AIDS Research Claims by Group Spark Inquiry

NEWPORT BEACH —  An organization that claims to be raising money for AIDS research has no local business license and is not registered with the state as a nonprofit organization, police said Wednesday.

Police launched an inquiry after getting calls from people who had seen a letter from the group, International AIDS Research, in a local newspaper. According to the letter, the organization was seeking donations of clothes and toys to its thrift shop, which was scheduled to open on Saturday in a Newport Beach office plaza.

“We are trying to see if they are legitimate or not,” said Police Sgt. Al Ficher of the department’s fraud division.

The letter was attributed to Lisanne Carrington, who was described as the group’s national chairwoman.

Carrington could not be reached for comment. But Kelly Burgundy, who said she is a volunteer for the group, said Wednesday that the thrift shop will not open.

“We had a mess today,” Burgundy said. “The chairperson is out trying to clarify things.”

Burgundy confirmed that the group does not have nonprofit status. She said Carrington formed the organization in March, but Burgundy said she does not know how much money has been raised. She said the group had hoped to donate 60% of the proceeds to the American Foundation for Aids Research, the nation’s most prominent private AIDS organization.

Officials of that group said they were unaware of the organization.

Representatives of several groups in Orange County that act on behalf of people with AIDS similarly said they were unaware of the group.