New York Attorney General Letitia James has sued to shut down a Port Chester tax-exempt organization for allegedly using a bogus address.
James brought the action to dissolve the Chalimar Grethe Foundation for Honor Inc. “because it obtained its certificate of incorporation from the Department of State through fraudulent misrepresentation,” according to the complaint filed on March 26 in Westchester Supreme Court.
The foundation was formed on July 10, 2024 by Theresa Grethe as the incorporator and Christopher W. Young and Julian M. Going as directors. The foundation and all three officials list 70 Grove St., Port Chester, as their address.
The property consists of a house with three apartments and a separate commercial building in the back with an auto body shop.
Last summer, the property owner, Colley W. Criss, began receiving mail for The Chalimar Grethe Foundation for Honor Inc.
He told the attorney general’s Bureau of Consumer Frauds and Protection that he has no connection to the foundation; he had never authorized it to use the address; none of the foundation officials lives there; and to the best of his knowledge none of his tenants has any connection to the foundation.
The only clue to the foundation’s purpose, in the lawsuit, is the certificate of incorporation. It uses standard nonprofit terminology stating that it was organized exclusively for charitable, religious, educational or scientific purposes.
A GoFundMe campaign offers some clarity.
Fundraising organizer Theresa Grethe, of Elmsford says Chalimar Grethe died unexpectedly, at age 37, on June 15, 2024.
Chalimar was Theresa’s daughter and the sister of foundation directors Christopher W. Young and Julian M. Going.
Chalimar was educated in Elmsford, worked as a home health aide, and aspired to open a construction business.
“Unfortunately, she had no insurance,” the GoFundMe pitch states, “and the family wishes to give her the dignified and respectful burial she deserves, in honor of her lifetime of helping others.”
The goal is to raise $10,000. As of March 27, $2,040 had been contributed by 21 people.
The GoFundMe page makes no reference to the Port Chester address.
The attorney general is asking the court to dissolve The Chalimar Grethe Foundation for Honor Inc. and to direct the Department of State to remove it from its corporations database.
