LV woman charged in alleged charity fraud case

Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2003 | 9:26 a.m.

A Las Vegas woman who operates Marilyn's Children's Charity was arrested Tuesday in a charity raffle scam, Attorney General Brian Sandoval said.

Marilyn Bettina Monroe was charged with a count of theft by false pretenses, a felony, and three counts of deceptive trade practices, a misdemeanor.

Authorities said Monroe operated a raffle in June 2002 through Marilyn's Children's Charity, then failed to deliver a 1950 Packard automobile valued at $16,000 to the winner.

She advertised on the raffle ticket that purchasers had a 1 in 100 chance of winning, that someone would win the Packard and that the proceeds would go to underprivileged children and battered women, authorities said.

But, according to investigators, 1,227 tickets were sold, the winner never received the car and no money went to help underprivileged children or battered women.

Monroe was booked at the Clark County Detention Center and released on her own recognizance. She will be required to appear before a judge in Henderson Judicial Court on March 3.

If convicted, Monroe could get six years in prison and face fines.