Inside these posts: Charity

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U.S. accuses Chicago business owner of tax fraud

A Chicago woman has been accused by the U.S. of preparing fraudulent tax returns by faking donations to charities and inflating rental losses from real estate properties.

The federal government says Rita J. Augustus, owner of Windy City Insurance Agency Inc. and Windy City Tax Service, prepared 4,283 tax returns from 2005 to 2009 with an “unusually high refund rate of over 94 percent,” according to court records. The government estimates it lost about $20 million in revenue as a result. Get the full story »

Groupon founder performs at Second City

From the Chicago Sun-Times | Groupon CEO Andrew Mason reminded everyone that he was a music major in college during an improv charity event late Tuesday at Second City. Accompanied by a singer, guitarist and saxophonist, the Northwestern alumnus, who was once part of a Billy Joel tribute band, sat at a grand piano and played “Movin’ Out” and “Scenes from an Italian Restaurant.” Get the full story>>

Basketball document sells for $4 million at auction

A historic document that details the original rules of basketball, written 119 years ago as a winter sport for boys of a Massachusetts YMCA, was sold for more than $4 million on Friday to raise money for charity. Get the full story »

Mansueto joins billionaires giving away half of wealth

Joe and Rika Mansueto at their home in Chicago on May 9, 2008. (Handout)

Another 17 U.S. billionaires, including Facebook co-founders Mark Zuckerberg and Dustin Moskovitz as well as Morningstar’s Joe Mansueto, have pledged to give away at least half their fortunes in a philanthropic campaign led by Warren Buffett and Bill Gates.

A total of 57 billionaires now have joined The Giving Pledge, which was launched by Microsoft founder Gates and investor Buffett in June. The campaign announced the new pledges in a statement late Wednesday.

Gates, his wife Melinda, and Buffett have asked U.S. billionaires to give away at least half their wealth during their lifetime or after their death, and to publicly state their intention with a letter explaining their decision. Get the full story »

Wealthy pull back on charitable donations

Charitable giving by wealthy Americans dropped by more than a third between 2007 and 2009 as the worst U.S. recession in decades put pressure on the nonprofit sector, according to a study released Tuesday. Get the full story »

Sox pitcher Buehrle on billboard for pet adoption

It may be off-season but White Sox pitcher Mark Buehrle is headed back to billboards with a message for Chicago-area residents. Buehrle and his wife, Jamie, have partnered with Adopt-A-Pet.com to launch a local public service billboard and television campaign promoting the adoption of shelter pets. Get the full story »