Telemarketers indicted in what prosecutors call charity scam

Bill Gang

Monday, Nov. 1, 1999 | 10:37 a.m.

A telemarketing scam early this year that solicited contributions under the guise of helping veterans was good enough to collect contributions from thousands of people.

The group, which assured contributors that it was affiliated with the Veterans of Foreign Wars, was good enough to convince International Game Technology, Goldring Plaza Surgical Center and Sharpe Plumbing to contribute.

The group was even good enough to convince the Rev. James Crilly of the Guardian Angel Cathedral to donate $350 to help purchase Easter baskets for needy veterans.

But it wasn't good enough to avoid prosecution. A Clark County grand jury on Friday indicted three Las Vegas men in the scam that prosecutors said pulled in about $93,000 in donations to the Veterans Opportunity and Service Center between January and July.

The telemarketing operation wasn't connected with the VFW, the money wasn't going to benefit veterans and the donations weren't tax deductible, according to Deputy Attorney General Brian Kunzi.

The Veterans Opportunity and Service Center is a legal nonprofit corporation operating a shelter in Reno that agreed to have the telemarketers conduct fund-raising activities on its behalf, the prosecutor said, noting that the center received only about $9,000.

The rest, according to the indictment, was converted to cash and disbursed among Antonio Anastasio, 54, Edward Atwood, 71, and Frank DeCarlo, 60.

Those three are scheduled to be arraigned Nov. 15 in District Court on charges of racketeering, theft by false pretenses and failing to register as a telemarketer. They could face penalties of 54 years in prison and fines of up to $125,000 apiece.

Kunzi said the trio's operation at 880 E. Sahara Ave. also raised money for 10 or 15 other charities, many of which perform minimal charitable activities.

"Really they are only fronts for telemarketers," Kunzi said, adding that there is no evidence the veterans center falls into that category.

The bulk of the donations received by the telemarketers on behalf of the center were for about $50.

IGT and Shape Plumbing both donated $350 to purchase gift baskets for needy veterans while Goldring Plaza Surgical Center donated $300 for an advertisement in a veterans newsletter.

No baskets were purchased and no ad was run, the indictment stated.