Red Cross Sifting Internal Charges Over Katrina Aid - New York Times

Red Cross Sifting Internal Charges Over Katrina Aid - New York Times:

"The accusations include improper diversion of relief supplies, failure to follow required Red Cross procedures in tracking and distributing supplies, and use of felons as volunteers in the disaster area in violation of Red Cross rules.

There are no known official estimates of the cash or the value of supplies that might have been misappropriated, but volunteers who have come forward with accusations said the amount was in the millions of dollars. The Red Cross received roughly 60 percent of the $3.6 billion that Americans donated for hurricane relief. Mr. McGuire said the investigation started 'a number of weeks ago' and was continuing.

'We're in the middle of this, and we're looking at a range of possible problems,' he said, 'from issues between a few people that are really nothing other than bad will, to failure to follow good management principles and Red Cross procedures that have caused a lot of waste, to criminal activity.'"

After giving to the Red Cross after the Tsunami and Katrina, and then seeing first hand how high their expenses are then and now this, well I guess I better just shut up....