Attorney General's News Release

October 26, 2006

Nixon obtains permanent injuntion against Jewwatch.com operator who deceptively solicited Katrina donations

St. Louis, Mo. — A self-proclaimed white separatist who misled donors in the name of Hurricane Katrina relief has been prohibited from soliciting charitable funds in Missouri under a permanent injunction obtained by Attorney General Jay Nixon. Money donated through multiple Web sites registered to Frank Weltner of St. Louis was redirected to a site that collected money for an anti-Semitic and racist organization, Nixon said.

Nixon filed a lawsuit in September 2005 in St. Louis County Circuit Court against Weltner, operator of the “Jew Watch” Web site and former host of an area radio show with racist themes.

Nixon said Weltner registered at least 10 Internet domain names with Katrina-related themes, such as donatekatrina.com and katrinafamilies.com. The Web sites showed photos of neighborhoods in rubble and families in peril, along with a pitch to donate. Those who clicked on a link to donate were redirected to a central Web site, InternetDonations.org., the same collection point for individuals pledging donations to JewWatch.com.

“Anyone who takes advantage of the generosity and compassion of his fellow citizens in an attempt to fund his hate-filled Web site should never again be in the position to solicit charitable funds from well-meaning Missourians,” Nixon said. “Donors should always have the assurance that their donations are going to their intended recipient.”

Under the court order signed by St.Louis City Circuit Judge Julian L. Bush, Weltner and InternetDonations.org are permanently prohibited from the following:

• Soliciting funds in Missouri for charitable purposes;
• Employing a professional fund raiser to solicit funds in Missouri for a charitable purpose;
• Acting as a professional fund raiser for a charitable organization;
• Omitting the material fact that consumer donations made to the defendant are not tax deductible; and
• Withdrawing or disbursing monies from accounts in the defendants' names, except to refund money to those who donated since August 27, 2005 to the present.

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Inquiries from consumers should be directed to consumer@ago.mo.gov or 1-800-392-8222 (from within Missouri) or 573-751-3321 (outside Missouri).

All media inquiries should be directed to the Communications Office.

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