Barrhead News | News | 'VULTURE' STILL OPERATING IN TOWN

Saturday, 22nd November, 2008

Published: Thursday, 24th July, 2008 13:15

'VULTURE' STILL OPERATING IN TOWN

By Amanda Keenan

THE man at the centre of one of Scotland’s biggest charity scandals is still operating in Barrhead - despite being warned off by Trading Standards.

Bruno Schultz (pictured) was accused three years ago of raising £300,000 a year for the Moonbeams Charity for sick kids but only handing over £50,000.

The Barrhead News revealed in May that Schultz, nicknamed ‘The Vulture’, was operating in the town and is using a legal loophole to charge £3 for each Rosebuds newsletter.

And because the small print explains Rosebuds is a private firm, NOT a charity, there is nothing Scotland’s charity regulator can do to stop him.

This week the Barrhead News was alerted that the scheme is still operating in the town by a local resident who was persuaded to buy the newsletter.

She said: “It makes me angry that he is putting people under pressure to donate by coming to their doors and I don’t want anyone else in Barrhead being fooled by this.”

Trading Standards are now warning locals not to buy the newsletter if they want to be charitable because there is no monitoring how much, if anything, goes to sick kids and how much Schultz pockets.

East Renfrewshire Trading Standards officer, Steve Fox said: “This is a business not a charity. He can claim the newsletters cost him a fortune to produce, though it is just a single sheet of paper. He has found a license to print money and no regulation to check where the cash is going.

“The business has changed its name twice since it was set up in 2006 and he should have published how much money he donates to charity in April 2008. But if he is claiming to donate money to charity and not actually doing it then we will be holding him to account.”

The business has a number of collectors in Barrhead who keep £1 for every newsletter they sell and the rest goes to Schultz.

Schultz refused to speak to the Barrhead News but has previously insisted that he helps families not organisations who need cash.

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