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소아쌤

'Three Cups of Tea' author to repay charity $1 mn

By 윤민식

Published : April 6, 2012 - 15:00

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A US author nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize for his work building schools in Afghanistan and Pakistan has agreed to repay $1 million to his charity after a probe into financial misdealings.

Greg Mortenson (http://www.gregmortenson.com/) Greg Mortenson (http://www.gregmortenson.com/)


Greg Mortenson, who wrote the best-selling "Three Cups of Tea" account about his work, has also agreed to resign from his charity's board for "financial transgressions" in a settlement reached with the Montana attorney general.

A year-long investigation by the attorney general's office found Mortenson had mismanaged his Central Asia Institute (CAI), with millions of dollars of donations spent on charter flights, family vacations and personal items.

The settlement was a major setback for the philanthropist once widely praised for his work, which even the US military upheld as having useful applications for its counterinsurgency campaigns.

The probe by Montana Attorney General Steve Bullock followed an expose last year alleging that some of the most dramatic episodes in Mortenson's best-selling memoir and its popular sequel "Stones into Schools" were fabricated and largely served as a conduit to self-enrichment.

In "Three Cups of Tea," Mortenson tells the stirring story of how he was rescued and nursed to health in a remote Pakistani village after a failed climb in 1993 of the formidable mountain K2.

The 2009 Nobel nominee writes that as he recovered, he promised villagers to come back and build a school, a decision that gave birth to his now famous campaign.

But Bullock said that following "significant lapses in judgment," Mortenson could no longer hold "any position of financial oversight" or serve as a voting member of CAI's board of directors, though he can keep a non-executive role.

"Despite the severity of their errors, CAI is worth saving," Bullock added.

CAI executive director Anne Beyersdorfer said the group disagrees with some of the report's analysis and conclusions but "we look forward to moving ahead as an even stronger organization." She said Mortenson would be involved in CAI's future.

Mortenson, who resigned as executive director last year, has repaid $495,000 of $1.05 million owed to CAI, leaving him with $560,000 to repay over three years because he has "insufficient financial resources" to pay it all at once, according to the attorney general's report.

The investigation pointed to a significant lack of financial accountability, with vast amounts of cash spent overseas without supporting receipts and other documentation as Mortenson's expenses went largely unchallenged by CAI's board.

In one of the most egregious cases, CAI spent about $3.96 million buying Mortenson's books -- largely at full price from online retailers -- to donate them without using his publisher's discount.

Mortenson never abided by a CAI agreement requiring him to donate the equivalent of the royalties he made from the purchases or split the $4.93 million CAI paid to promote and advertise the books.

The charity spent nearly $2 million on charter flights to maintain Mortenson's busy speaking schedule until he started paying for his own travel in the months leading to the April 2011 media investigations into his activities.

The report said Mortenson was "double-dipping" prior to the investigation, not reimbursing CAI for travel expenses despite receiving an honorarium from event sponsors.

And he pocketed nearly all of his speaking fees. At one point when his engagement fees ranged between $25,000 to $30,000, all but $7,500 went to Mortenson.

Among the "substantial" expenses Mortenson charged to the charity he co-founded were "LL Bean clothing, iTunes, luggage, luxurious accommodations, and even vacations," according to the report.

Yet Mortenson was not alone in making unaccounted charges to CAI's accounts.

The charity's credit card statements showed "questionable charges" by other employees at restaurants, bars and spas, as well as on health club dues and gifts, the report said.

But CAI had good financial standing, with $23 million in reserves as it had cashed a lot more donations than it spent.

CAI has helped communities build over 180 schools, and supports 56 more. It has also helped build 30 women's vocational centers.

But CBS television's "60 Minutes" program last year said many of the schools supposedly run by Mortenson's charity had never opened, while others were deserted or operating without links to Mortenson. The Montana probe did not delve into those issues. (AFP)

 

<관련 한글 기사>


충격! 노벨상 후보, 알고보니 수십억원 횡령을


기부금 사적 용도 사용…100만 달러 변상하고 이사회서 사퇴


노벨 평화상 후보로 지명됐던 미국의 사회운동가 겸 작가 그레그 모텐슨이 그가 공동 설립한 자선재단 자금 운용 비리와 관련해 100만 달러가 넘는 돈을 재단에 변상하는 데 동의했다.

미국 몬태나주 법무부는 모텐슨이 '자금 운용 비리'와 관련해 이 자선 재단의 이사회에서도 물러나기로 했다고 5일(현지시간) 발표했다.

몬태나주 검찰은 모텐슨의 세계적 베스트셀러 논픽션 '세잔의 차'(Three Cups o f Tea)와 '스톤즈 인투 스쿨즈'(Stones into Schools)의 일부 극적인 일화들이 사실 이 아니며 개인적 치부를 위해 날조됐다는 CBS방송의 지난해 보도 이후 수사를 벌여 왔다.

몬태나주 검찰은 1년의 조사 끝에 모텐슨이 자선재단 중앙아시아협회(CAI)에 대 한 "자신의 책무를 이행하지 못했다"는 사실을 밝혀냈다.

스티브 벌록 몬태나주 법무장관은 "상당한 판단 잘못"이 밝혀짐에 따라 모텐슨은 더는 "(재단) 재정을 감독하는 어떤 지위"를 차지하거나 재단 이사회에서 표결권을 행사할 수는 없지만, 집행권이 없는 다른 직책은 허용될 것이라고 밝혔다.

벌록 장관은 "잘못이 엄중하지만 CAI는 존속시킬 만한 가치가 있다"고 덧붙였다.

그는 모텐슨이 CAI에 기부된 자금을 가족의 항공여행비용이나 의류 구입, 인터넷 다운로드 등 개인적 용도로 사용하는 잘못을 저질렀다고 밝혔다.

CAI는 특히 모텐슨의 책을 기증용으로 사용하기 위해 온라인 서점에서 할인도 받지 않고 정가 그대로 396만 달러 상당을 사들이는 터무니 없는 일도 벌인 것으로 드러났다.

모텐슨은 또 CAI가 이 책을 홍보하거나 광고하는 데 493만 달러를 지출했는데도 정작 자신은 책 매출액에서 받는 저작권료나 그의 몫에 해당하는 금액을 CAI에 기부 하기로 한 약정을 전혀 이행하지 않았다. 

몬태나주 법무부는 모텐슨이 재단 자금을 이용해 자신의 책을 판매하거나 여행비로 사용한 부분을 변상하기 위해 "100만 달러가 넘는 돈"을 재단에 반환하는 데에 동의했다고 밝혔다. 

모텐슨은 400만부 이상이 팔린 '세잔의 차'에서 1993년 히말라야 K2봉 등반 실패 이후 파키스탄의 오지 마을 코르페에서 현지 주민들에게 구조돼 건강을 회복하기 까지의 과정을 감동적으로 그렸다.

그는 이때 마을 사람들에게 되돌아와 학교를 지어주겠다고 약속했으며 이 결심이 지금은 세계적으로 알려진 "파키스탄에 학교 지어주기" 운동의 시발점이 됐다고 밝히고 있다.

CAI는 그동안 180개가 넘는 학교 건립을 도와주고 56개의 학교를 지원했으며 30개의 여성직업훈련센터 건립을 도왔다고 발표했다.

CBS의 시사 고발 프로그램 '60분'은 그러나 모텐슨의 재단이 운용하고 있다고 알려진 학교 다수가 실제로는 문을 열지 않았으며 다른 학교들도 버려져 있거나 모텐슨과 관련 없이 운용되고 있다고 지난해 보도했다.

몬태나주 법무부는 이 부분에 대해서는 수사를 하지 않았다. (연합뉴스)