This United Nations TV video grab handout shows rescue efforts on January 13, 2010 in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. Planeloads of rescuers and relief supplies headed to Haiti Wednesday as governments and aid agencies launched a massive relief operation after a powerful earthquake that may have killed thousands. US President Barack Obama ordered a swift and aggressive US rescue effort, while the European Union activated its crisis systems and the Red Cross and United Nations unlocked emergency funds and supplies for the destitute nation. AFP PHOTO/Clarens Renois (Photo credit should read HO/AFP/Getty Images)
AFP/Getty Images
People look through destroyed buildings on January 13, 2010 in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. Planeloads of rescuers and relief supplies headed to Haiti Wednesday as governments and aid agencies launched a massive relief operation after a powerful earthquake that may have killed thousands. US President Barack Obama ordered a swift and aggressive US rescue effort, while the European Union activated its crisis systems and the Red Cross and United Nations unlocked emergency funds and supplies for the destitute nation. AFP PHOTO/Clarens Renois (Photo credit should read Clarens Renois/AFP/Getty Images)
AFP/Getty Images
People carry the injured on January 13, 2010 in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. Planeloads of rescuers and relief supplies headed to Haiti Wednesday as governments and aid agencies launched a massive relief operation after a powerful earthquake that may have killed thousands. US President Barack Obama ordered a swift and aggressive US rescue effort, while the European Union activated its crisis systems and the Red Cross and United Nations unlocked emergency funds and supplies for the destitute nation. AFP PHOTO/Clarens Renois (Photo credit should read Clarens Renois/AFP/Getty Images)
AFP/Getty Images
PACOIMA, CA - JANUARY 13: Los Angeles County Fire Department urban search and rescue team members load US Agency for International Development supplies to be flown to Haiti in the aftermath of the magnitude-7 earthquake onto truck on January 13, 2010 in Pacoima, California. Thousands are believed to have died and unknown numbers are trapped in rubble. The 72-member California Task Force 2 team is taking 55,000 pounds of prepackaged search-and-rescue tools and medical equipment to conduct round-the-clock search and rescue operations. The team includes firefighters, paramedics, rescue specialists, emergency room physicians, structural engineers, heavy equipment specialists, search dogs and handlers, hazardous material technicians, communications specialists and logistics experts. (Photo by David McNew/Getty Images)
Getty Images
PACOIMA, CA - JANUARY 13: Los Angeles County Fire Department urban search and rescue team members load US Agency for International Development supplies to be flown to Haiti in the aftermath of the magnitude-7 earthquake onto truck on January 13, 2010 in Pacoima, California. Thousands are believed to have died and unknown numbers are trapped in rubble. The 72-member California Task Force 2 team is taking 55,000 pounds of prepackaged search-and-rescue tools and medical equipment to conduct round-the-clock search and rescue operations. The team includes firefighters, paramedics, rescue specialists, emergency room physicians, structural engineers, heavy equipment specialists, search dogs and handlers, hazardous material technicians, communications specialists and logistics experts. (Photo by David McNew/Getty Images)
Getty Images
PACOIMA, CA - JANUARY 13: Los Angeles County Fire Department urban search and rescue dog Baxter and handler Gary Durian prepare for deployment as other team members load US Agency for International Development supplies to be flown to Haiti in the aftermath of the magnitude-7 earthquake onto truck on January 13, 2010 in Pacoima, California. Thousands are believed to have died and unknown numbers are trapped in rubble. The 72-member California Task Force 2 team is taking 55,000 pounds of prepackaged search-and-rescue tools and medical equipment to conduct round-the-clock search and rescue operations. The team includes firefighters, paramedics, rescue specialists, emergency room physicians, structural engineers, heavy equipment specialists, search dogs and handlers, hazardous material technicians, communications specialists and logistics experts. (Photo by David McNew/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Gary Durian
Getty Images
Injured are carried through the rubble on January 13, 2010 in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. Planeloads of rescuers and relief supplies headed to Haiti Wednesday as governments and aid agencies launched a massive relief operation after a powerful earthquake that may have killed thousands. US President Barack Obama ordered a swift and aggressive US rescue effort, while the European Union activated its crisis systems and the Red Cross and United Nations unlocked emergency funds and supplies for the destitute nation. AFP PHOTO/Clarens Renois (Photo credit should read Clarens Renois/AFP/Getty Images)
AFP/Getty Images
In this Jan. 12, 2010 photo provided by the U.S. Navy, the aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson departs from the Naval Station in Norfolk, Va. The USS Carl Vinson is expected to arrive off the coast of Haiti Thursday, Jan. 14, 2010 as part of a larger international effort overseen by the United Nations, whose peacekeeping operation headquarters was destroyed in the quake. (AP Photo/Petty Officer 2nd Class Rafael Martie, U.S. Navy)
AP
Haiti's National Palace is seen damaged in Port-au-Prince, Wednesday, Jan. 13, 2010 after a powerful earthquake struck the country on Tuesday. (AP Photo/Jorge Cruz) ** NO PUBLICAR EN REPUBLICA DOMINICANA **
AP
Injured people sit along Delmas road the day after an earthquake struck Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Wednesday, Jan. 13, 2010. A 7.0-magnitude earthquake hit Haiti on Tuesday. (AP Photo/Jorge Cruz) ** NO PUBLICAR EN REPUBLICA DOMINICANA **
AP
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Dr. Boyce Watkins is the founder of the Your Black World Coalition. To have Dr. Boyce commentary delivered to your email, please click here. 
Comments: (20)
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By: Marvice on 1/24/2010 12:32PM
So he spent 100,000 of money from HIS own organization. How much of his money and wealth has he given? Don't worry about what someone does with their own organization, worry about what people do with others. Let's find out what our government is doing with the hard earned money they take.
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By: LAM on 1/22/2010 6:35PM
WHY DO WE AS BLACKS, ARE WILLING TO PULL EACH OTHER DOWN! THEY TRIED TO ACCUSE THIS MAN OF STEALING AND HE ALL ALONG HAS BEEN HELPING HIS PEOPLE --- WAY BEFORE THIS EARTHQUAKE --- HE WAS CLEARED AND YET WE STLL ARE TRYING TO FIND SOMETHING TO COMPLAIN ABOUT AS FAR AS HE IS CONCERN! WE WILL NEVER AS A BLACK RACE BE TOGETHER AS ONE! WHITE FOLKS MAY HATE EACH OTHER BUT WHEN IT COMES TO STICKING TOGETHER --- THEY ARE ONE AND WILL NOT ALLOW FOLKS TALK ABOUT THEM! WHAT IS WRONG WITH US??????
LAM
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By: T-ROC on 1/22/2010 8:11PM
Well, before this news broke I kind of questioned Wyclef organization because for years I have been hearing him say he was helping the people of Haiti. So, when the news broke automatically I was like "this has always been fishy to me." Now, admittedly it might have been ignorance on my behalf but, I just questioned how for years someone can claim they were/are helping a country then when this happen, you find out they were worse off that they are now. Now, many of you may decide to attack me, through typing. But, before your emotions get the best of you. Please understand where I am coming from.
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By: blu on 1/23/2010 1:49AM
It has always troubled me to hear people say that Wyclef was misappropriating funds when for years the man was helping Haiti with funds out of his own pockets. There are a slew of white organizations, run by white people who are blatantly overpaying their top ceo's to run nonprofit organizations and you are not screaming injustice there. Yet a black man with a black organization tries to do what he can to help a nation that is riddled in poverty and you complain? Come on now, he cannot do it alone, and he cannot fix a problem that has been in existence for decades over night. It just doesn't work that way. We all know that even when charitable organizations step in to help a situation, it merely places a band aid on it. Haiti needs an economy, jobs, better schooling, things that will permanently fix the problem and no one person can do this over night.
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By: Derrick on 1/23/2010 3:33AM
T-Roc, Brotha you are sorely misinformed. What some of you fail to realize is: It takes thousands upon thousands of dollars to pull of a single charitable benefit let alone a concert. Do you know how many employees, equipment cost, energy cost etc. it takes to pull such an event off? Wyclef has been doing most of this out of his own pockets for many years. The man has several business that work in concert with each other. Many white proprietors have many business that sever under the umbrella of a parent company, it happens ever single day, many of you shop and do business at such companies on a daily bases. We confuse the fact that since Wyclef's foundation is a 501 c3 Not for profit organization that A, it should not generate a profit and B, its expenses are minimal. Nothing could be further from the truth. Being a not for profit organization generally means that you have to generate a lot of revenue just to keep your does open, more so than a for profit business would need to. I have no problem with Mr. Jean paying him self and his staff for the work that the do. This mans time is money, and from what I have heard, read and witnessed he has done far more than his fair share. Why shouldn't he be permitted to recoup a small portion of what he has shelled out to make his foundation what it is? I wonder if anyone has posed this question: Has Mr Jean taken money from his other business ventures and put them to use toward his foundation? I bet if you were to take a look the answer would be yes. Trust me when I tell you. If Mr. Jean was stealing and mishandling thousand of dollars throughout the years it would have surfaced by now. You cannot bleed an organization coffers dry and expect no one to notice. Especially one that has been in the media repeatedly over the past 10 years. What I find funny is this: We know for certain that the red cross has misused funds and have redirect dollars that were meant for a certain cause and the money went else were, yet people still give to it. This man was cleared, give him his just due and help him serve his country.
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By: David on 1/24/2010 2:13PM
Some money from Wycief charity went to the poor in Haiti for which he ought to be commended for but most of it went for Wyclef personal use. Looks like he simply got caught with his hand in the cookie jar.
If you go to the web site TheSmokingGun.com
http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/years/2010/0119101wyclef1.html
In the article you'll see that Wyclef did exactly what he's being accused of doing with documentation to prove it. This has nothing to do with dragging a black person down or "hating".
On a side note, a lot of these so called charities and foundations are not meant to help anyone. They are set up as nothing more than tax shelters for the rich. Or as self promotion for famous celebrities who think it's good for their careers to be viewed as a philanthropist.
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By: bmarcushook on 1/24/2010 8:11PM
Poppa Doc RAPED Haiti of a Billion Plus dollars, The same way Bush raped US to bank roll his interest.Im not shocked on some of the ignorance that is displayed. We have to be reconditions because we still have the Slave Mentality. It's not THEM. THEM ARE USE. WE ARE THE ONLY RACE WITH MULTI ETHNICITIES AND MILLIONS OF DIALECT.The power that be knew Haiti was in poverty. They gave Poppa Doc Asylum. Don't Blame Wyclef for helping OUR people. He shed light on the situation. Bush knew exactly the conditions of Haiti.Port of Prince was one of the 7 ports was to be sold to our so enemies that we are @ war with. HOW CAN YOU LOVE GOD WHOM YOU CAN'T SEE BUT HATE YOUR BROTHER YOU SEE EVERYDAY. THANK YOU WYCLEF
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By: David on 1/25/2010 9:54AM
What Poppa Doc and George Bush did in the pass still doesn't excuse Wyclef paying himself close to 100,000 to perform at HIS charity event for Haiti. This is a fact and there are documents to prove it.
http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/years/2010/0119101wyclef1.html
Wyclef should have just acknowledge it and moved the fukk on and maybe the story would not have blown up the way it did. And idiots wouldn't be on here trying to defend him.
I'll give money to Haiti but NOT through any charity run by Wyclef.
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By: Angela Gardner on 1/25/2010 4:37PM
I am concerned and alarmed that the media went after Yele Haiti out of all the nonprofits and governments providing emegencey aid to Haiti. This is no coincidence. Since the United States government and it's allies along with major corproations have taken control of Haiti right now, they do not want anyone to stand in their way. Wyclef Jean knows his country better than anyone else. He would stand up for his people and empower them to be self-suffcient. He would work hard to establish and build infrastructure that the Haitian people will control and that is percieved as a threat by our government and the coporations. This is still a fear about the black man.
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By: Kelly on 1/26/2010 1:53AM
When considering sending money to help the victims of the earthquake in Haiti, try considering a Christian organization.
World Vision, and Samaritan's Purse (run by Billy Graham Evangelical Assoc.) already have missionaries in place in Haiti. They both also belong to the ECFA (Evangelical Assoc. for Financial Accountability) ECFA.org is the website. It will show how much the charity brought in last year and how much is spent on administrative costs, fundraising, and how much is spent on the recipients.
We sponsor a child in Kenya through World Vision, as do many of our church brothers and sisters.
There are alot of good charities out there, but in these tough financial times, my husband and I want to make sure our hard earned money goes to a charity that will be a good steward of theirs.
God Bless,
Kelly
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