®/™TAX CHEAT! How Alan Chartock conspired with WAMC to avoid paying IRS.
The story the Times-Union
WON'T publish!!!
Failure to report CEO's taxable 'perks'
could leave trustees liable.
Listener $$$ lavished on public radio CEO's 'perks':
Cars, Chauffeur, Intown apartments!
Cuomo book cost WAMC!
By G.M. Heller
Washington, D.C.
Originally published: Thursday, May 11, 2006.
For more than two decades, radio station chief executive Alan S. Chartock has been the recipient of expensive fringe benefits provided by his employer, WAMC Northeast Public Radio, benefits that consistently went unreported to IRS apparently in an effort by the public broadcaster to shield its CEO from having to pay income taxes on their value. (continued)
Read : TAX CHEAT! How Alan Chartock conspired with WAMC to avoid paying IRS.
Please post comments and opinions here.
Washington, D.C.
Originally published: Thursday, May 11, 2006.
For more than two decades, radio station chief executive Alan S. Chartock has been the recipient of expensive fringe benefits provided by his employer, WAMC Northeast Public Radio, benefits that consistently went unreported to IRS apparently in an effort by the public broadcaster to shield its CEO from having to pay income taxes on their value. (continued)
Read : TAX CHEAT! How Alan Chartock conspired with WAMC to avoid paying IRS.
Please post comments and opinions here.
Labels: 501c3, Alan Chartock, Albany, executive benefits, Income Tax Evasion, IRS, media, New York, perks, public charity, public radio, radio, tax fraud, WAMC
posted by G.M.Heller at 2:33 PM
23 Comments:
I think Alan Chartock might be smashing them soon once the IRS looks into this.
Solidly researched and well-written. Bravo.
Nobody gives a crap. Eyes glaze over upon seeing how interminably long and irrelevant this is.
You are a true wingnut.
I doubt the US Internal Revenue Service would share your assessment that 'Nobody gives a crap' about income tax evasion.
Also, your view that an 'interminably long' listing of details is 'irrelevant' might not be shared by those who would want as many of those details as possible before deciding for themselves whether WAMC and Mr. Chartock willfully conspired to conceal the CEO's taxable fringe benefits so Mr. Chartock could avoid having to pay federal income taxes on the value of those benefits.
But thank you anyway for taking the time to read the entire article.
I have always wondered as I would listen to WAMC radio why such large sums of monies had to be raised many times a year since I always heard all of the programs were UNDERWRITTEN by generous grants from large companies and wealthy individuals. I am not surprised to read on your website the shady dealings of the powers that be at WAMC.
I am somewhat taken back by Alan Chartock's ability to make a sob story about going under and not able to keep shows on the air in one breath and to read of his (and others) "milking" the cash cow dry. Alan's "holier than thou" ranting (and tear-filled eyes) seem a bit overdone for my taste. Since WAMC was citizen owned, how was anyone able to give the station away?
Bottom line to me is WHEN WILL MR GOVERNMENT ENFORCE TAX AND OTHER LAWS SO ALAN AND CREW DO NOT APPEAR ABOVE THE LAW?
His rants about George Bush being a liar and such should also be directed to the "thieves" at WAMC.
Who are you? You sound like a disgruntled employee, or some one with an axe to grind.
Your allegations may be true, but what is it's benefit to you. Are you looking for a piece of the action?
I am someone who merely believes that tax cheats do not make the best candidates to run public charities, nor especially public broadcasters.
Dear Mr. Heller,
I think that you have too much free time on your hands.
Sorry Mr. Klumpp, but for public charlatans like Mr. Chartock, I make the time.
Thank you for reading the entire article.
On 6/15/06, Glenn M. Heller (editor@wamc.net) wrote:
Albany Eye,
Here's something you would certainly be interested in:
"Rex Smith, Times-Union Editor, doesn't have THE BALLS to investigate a tax scandal involving an Albany media figure!!!"
"Makes you wonder just how many other Capital District shenanigans
get covered-up by the Times-Union?"
GMH
-----------------------------------
Albany Eye (albanyeye@gmail.com) wrote:
That's a good one. I like the new "no balls" strategy. It adds a lot of credibility to your approach.
AE
-----------------------------------
On 6/15/06, Glenn M. Heller (editor@wamc.net) wrote:
Eye,
I thought for sure that you, as someone similarly afflicted, would commiserate with Smith's now-public condition, but I forgot that to begin with you never had the balls even to be public about YOUR identity. Alas, you'll never know the effect such a public-admonishment can have on a public guy with a big ego!
GMH
-----------------------------------
Albany Eye (albanyeye@gmail.com)wrote:
Yeah, woe is me. Here's something special for your web site:
http://images.foundrymusic.com/
JPEG/cup_of_shutthefuckup.jpg
AE
-----------------------------------
A good read.
How does one get a company audited by the IRS or the NYS Tax department?
On 16 June 2006 Albany Eye (albanyeye@gmail.com) wrote:
I'd really rather you didn't post my email in your blog's comment
section.
If I want to comment on something I see there, I know how to do it.
I don't care if people read what I wrote, I just think it's just sort of rude.
Thank you,
AE
Blog Editor's Note: This from the Albany Eye guy who makes snide, wise-ass, not to mention anonymous, comments about people all the time.
I read the article. I was very impressed.
Excellent reporting. Chartock's limitless power in shaping the radio station has bugged me since the first days of listening to WAMC. I continue to find it a hodgepodge of programming which largely flows from Chartock's personal interests (The ranting on The Media Project is surely the worst show I've heard on a non-student-run radio station), and I see few clues that there's a management board who attempts to shape programming beyond what Chartock decides it should be. For this reason, I generally only listen to NPR news while in the car, and the rest of the time stream KCRW from Santa Monica and WBEZ from Chicago. This is the first time in 25 years I've NOT been a member of my local public radio station, choosing instead to send donations to KCRW.
I value the reporting and research from Mr. Heller and am terribly glad someone out there is doing it. It's pretty sad that honest members and underwriters are getting bilked for Chartock's excesses.
WAMC is the worst public radio station I've ever lived within range of (and I've lived near no less than eight public radio stations), and can't compare to any of those I stream these days. I lay blame for that a Chartock's feet.
I have trouble understanding this crusade of yours. Why do you have a grudge against WAMC? They are a pretty harmless station. Certainly there are public figures more deserving of scrutiny such as governors, senators, etc. Interestingly all of the articles on your site are written by one person so you are clearly a one man operation. On the whole your ramblings seem nonsensical and deranged. You probably need some kind of psychological help in all honesty as I don't see how anyone could spend so much time on a misguided and futile task.
Dear Anonymous,
So other than your ad hominem attack, it sounds as though your biggest complaint about articles posted on the WAMC Pirate Web site is that "your ramblings seem nonsensical and deranged."
If you could be more specific about which articles or allegations you consider to be 'nonsensical and deranged', it sure would help your own credibility. Speaking of which, why are you afraid to sign your real name instead of 'Anonymous'? I am willing to stand publicly by what I write, why aren't you?
I would like to make a comment about the below. See my comment after reading the following:
Anonymous said...
I have trouble understanding this crusade of yours. Why do you have a grudge against WAMC? They are a pretty harmless station. Certainly there are public figures more deserving of scrutiny such as governors, senators, etc. Interestingly all of the articles on your site are written by one person so you are clearly a one man operation. On the whole your ramblings seem nonsensical and deranged. You probably need some kind of psychological help in all honesty as I don't see how anyone could spend so much time on a misguided and futile task.
Tuesday, July 25, 2006 11:08:20 PM
OK, I worked for WAMC -- I put my name on this: Josh Cohen.
While I agree there are a lot of politicians who also deserve a close look, this is a given.
WAMC is another story of a 'non-for-profit' that needs to be cleaned up since the management acts as though it is untouchable.
I'm the one who drove Alan Chartock to SUNY New Paltz to teach his courses there -- only I was a WAMC employee so why was I asked to do that?
WAMC's time and money was spent to support Chartock's other career. It is not fair to those who contribute to the station.
And this is only one little piece of what went on there.
I believe if the IRS starts looking into this, heads will roll at WAMC. I will be happy to assist any investigation as a prime witness.
I have known Glenn for several years (in fact we both had lunch once) and can say with no problem that he is absolutely NOT angry nor deranged. But you would be - angry - if you knew what really goes on at WAMC.
I believe you should go work at WAMC, then come back with your response as so much that goes on at that station is hush-hush.
This -- combined with Chartock's near mafia-style influence in Albany -- really does discourage folks from speaking the truth about what goes on behind those doors at 318 Central Avenue.
Well, I am not afraid; I worked directly for Chartock. If you did I doubt your comments would be the same.
JOSH COHEN
I worked for Alan a number of years ago, and I can tell you that Josh is one hundred perect correct, because I saw it too. The public would be very upset if they knew what goes on at 318 Central ave. "Liberal Alan" on the air is a far cry from the real Alan, who verbally abuses his staff and makes sexist and racist comments. Josh is right, Alan does have a mafia style grip over Albany which is why I am afraid to release my identity.
Hi former WAMC person,
Thanks for your words, but why worry.
I think I know who you are from how you write.
Would like to know though...
JOSH COHEN
I've been looking at the IRS homepage to find a link to whistle blowing on tax cheats. Next time in Albany I'll go in- but I wonder with all this, why the IRS hasn't already looked into it?
I've been snaggling with Alan for years- the latest over the nastiness in his pre-interview treatment of Kirsten Gillibrand- Democratic candidate for Congress against Sweeney. Kirsten told me directly on two occasions that she had heard from a number of people how he has boasted about how he's going to butcher her in the interview. I heard him, on a Sweeney interview say he had invited her but she had "refused". She said she had to be at a labor rally at the Hospital in Hudson, and he wouldn't budge an inch to accommodate her schedule.
A staff member said there was something about money connected with Sweeney for the station; which is the only explanation I can find for Chartok supporting Sweeney-except Sweeney is said to have given Chartok inside information about State Govt.unavailable from Pataki.
The Gillibrand quotes are real,I'll take an oath on that. The rest is hearsay,second hand.
Your nasty language means you must work for WAMC. Don't worry, we have not forgotten about you, just on to the level of reporting this situation really deserves. All the best things in life take time, and that is on our side.
I really don't think the day Alan Chartock retires will be a happy one as we really doubt it will be with a farewell party, considering the circumstances that will force his removal. It's coming.
Ever ask yourself why does Alan maintain a 'legal defense fund'? Sounds like he is preparing for what is coming, a sure sign of guilt.
At the atrophied, soulless core of the incestuous so called WAMC "Family" sits a small group of self- appointed, stuck up phonies, who subject ALL else there to a singularly varying degree of sub-human expendability. Fundamentally exclusive in its nature, there is absolutely NOTHING truly "Public" about this radio station other than an empty use of the word.
I agree with all you have said, and I used to work at WAMC.
Regards,
Josh Cohen
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