Odom, Kardashian Charity Scam? Lamar Odom's Cancer Charity Gives $0 to Cancer Research Over 9 years
Lamar Odom and Kim Kardashian have been accused of being involved in a charity scam, according to various media reports out this week.
Their charity, Cathy's Kids, has allegedly not donated anything whatsoever to cancer research since it was founded in 2004, according to ESPN.
The allegations stem from a report on ESPN called "Outside the Lines," which investigated numerous charities established by professional sports stars. Among the list of those looked into was Lamar Odom's charity, Cathy's Kids.
According to the report, Odom's charity, as well as several other charities set up by other athletes, had failed to fulfill the expectations that they were set up for.
In the investigation ESPN reported, "NBA forward Lamar Odom's charity that promised money for cancer research has not given a dime in grant money to any cancer entity in its eight-year history."
The charity was set up by Odom in 2004 after his mother died of stomach cancer, and looked to help fund further research into fighting cancer.
The mission statement of the charity states that Odom is "committed to help causes that are focused on finding a cure and helping people who suffer from the disease."
The report claims that the charity has spent about $1.3 million to fund elite youth basketball travel teams, but has yet to give any funding at all to cancer research.
It is also claimed in the report that the charity has raised approximately $2.2 million over the nine years it has been in operation. Tax documents, however, show that a huge majority of that money has gone to fund youth basketball teams, and not cancer research.
The secretary of the charity, Jerry DeGregorio, has also been questioned for receiving what some consider an excessive salary, at $72,000 a year.
Here is a file video of an interview with Lamar Odom from 2011: