Dawn Marie is in the SHIT:

[Montague]

According to Mike Aldren, who is the editor of The Wrestling Globe Newsletter and a writer for The UK Sun, former WWE Diva Dawn Marie Damatta is accused of embezzling money raised by her "Wrestlers Rescue" organization to fly herself to conventions around the country in order to make money from autograph signings and appearances.
"Wrestlers Rescue" is a charity organization created by Damatta to help support the health care needs of retired pro wrestlers.
When questioned by Aldren, Damatta set her attorney on him, who admitted that "Wrestlers Rescue" is not a registered charity.

Activist Irvin Muchnick then posted the following on his blog which was noted to him by Aldren:
"Nobody seems to know where all the money has gone nor has anyone seemingly benefited from the money that Dawn has raised over the past three years.
Her former friends have told me she uses the money to fly herself to conventions around the country so she can profit from autograph signings.
She has agreements with several promoters where if she flies herself in she will get a free table to sell her merchandise.
When I started asking reasonable questions, Dawn set her attorney on me, who admits Wrestlers Rescue is not a registered charity."

Additionally, it's being said that a host of the "Hit the Ropes" radio show has made similar accusations against Damatta, claiming that the FBI is actually investigating both her and "Wrestlers Rescue" for possible embezzlement.
His claim is that the organization did not refund money for a canceled benefit cruise back in April 2010.

The "Hit the Ropes" host also claimed that Damatta did not aid Dr. Death Steve Williams as promised when she held a benefit for the late pro wrestler last year to aid him in his fight against cancer.
The host claimed that money raised from the benefit did not help Williams get the voice box needed to assist him in speaking.

It's being said that the organization's website, which can be found at www.wrestlersrescue.org, was suspended for sometime last night, but is now working again.



credit: wrestlezone.com

[Playboy]

Lol....you beat me to it again f*****r  . I just read this and was about to post it too. I can't believe she scammed all that cash. To me, she was the hottest diva around. Remember that episode of smackdown a few years back when she made out with Torrie Wilson in that one lesbian angle?

[Montague]

I loved her in ECW, and often preferred her over Francine.
I remember one show when Joel Gertner was interviewing her on camera and said, “Why, Dawn Marie…You have the whitest teeth I’ve ever come (read, cum) across.”

If Gertner had been a little less crude/graphic with his innuendos (and if WWF didn‘t have Lawler), I think the Fed would have picked up Joel as they did Joey Styles.


I'll leave this thread up here as details become available.
If the allegations are true, this reflects very poorly on Dawn Marie as a person.
Her & her lawyer's responses thus far are not at all convincing of innocence, but rather trying to justify her actions.

That's not what that money was for.

[The Showstoppa]

Wow....if true, talk about low.

[Playboy]

Wow....if true, talk about low.

Not only is it low but if the FBI gets involved, your in deep shit.

[The Showstoppa]

Not only is it low but if the FBI gets involved, your in deep shit.

Good, she deserves it, if it's true.....hope they lock her up.

[Playboy]

Good, she deserves it, if it's true.....hope they lock her up.

She was an idiot for doing this in the first place. I agree, she gets what she deserves.

[Montague]

Another thing to consider is that these allegations are not coming from just one person or company.

So even if not entirely accurate, it still sounds as though there’s quite a few people within the industry who don’t care for Dawn.

[Playboy]

Another thing to consider is that these allegations are not coming from just one person or company.

So even if not entirely accurate, it still sounds as though there’s quite a few people within the industry who don’t care for Dawn.

I wonder what'll happen next. An indictment?

[Montague]

Legalities aside, whether they can hit her with charges or not, Dawn Marie is forever ruined in the wrestling world.

Health care is a sore-ass subject within the locker room.
With evidence that Dawn was falsely "for" helping the cause AND using the money raised in that name for personal profit, she'll likely be the subject of a great deal of animosity.
Wreslters, and many others within the industry, will bury her name & reputation.

She's lucky this didn't happen 30 years ago.
Justice was a lot more harsh AND PAINFUL back when you had guys like Gorilla Monsoon & Harley Race dishing it out.
   

[Playboy]

Legalities aside, whether they can hit her with charges or not, Dawn Marie is forever ruined in the wrestling world.

Health care is a sore-ass subject within the locker room.
With evidence that Dawn was falsely "for" helping the cause AND using the money raised in that name for personal profit, she'll likely be the subject of a great deal of animosity.
Wreslters, and many others within the industry, will bury her name & reputation.

She's lucky this didn't happen 30 years ago.
Justice was a lot more harsh AND PAINFUL back when you had guys like Gorilla Monsoon & Harley Race dishing it out.
   

Funny you mention that....I was litterally thinking about it earlier. Back in the day you had:

Classie Freddie Blassie
Fabulous Moolah
Mae Yonge
Wahoo McDanial
Jay Strongbow
Harley Race
and a few others......

Now you have:

John Morrison
Jillian Hall
R-Truth
Mark Henry
Tiffany
The Miz
and a few others....

List # 2 couldn't tie the shoes of list # 1 if their lives depended on it. There is the difference in pro wrestling.

[The Showstoppa]

When you hear all the stories of how many guys end up with health issues, and essentially worked their entire careers back in the old days with shitty health insurance, if at all, it makes this so much worse. 

[Montague]

When questioned by Aldren, Damatta set her attorney on him, who admitted that "Wrestlers Rescue" is not a registered charity.

Neither Dawn, nor her legal representation, are denying what she used the money for.
They’re simply citing technicalities.

Technicalities don’t change or dispute what she did - they only attempt to “rationalize” it.

[The Showstoppa]

Neither Dawn, nor her legal representation, are denying what she used the money for.
They’re simply citing technicalities.

Technicalities don’t change or dispute what she did - they only attempt to “rationalize” it.

i know one thing, she better hope she doesn't run into some of the oldschool guys.....they won't care if she is a chick or not, she will get smacked, I bet.  Too bad Moolah is there to take care of her!

[Playboy]

What she did was very low.

[Playboy]

Dawn Marie responds to allegations...

"On behalf of myself, the Wrestlers’ Rescue organization, and the many volunteers and donors, I'd like to strenuously deny and condemn the false and baseless defamatory statements currently circulating concerning an alleged investigation and or corruption in Wrestlers' Rescue. Not only are the accusations false they contain no merit and they are disrespectful to the volunteers who have invested their time, energies, and hearts into helping former professional wrestlers in need.

These statements (most of which appear to have begun following comments made by Mike Aldren) are defamatory and contain no basis or fact. These unfounded false allegations have put at risk our efforts to help the former stars who currently face major personal, medical, and financial crises. The damage these falsehoods may have done to real people (not wrestling “characters”) is immeasurable.

I am currently weighing options for an appropriate and comprehensive response. When I have decided on my best course of action, as well as exploring legal options on behalf of both myself and Wrestlers’ Rescue, I will address all allegations.

A full and complete refutation of all false claims will accompany our forthcoming formal response, in the courts and/or other venues. More importantly, though I wish to express the anger I feel that for the sake of a few web hits and some false ego-gratification, all those who spread his falsehoods as “truth” may have put at risk Wrestlers' Rescue's attempts to aid good and well-loved people facing enormously difficult circumstances.

Unfortunately, internet rumor mongers feel that they can tarnish people and an organization’s reputation without any evidence and still have impunity. It is truly shameful that I must even dignify these individuals who have nothing more than time and a computer, to address these harmful and baseless allegations.

I give thanks to all my friends and colleagues who have called and written to express their anger at this attack and their support of me. It is for people like you and not the Mike Aldren's of the world that Wrestlers' Rescue exists and will expand."

Dawn Marie

[Montague]

Is this information directly from the Dawn Marie camp?
I’m just trying to keep separate what each side is claiming vs. what each side claims the other said.

For instance, the initial response from Dawn’s attorney - which, to me, sounds more like an admission of the allegations followed by an attempted justification - I’m not sure if the attorney actually said that, or is that also part of Aldren’s accusations?
Or, the FBI probe for that matter…

If Wrestler’s Rescue is a legit organization, then they should have detailed records of money coming in and money going out.
It should be a simple matter to see at least the money out part.
Is it going towards something like medical expenses for wrestlers or into a personal/private account?


I’m still going to wait passing off judgement until we know more.

[Playboy]

Is this information directly from the Dawn Marie camp?
I’m just trying to keep separate what each side is claiming vs. what each side claims the other said.

For instance, the initial response from Dawn’s attorney - which, to me, sounds more like an admission of the allegations followed by an attempted justification - I’m not sure if the attorney actually said that, or is that also part of Aldren’s accusations?
Or, the FBI probe for that matter…

If Wrestler’s Rescue is a legit organization, then they should have detailed records of money coming in and money going out.
It should be a simple matter to see at least the money out part.
Is it going towards something like medical expenses for wrestlers or into a personal/private account?


I’m still going to wait passing off judgement until we know more.

Ya, she had her attorney right up a denial letter based on her words. We'll see what happens.

[Montague]

Okay, I see.
The above is an offical press release that she & her attorney penned.

Depending on how far this goes, investigators are going to want PROOF - not simply denial.

[Playboy]

Okay, I see.
The above is an offical press release that she & her attorney penned.

Depending on how far this goes, investigators are going to want PROOF - not simply denial.

I'd plant Dawn Marie one. SHe was / is delicious

[Montague]

The plot thickens...



The following statement is a public response to Dawn Marie’s open letter regarding Wrestlers Rescue which featured on several wrestling websites earlier this week:

For the last three years Dawn Marie has promoted Wrestlers Rescue as a charity to raise monies to help and support the health care needs of retired professional wrestlers. During that time Dawn has sent me numerous emails asking my help to spread word of her fund raising activities through my writings relating to this project. I duly obliged in most instances.

One of the primary benefactors was to be journeymen wrestler Dr. Death Steve Williams who sadly succumbed to cancer in December, 2009. Shortly after Doc’s passing I asked Dawn what she planned to do with the thousands of dollars she had raised—whether that would be in terms of covering funeral expenses for the family or a talked about trust fund for Doc’s son.

Dawn told me on-the-record in a January email, “We are talking with the family and trying to figure out the best way to use the dollars that weren’t used.”

I asked Dawn again a few weeks later and received no response.

A few weeks after that I asked Dawn whether Wrestlers Rescue was in fact a registered charity and what other retired wrestlers she planned to help in the future. Dawn replied and told me that her representative would be in touch soon and furnish me with the information I requested.

Dawn’s rep later turned out to be her New Jersey based attorney. I was shocked to learn from said attorney that Wrestlers Rescue, after three years in operation, was NOT a registered not-for-profit nor were they willing to open their finance books to the general public or the people in the wrestling business who have helped them raise thousands of dollars in the name of a dying man.*

And so here we are today.

While Dawn's passion may be viewed by some as admirable, she as the founder and chair of her organization, should be more forthcoming regarding the monies she has raised, nor should she falsely represent herself as a charity, just as she did last week when quoted in a New York Times article.

Is she stating that up until now, the supposed charity has been for profit? If so, who has profited from the proceeds of Wrestlers Rescue? If not, then why has the non-registered charity been so secretive regarding the proceeds of the monies raised?

Who has actually benefited from anything done by Wrestlers Rescue up to now? Check delivered, bills paid, someone rescued?

I hope that Dawn Marie will address these reasonable questions in a public forum very soon.

Sincerely,

Mike Aldren

[Playboy]

If all this comes to be true and proven in court, Dawn will have a huge bullseye painted on her.

[Thin Lizzy]

What's the point of a charitable organization if you can't skim money out of it?

[Playboy]

What's the point of a charitable organization if you can't skim money out of it?

Charity begins at home 

[Montague]

All has been pretty quiet for a while.
I'll re-sticky this thread when something interesting happens.