Scandal causes sharp drop in Ren Ci donations

Donations to Ren Ci Hospital and Medicare Centre have plunged.

It collected just $1.1 million in the last seven months, down from the $9.3 million that came in over the same period last year.

The beating to the Buddhist medical charity’s coffers comes from the cancellation of its televised charity show, which used to bring in $6 to $7 million; it has also lost its Institute of Public Character (IPC) status, which let it grant tax exemptions to donors.

Its fund-raising activities skidded to a halt last November, when the Health Ministry ordered a probe into its books and suspended its IPC status.

On Tuesday, its former chief executive officer Ming Yi was charged with forgery, helping to falsify its accounts and defrauding the charity to the tune of about $300,000. (story)