To the Maryland Attorney General: UPDATED X2

Today, a cult organization in Poolesville and Barnesville, Maryland posted the above notice on their web site http://www.tara.org, soliciting funds from the general public and in interstate commerce. You will notice they have published the claim their property and assets will be seized if they do not get $250,000 by:00 p.m. the 29th of April.

You will also find that the leader of this cult, Alyce Zeoli, published fundraising appeals linked to this claim on Twitter, where she participates using numerous avatars, inclusive of @ahkonlhamo.

When other participants on Twitter asked to see proof of the above claims, i.e. that a "Buddhist" temple in Maryland was about to have its property and assets seized, Alyce Zeoli and her group responded by trying to have the critic's account shut down. They also refused to provide any documentation supporting their claims of financial emergency, such as the name of the involved bank, or a copy of the letter of impending seizure.

This group, Kunzang Palyul Choling, has a long history of abuse of the public trust in financial dealings, in Maryland, Arizona, elsewhere in the United States and overseas.

As Buddhists and concerned citizens, we are asking you to open an immediate and detailed investigation into this organization and its leadership for fraudulent fundraising practices, and to conduct a complete and thorough audit of their financial affairs, with particular reference to self-dealing and conversion of assets involving the group's leadership.

UPDATED:
So, if you donated money to this "telethon" in the belief that a Buddhist temple was at risk -- as the KPC people claimed -- you are in for a big surprise:

"Coincidentally, our attorneys were able to arrange a two-week extension... " So, knowing that, they went ahead with the appeal anyway. Whatever works, right?

A telephone call to the M&T Bank Legal Department would have saved everyone a lot of panic. They refused to confirm the "Temple seizure" story.

Here it is in black and white -- evidence of fraudulent claims.

That's David A. Williams, presumably sobered up long enough to be "tweeting" as @kpcmonk while assisting in the scheme. Use of the various communications devices and mediums, plus the self-admitted international angle, raises this from state jurisdiction to a federal matter.

UPDATED:
From overseas, comes the rather interesting news that $117,000 came in one lump sum donation from Pathgate International -- the shadowy Palyul martial arts operation in London.

You can read the whole story at:
http://www.pathgate.org/pathgate_news_01_01.html#KPC_Fund_raising