Cathy's Kids, a foundation meant to raise money for inner city kids and cancer research, is currently under fire for allegedly never donating a dime for cancer.
The organization, run by NBA player Lamar Odom and his wife Khloe Kardashian, was started back in 2004 when Odom's mother died from stomach cancer, reports OMG!Yahoo.
The charity is supposed to be "making a positive impact on the lives of under-privileged children, as well as targeting a disease that has played a significant role in [Odom's] life. Lamar lost his mother to stomach cancer and subsequently is committed to help causes that are focused on finding a cure and helping people who suffer from the disease. Lamar is focused on ensuring that funds are available for under-privileged youth that live in the inner cities of New York and Los Angeles."
While no money has reportedly been given to cancer research, Yahoo and ESPN reported that for eight years the money has been given to youth basketball teams.
ESPN's "Outside The Lines" reported the money "primarily existed to finance two elite youth basketball travel teams. Of the $2.2 million raised by the charity, at least 60 percent --$1.3 million-- went to those AAU teams."
In addition, the charity only had one paid executive, Odom's friend and former coach, Jerry DeGregorio. He is now the assistant coach with the Golden State Warriors.
As the Cathy's Kids' secretary from 2004-2011, he reportedly earned an annual median salary of $72,000, while the charity operated in a deficit since it began.
"Its 2011 tax returns show it $256,000 in debt, mostly stemming from a loan Odom made to the charity, according to his business manager Lester Knispel, also the charity's treasurer," "OTL" reported.
If the investigation is true, the company is in direct violation of tax law.
"If a charity spends money -- including paying someone a salary -- on activities not consistent with its stated mission, that could be a violation of tax law that could draw the attention of the IRS or a state attorney general's office to prosecute," "OTL" reported.
Neither Kardashian nor Odom has commented much on the situation, mostly refusing to answer questions.
In one interview, Odom simply stated, "It's my money."
Recently, Kardashian has put up some of her personal items for auction to raise money for the charity, although Cathy's Kids has reportedly been "dormant for years."
