Aug 8, 2008 4:51 pm US/Eastern
AG: Black & Gold Bash Victims Could Get Money Soon
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) ―
Two years ago, nearly 5,000 people bought $75 tickets for a so-called Black and Gold Bash for charity. But the event never happened.
"When I heard about it I bought seven tickets with my credit card and of course they were all for my friends neighbors and my brother-in-law so I put them all on my credit card and everybody wrote me checks individually so I'm trying to collect for all of us," said Rob Wojtczak of Upper St. Clair.
And he's been trying to collect since October of 2006. The event promised a chance to win cars, Steeler memorabilia and cash - all for a $75 ticket that was supposed to support the Hope Cancer Treatment Foundation.
Problem was, the organization, run by Robert McConnell, was not registered as a charitable organization.
"I guess that's what bothers me the most is that it was advertised as a fundraiser for the Hope Foundation and of course typical Pittsburghers they want to jump in and get involved and the prizes were phenomenal. It was almost too good to believe but naturally that's where you make your mistake," said Wojtczak.
Negotiations are wrapping up in court and Pennsylvania Attorney General Tom Corbett, who intervened in the case, says money should be restored by the end of the year.
"Relatively soon is always relative," said Corbett. "I would hope that we would have it before the end of football season. Maybe not the beginning of football season but certainly before the end of football season but that totally depends upon the court's schedule and upon the negotiations as to how much money is there."
Corbett's staff says the restitution could amount to up to 97 cents on the dollar.
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