BEIJING: The Ministry of Civil Affairs has taken administrative measures against the China Charities Aid Foundation for Children for violating laws and regulations and breaching public trust, according to a statement released on Tuesday.
An investigation conducted by the ministry found that a man surnamed Ke, who had previously received assistance from the foundation as a parent of a sick child, had been working at its Langfang station for the 9958 Children’s Critical Illness Emergency Relief Project since November 2022.
From June to August 2023, Ke raised funds from parents of sick children via the project but allegedly kept the money for himself, defrauding them of nearly 10 million yuan ($1.4 million).
Ke was detained by police in September last year on suspicion of fraud. The investigation revealed that the foundation also engaged in illegal activities, including operating beyond its approved business scope and failing to fulfill its information disclosure obligations.
Based on the relevant provisions of the Charity Law of the People’s Republic of China and Regulations on the Management of Foundations, the ministry has imposed an administrative penalty on the foundation, suspending its activities for three months and including it on a list of untrustworthy social organizations. The foundation’s deputy secretary-general and head of the 9958 project, surnamed Wang, is suspected of committing crimes related to the posts and has been placed under investigation. The ministry said it will continue to oversee and guide the foundation’s efforts to carry out comprehensive rectification, encourage the organization to operate in accordance with laws and regulations, and comprehensively implement the newly revised Charity Law. –The Daily Mail-China Daily news exchange item
