Ruling Against Fund-Raiser Upheld

An appellate court has upheld a lower court ruling that barred a controversial San Juan Capistrano telemarketing fund-raiser from doing business in California, adding that the businessman and his associates “have no shame.”

Mitchell Gold, 41, and his Orange County-based fund-raising organizations have raised millions of dollars nationwide for purported charities that receive only a small portion of the proceeds.

Government agencies in at least five states and the Federal Trade Commission have sued Gold and his companies for deceptive business practices, including lying to donors about how contributions would be spent. Four states won injunctions against Gold and the companies, and the FTC lawsuit, filed in November, is still pending.

Gold’s attorney, Robin Moest, said Thursday his client will appeal.