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Police: Saratoga Springs man used cancer charity and candy as scam


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This man got in trouble for not paying for his charity sticker....

 

FORT ANN - Deran Akullian is accused of stealing from a charity that that helps kids who suffer from cancer.

The 59-year-old Saratoga Springs man placed collection jars at businesses in New York, Massachusetts and Vermont seeking help for a St. Louis-based charity called the National Children's Cancer Society.

In exchange for some change, donors could help themselves to a piece of candy.

But police say Akullian turned it into his own sweet deal.

He was in court Thursday, charged with one count of scheme to defraud, a felony.

"How does that all work?" Akullian asked Judge Dane Clark after the judge set bail at $20,000 cash or $40,000 bond.

Police say it worked well for the alleged scammer.

 

They say it appears he was collecting at more than 300 establishments in three states, raking in tens of thousands of dollars a year.

Richard Heath, owner of R and B Diner on State Route 22, says he was eager to help sick kids when Akullian asked him if he could place a collection jar on his counter.

Then Heath learned Akullian is an accused scammer.

"Makes me feel sick how somebody could do that to kids that really have cancer. I'm glad he was caught," Heath said.

Mark Stolze, the CEO of the National Cancer Society says Akullian initially made payments to the charity in exchange for the stickers that go on the jars, but the payments stopped in 2014.

"It's just astounding to find out someone could raise money using the pretense of helping children with cancer and keeping that money for themselves.Thank God this rarely, rarely happens," Stolze said by phone Thursday afternoon.

Anyone who may have had a jar from Akullian in their business is asked to call New York State Police Investigator Kevin Reppenhagen at (518) 642-0599 or (518) 642-9455.
Source: http://wnyt.com/news/deran-akullian-jr-man-accused-of-using-cancer-charity-as-scam/4535058/

The link has a video. 

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This man got in trouble for not paying for his charity sticker....

 

FORT ANN - Deran Akullian is accused of stealing from a charity that that helps kids who suffer from cancer.

The 59-year-old Saratoga Springs man placed collection jars at businesses in New York, Massachusetts and Vermont seeking help for a St. Louis-based charity called the National Children's Cancer Society.

In exchange for some change, donors could help themselves to a piece of candy.

But police say Akullian turned it into his own sweet deal.

He was in court Thursday, charged with one count of scheme to defraud, a felony.

"How does that all work?" Akullian asked Judge Dane Clark after the judge set bail at $20,000 cash or $40,000 bond.

Police say it worked well for the alleged scammer.

 

They say it appears he was collecting at more than 300 establishments in three states, raking in tens of thousands of dollars a year.

Richard Heath, owner of R and B Diner on State Route 22, says he was eager to help sick kids when Akullian asked him if he could place a collection jar on his counter.

Then Heath learned Akullian is an accused scammer.

"Makes me feel sick how somebody could do that to kids that really have cancer. I'm glad he was caught," Heath said.

Mark Stolze, the CEO of the National Cancer Society says Akullian initially made payments to the charity in exchange for the stickers that go on the jars, but the payments stopped in 2014.

"It's just astounding to find out someone could raise money using the pretense of helping children with cancer and keeping that money for themselves.Thank God this rarely, rarely happens," Stolze said by phone Thursday afternoon.

Anyone who may have had a jar from Akullian in their business is asked to call New York State Police Investigator Kevin Reppenhagen at (518) 642-0599 or (518) 642-9455.
Source: http://wnyt.com/news/deran-akullian-jr-man-accused-of-using-cancer-charity-as-scam/4535058/

The link has a video. 


That's super awesome! Nccs does not fool around... They prosecute!!!

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40 minutes ago, jerrybrooksvendall said:


That's super awesome! Nccs does not fool around... They prosecute!!!

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I agree. In fact, if anyone wants to get out of the vending business, NCCS demands you return all your stickers. I don't know what happens if you don't, do they send collectors? I'm not sure. 

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14 hours ago, jerrybrooksvendall said:

I don't know. I bought a rack from another vendor and he couldn't get the sticker off, so Shirley told him to scratch the numbers at the bottom of the tag. There are serial numbers for each account you have a sticker for.

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You also deal with Shirley, what a small world vending in. Shirley's real helpful, nowadays I'm just scanning the paperwork and sending it to her whenever I need new stickers.

Still, I wish the process was electronic from the get go, like buying something on Amazon, getting insurance, etc. I'm not a Millennial, but why is the NCCA stuck in the early 1990s? When my realtor wants me to sign a lease, he does it with docusign or one of those companies. It's easy, you read, click, maybe type your name once, and it's done. In the past, I would have to print that BS and send it by mail.  

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You also deal with Shirley, what a small world vending in. Shirley's real helpful, nowadays I'm just scanning the paperwork and sending it to her whenever I need new stickers.

Still, I wish the process was electronic from the get go, like buying something on Amazon, getting insurance, etc. I'm not a Millennial, but why is the NCCA stuck in the early 1990s? When my realtor wants me to sign a lease, he does it with docusign or one of those companies. It's easy, you read, click, maybe type your name once, and it's done. In the past, I would have to print that BS and send it by mail.  


If I need new stickers. I tell Shirley on the phone, and she uses my debit card to purchase. She has like 3 of them on file. No paperwork..

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  • 3 months later...
On 7/8/2017 at 12:06 PM, VictorVending said:

You also deal with Shirley, what a small world vending in. Shirley's real helpful, nowadays I'm just scanning the paperwork and sending it to her whenever I need new stickers.

Still, I wish the process was electronic from the get go, like buying something on Amazon, getting insurance, etc. I'm not a Millennial, but why is the NCCA stuck in the early 1990s? When my realtor wants me to sign a lease, he does it with docusign or one of those companies. It's easy, you read, click, maybe type your name once, and it's done. In the past, I would have to print that BS and send it by mail.  

Thats really why i never went to the NCCS I do not like all the paperwork

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  • 1 month later...
6 hours ago, jerrybrooksvendall said:

Youngster... Born in 1966! And as the song goes.... Still feeling it! (Especially getting out of bed.!) my back has never been the same since my vending accident in 94.

Sorry to hear about your vending accident. Must be one of those 500-1,000 pound machines, right? 

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That's why I'm sticking with gum ball machines for now, the one headed ones which aren't too heavy. The big monsters make more money, but are too much of a hassle for me. I don't even have a garage, so I'd probably have to rent space in a warehouse or some other place just to store them while I look for locations. 

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Sometimes full line is a pain. A lot of work for not much. Gumball machines require no electric. Doesn't take 2 or more people to move it. Is easier to actually get a sale so you can make money now. A lot of small businesses doesn't want to be bothered with space hogging machines in their way. Always breaking down, always making customers mad. Some things I could fix, other things you attempt to fix hoping that took care of the problems. I like honor boxes and bulk a lot more. More simple. I don't need a technician to help me out.

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6 hours ago, VictorVending said:

That's why I'm sticking with gum ball machines for now, the one headed ones which aren't too heavy. The big monsters make more money, but are too much of a hassle for me. I don't even have a garage, so I'd probably have to rent space in a warehouse or some other place just to store them while I look for locations. 

As far as renting space, unless your growing like a wild fire,I wouldn't. But if you are, then I would. That's the beauty of bulk. You can grow at your own speed. I try to wait when my full time job slows down and try to grow. Still though, I'm not in a hurry. 

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1 hour ago, jerrybrooksvendall said:

Sometimes full line is a pain. A lot of work for not much. Gumball machines require no electric. Doesn't take 2 or more people to move it. Is easier to actually get a sale so you can make money now. A lot of small businesses doesn't want to be bothered with space hogging machines in their way. Always breaking down, always making customers mad. Some things I could fix, other things you attempt to fix hoping that took care of the problems. I like honor boxes and bulk a lot more. More simple. I don't need a technician to help me out.

They both have their advantages and disadvantages. I started off as a strictly bulk guy and slowly dipping into full-line. I've grown a ton in the last 6 months. With bulk, they're easier to place and move as well as very little work involved other than a 10 minutes visit every 1-3 months. But with that, you do have alot more volatility with the locations. You could be booted at any moment. With full-line, they are huge and heavy machine with lots of moving parts, but if you do your homework, you'll place them in a good location that week keto it there for along time and you can easily learn to fix 90% of any issues you'll come across. They also require more attention, but the income from a solid machine will make up for that. My best bulk candy location averages around $70/mo in sales, but I've got machines that average over $500/mo. I still enjoy doing bulk vending, but I like pulling the attacks of cash out of machines too lol. Best part about vending is the freedom to do it your own way. 

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