LOS ANGELES : City Seeks to Revoke License of Charity Fund-Raiser
A city of Los Angeles watchdog agency took steps Wednesday to revoke the license of a charitable fund-raising business that was the subject of a Times story disclosing that it cashed checks for charities that do not exist and real charities that it did not represent.
Robert D. Burns, general manager of the Los Angeles Social Service Department, said he began the revocation process after Thomas Galambos, president and owner of Valley Fundraisers, failed to comply with the city’s order to produce the firm’s records.
A notice delivered to Galambos and his attorney, Elliott Kajan, said the license, which allows Galambos to conduct a commercial enterprise raising funds for charities, would be revoked June 6 if he does not request a hearing before the Social Service Commission.
Revocation of the license would prohibit Galambos from soliciting funds on behalf of any charities in the city of Los Angeles.
Kajan declined to comment.
The Valley Fundraisers’ headquarters, on Alameda Avenue in Burbank, closed shortly after The Times story appeared, and its phone was disconnected.
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
