Let us talk about Bad Business - Not having your accounting in order or a solid business plan puts your nonprofit and the entire board in legal jeopardy. Where is that business plan Melissa promised she would post weeks ago??
There are many illegal things going on with this nonprofit and a certain individual from a tax standpoint. Why this should be concerning is that the IRS is in the process of hiring a plethora of new agents, some to specifically start looking into nonprofit fraud.
As a 501c3 you are required to account for what you are spending and what you are getting in donations. Here are some things that should ring some alarm bells to donors:
- Have you noticed that the Venmo that you are asked to send money to is not going to a business account??? Instead, it is going to Melissa Borden listed under people. Do you know that Venmo does not work with nor support nonprofit donations?? Do you know an organization has to be able to issue tax compliant receipts yet this is not a feature available with either personal or business Venmo accounts. When using Venmo and setting up your account you can pick any @ name. So, all Melissa did was pick the name @thedevotedbarn yet when you type it in to your Venmo you are giving that money to a person NOT a business. There are no legal ways around this obstacle unless you use a third party processor to host your website for Venmo payments.
FACTS Do a quick google search on Venmo and nonprofits – Venmo does not work with them (only third parties do via their websites and they must be set up as a business NOT a person). Type in @thedevotedbarn into your Venmo app and see what comes up under the header People it says Melissa Borden. The @thedevotedbarn is a listing under PEOPLE and NOT a business. How can a personal account on Venmo give you a LEGAL write off to the IRS?? All donations must have a tax compliant reporting system to generate reports, that is law. Call the IRS and ask them you might be surprised what they have to say.
- Remember when Melissa wrote her long sob story that her “alimony” is being used to pay for the bills at the farm?? That somehow, she has had to use her “alimony” to pay for things that the animals need.
FACTS There is NO ALIMOY- she gets ZERO dollars in “alimony” so why is she telling you this lie?? Ask yourself why someone would make up such a ridiculous lie of money they don’t get – could it be because she wants you to think she is actually paying for something?? With no income and no alimony, one should ask how she is paying for anything.
- Back when Devoted Barn was moving from Newport to Rose Township the plan was never to move the dogs to the new farm (she told this to volunteers and the public). Instead, she was planning to find a new facility for them (her words). Suddenly, that whole idea changed and they had to be moved to Holly because the dogs were being illegally housed in Newport and animal control showed up there to take the dogs.
FACTS She never put in the proper time or effort to even see if the dogs could come to Rose Township. Do you not find it odd that two municipalities had the exact same experience with her business practices?? Why are donors and supporters not outraged that this woman did no formal research or filings to bring dogs to the new location? Then used your donations to pay $40,000 plus in legal fees for a case that was avoidable by Melissa doing her due diligence. If you are looking to move 50+ dogs you would need to go in front of planning and zoning with architectural drawings and attend public meetings asking for approval. You would need licensed trades pulling permits and the conditions in which dogs would be kept would not be a dirt floor barn with no AC or heat. Did you ever read what the Court of Appeals judge said in the ruling supporting Rose Township: “Defendants purchased the property BEFORE talking to Plews…Furthermore, defendants were never given any kind of permit, license, or other formal dispensation to operate a kennel” Laymen terms the dogs were brought there illegally and without proper permission. As Melissa is talking about how the township spent tax dollars in legal fees – what about what Melissa spent in donations on her legal fees on a case she lost - that money was meant to support all the animals at the farm. Her words she spent over $40,000 fighting the case, that had she done things the right way there would be no case, no fight. This was easily avoidable, the dogs should have never been brought to the property until there was permission and a proper facility to house them. Also, the special use permit for that farm is for HORSES and is in the name of the actual title holder. That special use permit is not for all the other animals she has there. She has no permit or license to have what she has there beyond horses, think about that people.
- Did you hear of her great business plan the one she keeps promising to share. Still waiting on that one. That being said let’s talk about what she has shared to date. The plan that the boarding barn was going to pay the note for the land contract payment.
FACTS You do understand that is illegal by 501c3 IRS standards, correct?? How can a nonprofit generate a profit to pay a bill for the 501c3?? If you are a nonprofit, you are not allowed to have a side hustle making money (profit)to pay your debts unless you are claiming that under a different corporation as a profit AND paying taxes on the profit. The money they would receive in boarding is not a donation, it is a PROFIT. VERY illegal and a tax violation.
- How many personal animals of Melissa, her family and friends does the rescue pay for?? I mean you are crying broke at every turn who is paying for the vetting for all your personal dogs and horses?? What approx. 6-8 personal dogs and countless horses who is paying for all their expenses? You say that hay, grain, medicine, farrier is super expensive.
FACTS Melissa Borden has no job, no alimony, a very small amount in child support monthly how does she afford to support a home, food and countless personal animals?? Well according to her words the rescue covers certain things for her and one would bet that the rescue actually covers all of her expenses. How is that possible when on the 990 forms filed with the IRS there is no payroll?? Do you think it is legal to just help yourself to donation money that is earmarked for a donation to the animals?? It is illegal to enrich yourself with donation dollars no matter what sort of justification you think you have.
Now why are all these things important??
Because being a nonprofit is a PRIVILIDGE!! People are giving you their hard-earned money not to support your dream and lifestyle, but to support the animals. Those animals don’t include your own animals, your child’s horse shows, helpers, handlers, food and entertainment. Life is as hard as you make it and when you do things illegally and without regard for others and the laws of the IRS, get ready to be held accountable. If you are a supporter stop and think to yourselves are you ok that your donation dollars are spent with fiscal irresponsibility and maybe not what you donated for?? Are you not tired of the negativity?? That somehow everyone who disagrees or asks tough questions is a hater and trying to destroy this 1 woman?? Just look into what has been stated above, do some research – look into Venmo, check the IRS website about 501c3, ask Melissa if she gets alimony (because she said she did and that is how she was paying the bills currently), ask her if she owes large outstanding bills at OVRS/ MSU vet/Ohio State vet, ask her who pays for all of her personal animals, ask why you have never seen the inside of the dog kennel where the dogs are kept, why the same dogs are shown all the time, why are most of them obese, why aren’t they getting adopted out and being truly rehabilitated instead of living their lives out in a cage?? It is outrageous that she calls this a PROGRAM it is a prison for dogs.
Why should this be important to the board of Devoted Friends Animal Society?? Because as a board you have a fiduciary duty to have oversight of anyone using your tax id to do business, open bank accounts, spend on debit cards and buy property in your name. This means when the IRS comes it isn’t coming for just 1 woman, Uncle Sam will come for all board members and all your personal assets to pay any tax debt that is owed. If you aren’t worried about what an audit will expose at Devoted Barn we should all have a sip of what you are drinking, but I hate Kool Aid :)
Lastly, let us ask where is Honey the dog from Texas that was made to wait to get her amputation as her foot rotted off from cancer, Frankie the horse with her condition and leg being treated with God knows what and then there is poor Strawberry the cash cow that hasn’t been on video from her room in ages. This woman uses up the animals and people around her for what they can give her. Start to pay attention that some of her most staunch supporters have made an exit - ask yourself why??? The writing is on the wall.
Lady DevotedDown
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