Chas Lee
Encyclopedia
Charles K. "Chas" Lee embezzled over $100,000 from a Boston-area charity in 1991 and 1992, while still a Harvard University
undergraduate.
; it is a prominent organization that raises money for research into pediatric cancer, and treatment for children dying of the disease. Lee was co-chairman for a Jimmy Fund event called An Evening with Champions
, a charity skating event that has been organized by Harvard's Eliot House
annually since 1970. In the past, skaters such as Dorothy Hamill
, Elizabeth Manley
, Scott Hamilton
, Kristi Yamaguchi
, Brian Orser
, Brian Boitano
, Paul Wylie
, Michelle Kwan
, Ilia Kulik
, Oksana Baiul
, and Nancy Kerrigan
have all taken part. Thousands of skating fans come to see the exhibition every year, and over ten million people view the show on PBS
. By the 1990s, the event was raising well over $100,000 for the charity every year.
Under Lee's co-direction, the 1992 event went smoothly; Nancy Kerrigan and Paul Wylie performed, and at the end, Lee was photographed handing the charity's organizers a prop-check as smiling young cancer patients looked on.
system. He provided expensive liquor and cigar
s to his friends. If asked, Lee told people that his grandfather had died and left him money. In reality, the money came from The Jimmy Fund, to which Lee never sent any of the money that had been raised at the skating event. Lee managed to push off queries from the Fund for over a year. He graduated in 1993 with a degree in biology, and stopped responding to their phone calls, at which point they took action.
"The students said there were some extra purchases made and they weren't ready to close out the books," Mike Andrews, executive director of the Jimmy Fund, said in September 1993. When nearly another year had passed without receipt of a check, Andrews said he was preparing to raise questions just as the two new student chairmen approached Harvard authorities with their own suspicions. The story hit the press in the summer of 1993 and, though nobody yet knew what had gone wrong, eyes quickly turned to the event's 1992 management.
$7000 from the charity around the same time that Lee was.
Lee had been diligent about destroying records
. All of the 1991 donations and part of the 1992 receipts were destroyed. After he disposed of the event's account books, he was able to make two claims:
Harvard's lawyers were by this point involved, and expressed disbelief at these excuses. Harvard auditors completed an initial investigation, then turned the mess over the district attorney
. Their investigation revealed that Chas had written himself 83 checks with the charity's money, totalling well over $100,000 (sources vary as to whether it was $120,000 or $160,000). He was indicted
in the summer of 1994.
y. In his sentencing hearing in February 1995, Lee's lawyer described him as "truly ashamed" and "naive," and continued by saying that he hoped that Chas would come back from prison "a better man, not a ruined one."
Judge Regina Quinlan was lenient, and suspended all but one year of Chas's four- to-five-year sentence and placed him on probation
for 10 years, the maximum time she gave him to pay restitution
. He was sent directly to prison
. The judge also ordered Lee to perform 100 hours of community service
for inner-city youths each year until all the money is repaid.
Harvard did not annul Chas's diploma. He remains an alumnus
in good standing. As of late 2005, he was living on the upper westside in Manhattan.
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
undergraduate.
About An Evening with Champions
The charity in question is called The Jimmy FundThe Jimmy Fund
The Jimmy Fund raises vital funds to support adult and pediatric cancer care and research at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston, Massachusetts. Founded in 1948 to raise funds for patient care and the fight against children’s cancer, the Jimmy Fund now supports the search for new cancer...
; it is a prominent organization that raises money for research into pediatric cancer, and treatment for children dying of the disease. Lee was co-chairman for a Jimmy Fund event called An Evening with Champions
An Evening with Champions
An Evening with Champions is an annual benefit figure skating show hosted by Eliot House of Harvard University. The event is a two-day skating show in October, which regularly attracts world-class skaters, thousands of spectators, hundreds of Harvard students, special guests, donors, and of course...
, a charity skating event that has been organized by Harvard's Eliot House
Eliot House
Eliot House is one of twelve residential houses for upperclassmen at Harvard University and one of the seven original houses at the College. Opened in 1931, the house was named after Charles William Eliot, who served as president of the university for forty years .-Traditions:Before Harvard opted...
annually since 1970. In the past, skaters such as Dorothy Hamill
Dorothy Hamill
Dorothy Stuart Hamill is an American figure skater. She is the 1976 Olympic champion in Ladies' Singles and 1976 World Champion.-Early life:...
, Elizabeth Manley
Elizabeth Manley
Elizabeth Ann Manley, CM is a Canadian figure skater. She is the 1988 Olympic silver medalist, 1988 World silver medalist, and three-time Canadian champion.-Early life and training:...
, Scott Hamilton
Scott Hamilton (figure skater)
Scott Scovell Hamilton is an American figure skater and Olympic gold medalist. He won four consecutive U.S. championships , four consecutive World Championships and a gold medal in the 1984 Olympics....
, Kristi Yamaguchi
Kristi Yamaguchi
Kristine Tsuya "Kristi" Yamaguchi-Hedican is an American figure skater. She is the 1992 Olympic Champion in ladies' singles. Yamaguchi also won two World Figure Skating Championships in 1991 and 1992 and a U.S. Figure Skating Championships in 1992. She won one junior world title in 1988 and two...
, Brian Orser
Brian Orser
Brian Ernest Orser, OC is a Canadian retired competitive and professional figure skater. He is the 1984 and 1988 Olympic silver medalist, 1987 World champion and the 1981-1988 Canadian national champion....
, Brian Boitano
Brian Boitano
Brian Anthony Boitano is an American figure skater from Sunnyvale, California. He is the 1988 Olympic champion, the 1986 and 1988 World Champion, and the 1985-1988 U.S. National Champion. He turned professional following the 1988 season...
, Paul Wylie
Paul Wylie
Paul Stanton Wylie is an American figure skater and 1992 Olympic silver medalist.-Biography:Born in Dallas, Texas, Wylie began skating at the age of three. At age eleven, his family moved to Denver, Colorado, where he began to train with Carlo Fassi...
, Michelle Kwan
Michelle Kwan
Michelle Wingshan Kwan is an American figure skater. She is a two-time Olympic medalist, a five-time World champion and a nine-time U.S...
, Ilia Kulik
Ilia Kulik
Ilia Alexandrovich Kulik is a Russian figure skater. He is the 1998 Olympic Champion, the 1995 European Champion, the 1997–1998 Grand Prix Final champion, and the 1995 World Junior champion.- Career :...
, Oksana Baiul
Oksana Baiul
Oksana Serhiyivna Baiul is a Ukrainian professional figure skater. She is the 1994 Olympic Champion in Ladies' Singles and 1993 World Champion.-Early and personal life:...
, and Nancy Kerrigan
Nancy Kerrigan
Nancy Ann Kerrigan is a two-time American Olympic figure skating medalist and 1993 U.S. champion.-Early life and skating career:...
have all taken part. Thousands of skating fans come to see the exhibition every year, and over ten million people view the show on PBS
Public Broadcasting Service
The Public Broadcasting Service is an American non-profit public broadcasting television network with 354 member TV stations in the United States which hold collective ownership. Its headquarters is in Arlington, Virginia....
. By the 1990s, the event was raising well over $100,000 for the charity every year.
Under Lee's co-direction, the 1992 event went smoothly; Nancy Kerrigan and Paul Wylie performed, and at the end, Lee was photographed handing the charity's organizers a prop-check as smiling young cancer patients looked on.
The Crime
During his senior year, Lee bought a multi-thousand-dollar stereoStereophonic sound
The term Stereophonic, commonly called stereo, sound refers to any method of sound reproduction in which an attempt is made to create an illusion of directionality and audible perspective...
system. He provided expensive liquor and cigar
Cigar
A cigar is a tightly-rolled bundle of dried and fermented tobacco that is ignited so that its smoke may be drawn into the mouth. Cigar tobacco is grown in significant quantities in Brazil, Cameroon, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Honduras, Indonesia, Mexico, Nicaragua, Philippines, and the Eastern...
s to his friends. If asked, Lee told people that his grandfather had died and left him money. In reality, the money came from The Jimmy Fund, to which Lee never sent any of the money that had been raised at the skating event. Lee managed to push off queries from the Fund for over a year. He graduated in 1993 with a degree in biology, and stopped responding to their phone calls, at which point they took action.
"The students said there were some extra purchases made and they weren't ready to close out the books," Mike Andrews, executive director of the Jimmy Fund, said in September 1993. When nearly another year had passed without receipt of a check, Andrews said he was preparing to raise questions just as the two new student chairmen approached Harvard authorities with their own suspicions. The story hit the press in the summer of 1993 and, though nobody yet knew what had gone wrong, eyes quickly turned to the event's 1992 management.
The Cover-Up
David Sword, the Harvard Junior who served as treasurer, was convicted for embezzlingEmbezzlement
Embezzlement is the act of dishonestly appropriating or secreting assets by one or more individuals to whom such assets have been entrusted....
$7000 from the charity around the same time that Lee was.
Lee had been diligent about destroying records
Fraud
In criminal law, a fraud is an intentional deception made for personal gain or to damage another individual; the related adjective is fraudulent. The specific legal definition varies by legal jurisdiction. Fraud is a crime, and also a civil law violation...
. All of the 1991 donations and part of the 1992 receipts were destroyed. After he disposed of the event's account books, he was able to make two claims:
- Eliot House had run up unusual expenses while hosting the event, and so it could not meet its pledge to the charity, and
- Treasurer Sword had been a sloppy record keeper, with a "milk carton full of receipts" that had since been lost.
Harvard's lawyers were by this point involved, and expressed disbelief at these excuses. Harvard auditors completed an initial investigation, then turned the mess over the district attorney
District attorney
In many jurisdictions in the United States, a District Attorney is an elected or appointed government official who represents the government in the prosecution of criminal offenses. The district attorney is the highest officeholder in the jurisdiction's legal department and supervises a staff of...
. Their investigation revealed that Chas had written himself 83 checks with the charity's money, totalling well over $100,000 (sources vary as to whether it was $120,000 or $160,000). He was indicted
Indictment
An indictment , in the common-law legal system, is a formal accusation that a person has committed a crime. In jurisdictions that maintain the concept of felonies, the serious criminal offence is a felony; jurisdictions that lack the concept of felonies often use that of an indictable offence—an...
in the summer of 1994.
The Trial
After initially denying that he had done anything wrong, and suggesting that there were merely accounting problems to be corrected, Chas decided to plead guiltGuilt
Guilt is the state of being responsible for the commission of an offense. It is also a cognitive or an emotional experience that occurs when a person realizes or believes—accurately or not—that he or she has violated a moral standard, and bears significant responsibility for that...
y. In his sentencing hearing in February 1995, Lee's lawyer described him as "truly ashamed" and "naive," and continued by saying that he hoped that Chas would come back from prison "a better man, not a ruined one."
Judge Regina Quinlan was lenient, and suspended all but one year of Chas's four- to-five-year sentence and placed him on probation
Probation
Probation literally means testing of behaviour or abilities. In a legal sense, an offender on probation is ordered to follow certain conditions set forth by the court, often under the supervision of a probation officer...
for 10 years, the maximum time she gave him to pay restitution
Restitution
The law of restitution is the law of gains-based recovery. It is to be contrasted with the law of compensation, which is the law of loss-based recovery. Obligations to make restitution and obligations to pay compensation are each a type of legal response to events in the real world. When a court...
. He was sent directly to prison
Prison
A prison is a place in which people are physically confined and, usually, deprived of a range of personal freedoms. Imprisonment or incarceration is a legal penalty that may be imposed by the state for the commission of a crime...
. The judge also ordered Lee to perform 100 hours of community service
for inner-city youths each year until all the money is repaid.
Harvard did not annul Chas's diploma. He remains an alumnus
Alumnus
An alumnus , according to the American Heritage Dictionary, is "a graduate of a school, college, or university." An alumnus can also be a former member, employee, contributor or inmate as well as a former student. In addition, an alumna is "a female graduate or former student of a school, college,...
in good standing. As of late 2005, he was living on the upper westside in Manhattan.
Sources
- The Bergen Record February 17, 1995; Pg. A37
- The Boston Globe July 31, 1993, Pg. 15
- Swing Magazine June 1995
- http://www.jimmyfund.org
- http://www.hcs.harvard.edu/~ewc/