Local Sleazeball Caught In Cancer Charity Scam

We've all been in restaurants and seen the box or jar where a piece of candy was offered in exchange for a small donation to a charitable cause.  Well it turns out, that in as many as 3 states and 300 establishments (including a few here locally ) the money wasn't going to a kids cancer charity at all. The money was going to local loser Deran Akullian from Saratoga Springs.

News Channel 13 has the disheartening story.

I sure hope that Deran Akullian, the 59 year old Saratoga Springs man accused of stealing money from the National Children's Cancer Society, doesn't have kids of his own with this god forsaken dreaded disease. Preying on people's generosity at the cost of sick kids is the lowest of the low. The local sleazeball raked in tens of thousands of dollars in a scheme he devised by placing donation boxes at any place gracious enough to allow him to do so.  He stopped giving money to the St Louis based charity years ago, and instead, pocketed the cash; perhaps even YOUR cash.

Anyone who may have had a jar from Akullian in their business is asked to call New York State Police Investigator Kevin Reppenhagen at (518) 642-0599 or (518) 642-9455.