Hip-hop entrepreneur extraordinaire Sean "Diddy" Combs (pictured) doesn't quite appear to be in a charitable mood these days. Officials from two New York breast cancer charities are accusing him of allegedly stiffing their organizations out of thousands of dollars at a Long Island party he hosted for their benefit.
According to Carolyn Spector, director of The Long Island Plastic Surgical Group Foundation, 1 in 9: The Long Island Breast Cancer Action Coalition and her organization were "promised" proceeds from a "Pink Party" that the mogul hosted at the Glo nightclub in Westbury, N.Y., Spector told the New York Post:
"Nothing was written down, but we were told we would get part of the take. The terminology was 'proceeds from the event.'"
Combs, who reportedly received $80,000 for his appearance at the charitable event, on the other hand, is wholeheartedly denying the allegations. The Grammy Award-winning performer says he never promised the charities anything:
"I didn't know what the [club] owner promised, that had nothing to do with me," Combs told the Post. "I had no information about the charity. When the event was booked, it was just for an appearance. I agreed to let him add the charity because I thought it was a good idea."
The charities' officials claim that there was quite a bit of money made on the night of the function. Guests were charged $10 at the door and $1,000 to sit in the company of Combs, who was located in the VIP area of the ritzy club. The venue, which holds approximately 2,000 patrons, was bursting at the seams not long after midnight.
The event's promoters asked that attendees at the event wear a touch of pink in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness month. They also publicized the function in a similar manner to Combs famed "white party" galas that he hosts yearly in the Hamptons. Sources say not only did Combs not have a splash of pink anywhere on his person, he was totally unaware of the mandate.
John Smythe, the son of Glo's owner, alleges that they offered the charities a table, where they could ask for handouts. Smythe also says Spector and Geri Barish, the director of 1 in 9, ordered drinks and wandered away. He told the Post:
"They were working a table for donations," he said. "But they left the table later and start drinking. Seemed like they were into partying."
In response to Smythe's comments, Spector said,"That's just a bunch of crapola!" According to Spector, the charities were given a verbal promise of a portion of revenue from the bar or door:
"There was never any question of my setting up a table and trying to fund-raise on my own. That's not the way we operate. There weren't even chairs for us to sit down on. And I didn't have anything to drink."
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Source: http://www.bvblackspin.com/2010/12/06/diddy-allegedly-stiffs-breast-cancer-charities/
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