Oct 23, 2006 8:06 pm US/Eastern
Black & Gold Bash Ticketholders Can Get Help
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) ―
The Attorney General's Office says it took action against the people behind the Black and Gold Bash last week.
But they kept selling tickets anyway.
The AG won't call it a scam, but it was clearly against the law.
Tickets to the event promised very big prizes and a donation to cancer research.
But KDKA has learned there may be some relief for the victims.
"Pittsburgh loves the Steelers, so anything associated with the Black and Gold Bash, we're like, all right, let's do it," said Toni Careccia, from Munhall.
The bash played on fan loyalty to the Steelers and a natural desire to help cancer victims – but it turned out something different for Careccia and many others.
A group called the Hope Cancer Treatment Foundation, set up by someone under the name Robert McConnell, recruited young females to be Black and Gold girls to cruise bars and restaurants for ticket sellers like Careccia.
Those who paid $75 for a ticket were originally supposed to show up at the David L. Lawrence Convention center where they would watch the Steelers play Atlanta on lots of big-screen TVs, drink all the booze they wanted for free and be eligible for 60 prizes, including Steeler memorabilia, three automobiles and a cash prize of $75,000.
It turned out to be too good to be true and illegal in Pennsylvania.
"What it is is an unlawful charitable raffle. Our office got news of it last summer. We notified the principals, Mr. McConnell and his Hope Cancer Foundation that they weren't permitted to solicit in Pennsylvania," said Regis Schippert, Deputy Attorney General.
Last week, Shippert got a restraining order to shut down the foundation's operation in Pennsylvania because their purported prizes far exceed what state law allows.
The organizers moved their event to Mountaineer Racetrack in West Virginia, but Mountaineer canceled it when they learned the foundation was not registered as a charity – leaving lots of people with nothing – at least for the moment.
"We intend to reclaim those funds and to liquidate the prizes and those to the fund so that we can reimburse the people who participated and bought tickets for this event," said Schippert.
To file a complaint, visit the Attorney General's Office website,
http://www.attorneygeneral.gov.
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