a website where he posted the returns and pointed out their discrepancies.

    This is where most people stretch, yawn and go to sleep from boredom. But for some reason, I really like digging through and analyzing documents like tax returns, mortgage documents and FDA and Office of Human Research Protection warning letters that have been sent to some of the Shriners hospitals after it was found that they violated clinical study protocols.

    So, someone from the first non profit investigation had something to do with my entire body of work being censored offline from Suite101.com, where I was writing as an expert editor. My column was "Intuition, Remote Viewing and Consciousness." I wrote about those topics for three years, then someone sent an email to Suite101.com, wrote the word "libel" and the next thing I knew, over 80 articles disappeared.

    Only six or seven of them were the investigative ones.

    I had moved some of those articles to two blogs at Salon.com but somehow the password or account or something got screwed up and after a while, I was locked out and my articles just sat there. I have since had them removed in advance of my book being published.

    Jeff Rense of Rense.com had published my remote viewing articles for four years, so I got a hold of him to see if he'd post my first few Shriners articles because I didn't have an online "home" yet.

    Then one day I was surfing around and just happened to read about Newsvine. As I read about this revolutionary concept of delivering the news, I knew that I'd found a home.

    I sent Calvin an email after I first signed up, and let him know that I was working on something that could be quite controversial and what had happened during my previous investigation. Essentially, he just sat back and let the Code of Honor work and here we are today.

    What do you do besides Newsvine? Do you work?

    I work here in my home office. It's my sacred space. Like I write in my Newsvine bio, I don't have the resources of a daily newspaper, but they can't interview people in their bunny slippers, cook, do laundry and do yard work, all at the same time.

    I write a lot. I do a lot of online research. I will analyze documents for months before writing about them. Right now, I hope to have two e-books out in the next few weeks.

    You won an RAV and two Society of Professional Journalists awards for writing about the Shriners. To most people the Shriners are those guys with the tiny cars in parades. How did you come to write about them?

    Getting the RAV was really happy making! I was excited to get my second SPJ award because this investigation moved up from first honorable mention last year to second place this year in the Online Media, Special Report Original category. And this is the first online investigation to be included in the Investigative Reporters and Editors "Extra Extra" section.

    I got an email from Vernon Hill, the Shriner whistleblower, who told me he had been working with a former IRS agent and had been looking for an investigative journalist to look into all this tax stuff. I'd just finished up the previous investigation and was curious. I had no idea, really, who the Shriners were. They could have been the Pink Panthers or the Old Fellows or whatever.

    What caught my eye, though, was how messed up their tax returns were and how vindictive and vicious they were towards those who asked questions like "Where does all the money go?" A non profit group usually does not retaliate against or sue those who question them so as to silence them.

    Then, that September, the Shriners sued Vernon and Paul Dolnier, the former IRS agent, for defamation and they named me as a secondary party of interest and through the discovery process, asked for otherwise protected communications between a journalist and their sources.

    Apparently, the Shriners thought I was either being paid or being fed the information or was being fed the articles, which I took as a huge public insult. After three years of experience investigating non profit claims, I like to think that I know what I am doing.

    So, when the Shriners named me in the defamation lawsuit, I wondered, "What are they trying to hide?" Today, with what I've found out about their little secret sub-group, the Royal Order of Jesters, well, no wonder they didn't want anyone sniffing around.

    How many stories have you written about them?

    21 stories about the Shriners, with at least three more planned. Seven stories about the Royal Order of Jesters. Three editorials.

    What has the reaction from the Shriners been to your stories?

    It has been either "Yay!" or "Burn her!" or "Off with her head!"

    I do try to get the other side of the story, but for over a year, the Shriners' PR people, Shriner leaders and their attorneys have not answered any of my emails or returned my calls. The Shriners reacted to my stories by naming me as a secondary party of interest in their defamation lawsuit. I guess they wanted to circumvent reporter shield laws to find information they could use against the whistleblowers.

    I've been yelled at, swore at, threatened and hung up on.

    Then there are those who create Newsvine accounts just to leave the nasty comments and start flame wars. I expected the "shoot the messenger campaign" but was kind of shocked after reading the email where a Shriner sent an email out to a Shriner email list and told them how to "keep her from posting."

    Other than that, there are those who do support this work. One site, The Burning Taper, has followed things the past few years and on that site are comments from those who either love me or hate me. One person left a comment after Burning Taper announced my most recent SPJ award. He called me "the Goddess of Truth."

    That's much better than being subjected to hate speech and told to "drop dead."

    In our email exchanges you mentioned an upcoming court hearing. What was the purpose of the hearing?

    The hearing had to do with the defamation lawsuit, which was settled out of court last March. Now, I've been named in a motion filed a few weeks ago in the federal lawsuit involving the Jesters fishing trip to Brazil. I guess the attorneys for the plaintiff got a hold of the owners of Newsvine, MSNBC, and tried to have one of my Jester articles censored offline.

    But this sends the signal "We want to shut you up and stop you from reporting about what we're doing." It just makes me wonder, again, "What are you trying to hide."

    What's this about an email written specifically to try to silence you?

    I looked at the numbers and have received a total of 131 comments from the first 21 articles I wrote about the Shriners for an average of six comments per article. The seven articles I've written about the Jesters have gotten 172 comments for an average of 24.5 comments per article. Additionally, it appears that 33 people created Newsvine accounts for the sole purpose of making negative comments, harassing me and launching flame wars.

    The nature of these comments makes it clear that they have not read the 21 previous articles about the Shriners and that they are part of the "shoot the messenger" campaign.

    I posted an email that was sent by a Shriner, who created one such account, to a Shriner email list. He told "all brothers" to mark my articles as "inaccurate" in an effort to spam the administrators and stop me from posting.

    The "sock puppet" comments, or as I call them, "flying monkey" comments, usually say something like "Why are you so negative because the Shriners are so good." Someone left a comment like this on one of my Jester prostitution articles.

    Hello?

    How can someone write about the Shriners good works in order to minimize or negate what has been reported in court documents about the Jesters and prostitution?

    The comments generally don't address what has been reported about the court documents or what has been reported in other media. These guys feel that they have the right to use the comment sections to cause trouble and I simply won't allow it.

    One of the most disturbing things is the fact that Shriner governing documents include a statement that Shrine law does not include the law of the land. It seems that these guys think they can act as if they are above the law because they have this weird sense of entitlement and self-importance.

    This defeats the purpose of our non profit system.

    What I've found is a trail of sloppy, incomplete tax returns that fail to report things like personal mortgages, affiliations and over $100,000 raised through illegal gambling. This investigation has gone from exploring the possibility of massive tax fraud, retaliation against whistleblowers and corruption within the Shriners to covering court activity linking their secret sub-group, the Royal Order of Jesters, to prostitution.

    Apparently, this news coverage threatens some of these guys to the point that they want to shut me up.

    So, they log on and try to fight or argue or criticize me personally or whatever. I dismiss their comments because they are ignorant of what this investigation is all about. They totally miss the focus on non profit transparency, disclosure and accountability.

    For some reason, these Jester articles are getting a lot of attention. Since I ran my first one on February 15, I've gotten some good traffic.

    The past four months, these articles have gotten nearly 74,000 visits from 153 countries with over 114,000 page views. The top ten countries are U.S., Canada, UK, Australia, Germany, Netherlands, New Zealand, South Africa, France and Brazil.

    Tens of thousands worldwide are reading these articles, yet a handful want to deny them the chance to make up their own mind through online censorship.

    What is it that these guys are so desperate to hide?

    Why focus on the Shriners as opposed to other groups like them? Is it simply a matter of you followed the whistleblowers?

    Yep, I followed the whistleblowers. I didn't know much about the Shriners nor had any
    preconceived notions about them.

    What really got my attention was that the Orlando Sentinel investigated the Shriners twenty years ago.

    Apparently, some Shriners blew the whistle after seeing circus tickets being resold and the newspaper found that those who organized the circus and those police responsible for investigating were also Shiners, so nothing happened.

    The newspaper's investigation pointed out that the issue at hand was not how much money the Shriners passed on to their hospitals but how much the temples kept for themselves.

    This came to the attention of Ann Landers who was so shocked that she wrote "I was distressed by the information contained in that prize-winning story" including how the Shriners kept 71% of the circus proceeds, spent the money on food, travel, entertainment, fraternal ceremonies and fund-raising and that the records showed that less than 2 percent went to the medical care of the children.

    I searched for media coverage since the Orlando Sentinel's investigation and found none. So I began verifying another aspect of their investigation, which is that charitable proceeds were used to fund executive and employee mortgages. Documents showed that not only did the charity provide mortgages to these executives and employees but, as they were paid back, the Shriners failed to report the mortgage satisfactions to the IRS on their tax returns.

    Then I discovered other mortgage documents that showed that some Shriner executives had been taking out personal mortgages on their homes and had paid them back in unusually short times.

    Like repaying $150,000 in three months.

    This is when I realized that something was not right.

    I've found that things haven't changed that much from what the Orlando Sentinel had found twenty years ago. In fact, things seem to be much worse.

    Put another way, are you suggesting through your reporting that the Shriners are in any way worse than other groups of that type or is it just you're focused on the one you know the most about.

    Compared to other non profit scandals, this might be the biggest non profit scandal of our time. I don't know of another non profit investigation that began with the possibility of massive tax fraud and ended up covering how members of a secret sub-group were popped by the FBI for prostitution and how other members might be involved with child sex tourism.

    Now, it's up to law enforcement to investigate the Shriners and/or Jesters. But ultimately, it's up to the readers to make their own decisions as they assess the information that's presented. Fortunately, as they read along, they can click on links that take them to the documents being discussed. This helps them better understand what is being presented and that is a good thing.


    At your article announcing your journalism award one guy made this comment:

    Bill-255611As a matter of fact, I did not create an account to harass you, I created an account to tell you that 99.9% of Shriners are fine, upstanding men. I fail to see how my stating you seem to be a negative person and have a vendetta against the Shrine is harassment.

    And I posted a response saying, "Does that mean that coverage of the other .01 percent is not warranted or acceptable? " Do you think that a) most Shriners are good and b) did I sum up your argument for your coverage?

    Yes, I've written over and over and over that this investigation is not about the seventy-something Shriner who gets up early to field day his temple. It's not about the Shriner who carefully puts on his clown makeup and drives across town to put a smile on the face of a burned or crippled child.

    This is not about those who are good or those who are bad.

    Ann Landers made the point that "Thousands of Shriners were appalled when the Orlando Sentinel made its findings known. They had no idea as to the financial workings of their fraternity."

    It's more about those Shriners who have asked questions about financial accountability and reported crimes but end up themselves punished instead of those committing the crimes.

    I've gotten so many comments that I should stop investigating because of all the good that the Shriners do.

    Isn't that like the Catholic Church asking the media to ignore the pedophile priests because of all the good that the church does?

    If 19 Jesters are called to testify about minor prostitution in Brazil, isn't that newsworthy?

    If one Shriner and/or Jester pleads guilty to violating the Mann Act, which happened last March in the FBI prostitution case, isn't that newsworthy?

    Isn't it a journalist's job to ask questions like "How did we get here?" and "How could this happen?" and "What are they trying to hide?" and report what they find?

    In closing, I want to thank Newsvine and MSNBC for providing such a progressive and forward-thinking news site to publish my work as well as for defending my right to do so.

    And thanks to you, Scott, for taking the time to interview me.

    Continue reading this entryContinue reading this entry ...

  • The Society of Professional Journalists is sponsoring clinics for citizen journailsts.

  • What the deputies did or how they are associated with the Jesters' taking prostitutes across state lines is still unclear, but investigators with the human trafficking task force are looking at the possibility the two went to Jesters' parties and "patronized prostitutes."

  • May celebrates Asian/Pacific Americans!

  • Nearly priceless prehistoric poop.

  • Aerial hunting protects moose or provides for hunters?

  • George Takei, the original Sulu from "Star Trek," announced this past weekend that he and Brad Altman will tie the knot this summer

  • Kalyn Free, an at-large member of the Democratic National Committee and superdelegate, announced that she supports Illinois Senator Barack Obama for the party's presidential nomination. Free is also founder and President of INDN's List, an organization dedicated to recruiting and training American Indian candidates. She is a member of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma.

  • Man accused of having sex overseas with girls as young as 9 held without bail.

  • Buffalo area experts learn more about human trafficking after the FBI discovered a massage parlor full of prostitutes in slave-like conditions. These are the same girls visited by those members of the Royal Order of Jesters AKA a former judge, his lawclerk and retired police captain caught by the FBI.

  • Good for Neil Young!

  • Here is an article found on the federal court system website that discusses the devastating impact on a convict's family after they are sent to federal prison.

  • Information from the U.S. Department of Justice on Child Sex Tourism.

  • State Department announces child-sex tourist sentenced to prison.

  • Story Photo

    The Buffalo News's latest FBI/Jesters/Prostitution headline reads:

    "Judge Tills traveled with woman he jailed on prostitution charge,
    Former state justice is a central figure in probe of activities of Buffalo Jesters"

    The article by Dan Herbeck begins:

    "A woman who faced drug and prostitution charges in State Supreme Court Justice Ronald H. Tills’ courtroom later accompanied him on an out-of-state trip for a fraternal organization called the Jesters. Investigators are trying to determine whether the woman offered her services as a prostitute at the convention or whether she was just a guest of the judge, who has since retired."

    It has also been discovered that Tills is listed as a member of an inside Jesters group called the "S.O.B.I.B." The acronym allegedly stands for something like "Secret Order of Brother/s in Blood."

    When asked about the S.O.B.I.B., Alex Rogers, executive director of the Royal Order of Jesters, claimed he didn't know anything about it. After it was pointed out that his picture and contact information was in the S.O.B.I.B. directory, along with Ralph Semb, chairman of the board of trustees for the Shriners Hospitals for Children, and Ron Tills, the Jester/judge who got in trouble with the FBI in Buffalo for prostitution, Rogers said "Oh, Jesus Christ. I'm not going to talk with you anymore. I have no comment" and abruptly hung up.

    Additionally, the International Royal Order of Jesters, Inc. and the National Court of the Royal Order of Jesters fail to list the S.O.B.I.B. on line 80b of their 2003, 2004 and 2005 tax returns.

    Line 80a asks:

    "Is the organization related (other than by association with a statewide or nationwide organization) through common membership, governing bodies, trustees, officers, etc., to any other exempt or non exempt organizations?"

    Line 80b asks:

    "If 'Yes,' enter the name of the organization."

    In addition to the S.O.B.I.B., other affiliated groups, including the Shriners and the Masons, are not listed.

    The 990 also asks non profit groups:

    In Part III, Statement of Program Service Accomplishments, "What is the organization's primary purpose?"

    The ROJ reports their exempt purpose as:

    "Promoting fellowship and fraternalism and extending assistance and good cheer to others."

    Part III continues:

    "All organizations must describe their exempt purpose achievements in a clear and concise manner. State the number of clients served, publications issued, etc. Discuss achievements that are not measurable."

    The ROJ answered:

    "Held annual events which were devoted to fraternalism and spreading the gospel of mirth and good cheer."

    Part VIII, Relationship of Activities to the Accomplishment of Exempt Purposes asks:

    "Explain how each activity for which income is reported in column (E) of Part VII contributed importantly to the accomplishment of the organization's exempt purposes (other than by providing funds for such purposes.)" Jesters' Activities include the annual banquet and their big weekend bash, the Book of the Play (BOP).

    The ROJ answers in statement 9:

    93a Annual Banquet, Annual events devoted to fraternalism and spreading the gospel of (sic)

    93b Book of the Play, Mirth and good cheer.

    Here is the Jesters' Oath from the Book of the Play:

    "Candidates will be hoodwinked and will in unison repeat the following pledge as the DIRECTOR pronounces it to them;

    “I ________________________— do hereby accept and acknowledge this contract and pledge with the Royal Jesters and members of the Ancient Arabic Order Nobles of the Mystic Shrine:

    “I promise never to select or propose any Noble whom I know to be weak or vacillating, or of unknown, or doubted, loyalty, or integrity, morality, or temper.

    “Furthermore, I do by this obligation, elect myself an Evangelist of the Gospel of Mirth, accepting from my Fellow Jesters, a mission to lighten the burdens of all whom I know to be of the initiate, and for them will I always hang the latch string without the portals of my true heart.

    “In witness whereof I do place my right hand upon my heart, and bind the convenient we have made amongst us, pledging my faith and honor as a man, that I will not reveal to any person, not a member in good standing of the Royal Jesters, any part, word or action of the ceremonies which have been enacted here, are now being enacted, or are to be enacted hereafter, during this or any other session of the or any other Court of Royal Jester.”

    It has yet to be determined if such a secret oath is appropriate for a non profit group.

    Tax returns report that in 2003, the Jesters' BOP expenses were $226,268, with income of $400,548. In 2004, they spent $545,806 on the BOP, with income of $584,661. In 2005, they spent $307,345 with income of $454,783.

    One of their other events is an annual banquet. In 2003, the ROJ spent $38,688 to hold their annual banquet with income of $47,610. In 2004, they spent $48,846 on the banquet with income of $42,930. In 2005, they spent $38,523 with income of $44,369.

    Additionally, Statement three for the same three years reported director's expense as $31,116, $24,778 and $31,865 respectively, though these expenses are not reported in Part II.

    One of the most important things that a non profit must account for is Program Services, defined as:

    "mainly those activities that the reporting organization was created to conduct and which, along with any activities commenced subsequently, form the basis of the organization's exemption from tax."

    These same ROJ tax returns list $0 for Program Services.

    The International Court of the Royal Order of Jesters reported gross receipts for the same years as $1,208,146, $1,394,551 and $1,310, 539 respectively.

    The ROJ tax return for 2003 can be read here.

    The return for 2004 can be read here.

    The return for 2005 can be read here.

    A Thursday, December 20, 2007 request for the ROJ 2006 990 and Form 1023 remains unanswered. The Form 1023 is a group's application for tax exempt status. IRS regulations state that the organization must provide the requested document/s within 30 days from the date it received the request.

    The Royal Order of Jesters is a 501c10 non profit fraternity, with 23,500 members organized into 191 chapters.

    All copies of material reprinted or duplicated from by Sandy Frost must include the following credit line: From http://sandyfrost.newsvine.com/ Copyright © 2008 by Sandy Frost. Used by permission.

  • Investigators are trying to determine if Tills took the woman he imprisoned to Jesters parties as a guest or as a prostitute.

About this Author
Vineacity
Articles Posted: 87
Links Seeded: 255
Member Since: 6/2006
Last Seen: 2/08/2012
I am an investigative journalist who made the transition from the days of hand set type in the early 70's to writing online in 2001.

Follow Sandy Frost to get e-mail or watchlist alerts whenever new content is published, or subscribe via RSS:

RSS
Sandy Frost's Watchlist
Sandy Frost's Private Content
Sandy Frost has not published any private articles, seeds, or discussions that you have access to.
Sandy Frost's Latest Comments