Wyclef Jean Did Not Misuse Yele Haiti Funds, Experts Say

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Wyclef Jean has been backpedaling faster than an NFL defensive back lately, defending allegations that he was misusing funds from his charity, Yele Haiti. The media went crazy, as Jean was accused of using the funds for his personal expenses, such as paying for studio time and putting money into companies owned by himself and other board members.

Experts on non-profits, however, have concluded that they could not find evidence of any serious wrong-doing on the part of Jean, other than the fact that he was a little lackadaisical about filing his tax returns on time. CNN Money reports that "lackadaisical accounting is common among non-profits and is not necessarily a red flag for suspicious behavior."

"Did I ever use Yele money for personal benefits? Absolutely not," Jean said Monday. "Yele's books are open and transparent, and we have a clean bill of health by an external auditor every year since we started."


I was happy to see Wyclef Jean cleared of any wrong-doing, because most of my personal contacts who are familiar with his work say that Wyclef has a tremendous commitment to helping the people of Haiti. There is no spokesperson for the nation who is more visible, and that was part of the reason I recommended to members of the Your Black World Coalition that we consider Wyclef's charity as the first place to give our money. The allegations concerned me, and I mentioned my concerns in a column I wrote about Wyclef last week. But at the end of the day, I have always felt that his heart was in the right place.

What is most important is that Wyclef and his team rise to the occasion. They are now key players in the middle of one of the most significant economic challenges of the 21st century. Haiti is a nation with unimaginable poverty, but also has an unprecedented opportunity to rise out of the ashes of starvation and unemployment. International sympathy is at an all-time high, and Haitian debt may be forgiven completely. Jean should push like never before to help Haiti take five steps forward to make up for the three steps Haiti took back during the earthquake. In a sad and ironic way, Haiti's greatest tragedy may also be its greatest opportunity. Wyclef Jean is an important part of this process.


Dr. Boyce Watkins is the founder of the Your Black World Coalition. To have Dr. Boyce commentary delivered to your email, please click here.

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