OT: FYI -- Cindy W. puts a sting on an autism fundraising scam

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http://www.thepittsburghchannel.com/news/16242321/detail.html

Pittsburgh Sting Busts Man Accused Of Running Fake Autism Charity

POSTED: 3:02 pm EDT May 12, 2008

UPDATED: 6:02 pm EDT May 12, 2008

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PITTSBURGH -- Authorities arrested a man they said set up a bogus

charity pretending to raise money for children with a serious disorder.

Jerome Prysock, 49, of Braddock, is being held in the Allegheny County

Jail on $10,000 bond.

Investigators believe Prysock was handing out a solicitation flier to

local businesses until one shopkeeper became suspicious and decided to

act.

Court records show Prysock dropped off a flier at 's Pub in

Oakland, looking for a donation.

The bar manager, thinking it was suspicious, called Waeltermann,

the director of the Autism Center of Pittsburgh.

" My first thought was, 'This is bogus. This isn't legitimate,' " she said.

Waeltermann said she had never heard of the program named in the

flier, and Call 4 Action learned there is no such charity registered

with the state.

So, Pittsburgh police decided to set up a sting.

The pub manager called Prysock, whose phone number was on the flier,

telling him he had $100 for him. When Prysock came to pick up the

money last week, four undercover officers arrested him.

Court records show Prysock has a lengthy criminal history with

previous convictions for theft by deception, running an unauthorized

lottery and fraudulently obtaining food stamps.

" If that person came to our offices and worked here for one day and

saw the children that we served, he'd probably have a change of heart,

if he has one, " said Waeltermann.

Court papers show Prysock was arrested with gift certificates from

other local businesses. The records also indicated he told police that

he does work with children with autism but has no certification to do so.