Sorority president sued over wax statue of herself

AP and Comcast | 30 July 09 | DON BABWIN

[SkyPilot]

CHICAGO — Members of the country's oldest black sorority are suing to remove their president, alleging that she spent hundreds of thousands of dollars of the group's money on herself — some of it to pay for a wax statue in her own likeness.

In the suit filed in Washington, D.C., the Alpha Kappa Alpha members also alleged that international President Barbara McKinzie bought designer clothing, jewelry and lingerie with the sorority credit card. She then redeemed points the purchases earned on the card to buy a big-screen television and gym equipment, the lawsuit said.

"This is extraordinarily shocking if not illegal conduct," Edward W. Gray Jr., an attorney representing the plaintiffs suing the Chicago-based sorority, said Wednesday.

McKinzie denied what she called the lawsuit's "malicious allegations," saying they were "based on mischaracterizations and fabrications ... not befitting our ideals of sisterhood, ethics and service," according to a statement issued this week by the sorority.

The lawsuit also accused the sorority's board of directors of signing off on spending funds on McKinzie without the required approval by the group's membership. For example, the lawsuit says the board approved a monthly "pension stipend" of $4,000 for four years after she leaves office and purchased a $1 million life insurance policy for her. The suit demands McKinzie be fired and return money to the sorority.

In the sorority statement, McKinzie took particular offense to the accusation that she commissioned a life-sized wax figure of herself that cost hundreds of thousands of dollars. She said the sorority's board approved the money to "help defray overall expenses for our 2010 convention."

[SkyPilot]

More Ca$h for Clunkers. And that's a lot of wax!

_{In this June 2009 photo, Barbara McKinzie, international president of Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority, center, stands between wax figures of herself, right, and the late Nellie Quander, left, the sorority's first international president, at a sorority function in Upper Marlboro, Maryland. AKA, the country's oldest black sorority, is suing to have McKinzie removed alleging that she spent hundreds of thousands of dollars of the group's money on herself _ some of it on the wax figure in her own likeness. McKinzie took offense to the contention in the lawsuit that she spent $900,000 on her wax likeness. She said a total of $45,000 was spent on the figures of Quander and herself. (AP Photo/Afro-American Newspapers, Rob Roberts)}

On another note:

Michelle Obama Joins Alpha Kappa Alpha, a Historically Black Sorority

Michelle should be happy!

They waste money just like she does on her White House Staff of 22 overpaid racists and wack jobs.

[SkyPilot]

President of black sorority Alpha Kappa Alpha sued over expenses The president of America's oldest black sorority is being sued over claims she misappropriated hundreds of thousands of dollars, including spending £550,000 on a wax statue of herself.

£550,000!!!????!!!

That's $911,000!

I'd like a Million Dollar wax statue - of me! But, can you take some of the wax from my fat gut, and use it to make me a little taller?

[PBRSTREETGANG]

Put a wick in her...she’s done.

[jws3sticks]

Here's our First Lady:

[CaspersGh0sts]

“Put a wick in her...she’s done.”

Classic line ;)

[BigCinBigD]

That’s $911,000!

What’s the deal? Were they out of plastic cows at the party barn?

[OBXWanderer]

and gym equipment

ROTFLMAO

[raybbr]

Looks like narcissism. Remind you of someone?

[Vanders9]

I cant tell which one isnt wax.

[Ann Archy]

That’s a LOT of WAX!!

[earlJam]

Elaine: Well... everyone of my expenses are obviously for a legitimate business purpose.

Roger: I just need to see the sable hat you purchased yesterday.

Elaine: The hat? Why do you need to see the hat?

Roger: Because it costs eight-thousand dollars.

[A.A. Cunningham]

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5j9Bud-12gUK3_fSGEoZNorqx8HCgD99OCNSG5

[MrB]

I’m thinking it’s a cultural thing.
We see this kind of corruption whenever someone of this culture gets the power to spend money that isn’t theirs.

[Cagey]

[raybbr]

We see this kind of corruption whenever someone of this culture gets the power to spend money that isn’t theirs.

I see it as a "get even" type of thing.

[earlJam]

Scrumptious!