Mikey Weinstein Admits to Hiring Himself, and Gets a Pay Raise
There’s nothing “charitable” about Michael “Mikey” Weinstein’s “charity” — the awkwardly named Military Religious Freedom Foundation. But, since it is categorized as 501(c)3, Weinstein must publicly file his organization’s tax form each year — though he manages to be almost two years behind. Weinstein has finally released the report for 2018 indicating his MRFF brought in about $720,000 that year, which is about the same as the previous year.
As in prior years, Weinstein’s largest expense was his own paycheck, though this year was a bit unique. Up front, he paid himself $296,393, but he also reported $72,000 in “other reportable compensation.” What that is, specifically, is unknown, as the IRS allows that wording for anything from unused vacation time to a company car. The end result is that the MRFF “compensated” Weinstein to the tune of $368,393. That represents just over 50% of every dollar his organization received in tax-deductible donations.
But wait, there’s more.
After years of this site pointing out discrepancies, Weinstein finally admitted that his MRFF has a financial relationship with MIBON Consulting, LLC — a “company” that he wholly owns. According to his filing, Weinstein says the MRFF, which he founded, “leases office space from MIBON LLC.”
To be clear, Weinstein created a charity, then created a company to lease office space to his own charity.
Officially, the MRFF is located on Central Avenue in Albuquerque — in a UPS store mailbox. MIBON Consulting is based in Mikey Weinstein’s house just around the corner. It’s unclear if MIBON owns other real estate, but Weinstein has also not suggested a need for any, as it seems most MRFF business is conducted from his home office.
Thus, it seems Weinstein created a charity in his home office, then created a company to lease that home office to the charity he’d just created, conveniently generating a source of income with no work or outlay required.
It’s also unclear precisely how much Weinstein pays himself for rent, but the MRFF reports $34,000 in “occupancy” expenses, which this site has previously highlighted. If that represents the “lease”, Mikey’s MRFF would be paying Mikey nearly $3,000 a month to use Mikey’s home office in Albuquerque. That would also bring Weinstein’s total “take” to more than $400,000, or more than 55% of the donations the “charity” receives.
It’s highly unlikely 2018 was the first year Weinstein’s “charity” leased office space from Weinstein’s business — but it was the first year he explicitly admitted to doing so.
But wait, there’s more.
The prior year, Weinstein reported only $4,000 in “other employee benefits”, even though that was the first year Weinstein officially had two employees (one in addition to himself). This year, however, that line of “other” benefits ballooned to $34,000. What for? It’s unclear, as it could be anything from a dental plan to other random perks of employment. But the amount of money going to employee “benefits” increased substantially.
As has been noted before, Weinstein receives tax-deductible charitable donations that pay his salary, accountant, travel expenses, security, and even his phone bill. In other words, not only does he take home a massive paycheck, but the “charity” also seems to act as an expense account for virtually any other thing Weinstein wants to pay for. The MRFF spends almost every cent it receives. (In fact, it was technically in the red for 2018.) Publicly, the MRFF does almost nothing. What in the world could the MRFF be spending all its money on — besides Weinstein and his personal interests?
Think about it: One guy sits in his home office and sometimes emails out press releases. That’s about it. What was he possibly doing — programmatically, in support of his “charitable” mission — that ate up $740,000 in expenses that year?
He’s either really bad with money, or he’s managed to construct a fantastic, and nearly unaccountable, revenue scheme.
In the end, it seems Michael “Mikey” Weinstein has managed to make himself a very wealthy man off other people’s “charity”.
MRFF Compensation to Mikey Weinstein:
2005: Formed
2006: $116,330
2007: $0
2008: $252,485
2009: $296,232
2010: $218,201
2011: $252,681
2012: $273,355
2013: $299,634
2014: $244,232
2015: $264,492
2016: $289,868
2017: $288,434
2018: $343,225
2019: Not yet reported.
2020: Not yet reported.
Total: $3,139,169
Prior tax year discussions: 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011, 2010, 2009, 2008.
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Where does Weinstein get his big money… its has to be from big progressive groups… could it be Soros, among others?
@Bob Andrews
Weinstein seems to have a fairly decent solicitation program going. If you look back at some of the previous years posts you’ll see some of the other organizations that seem to keep Mikey funded, many of which appear to be donor advised funds and, at one point, the government. At one point Weinstein was looking to hire someone whose sole purpose was going to be to seek grants and other income. It seems that’s paid off, literally.
There are some individuals that make actual “donations” to him, including some in the military who make in a year about what Weinstein pays himself in a month. Kind of pathetic, when you think about it.
I wonder if this comes close to tax fraud??
@Patriot Pastor
You can always file a complaint:
http://christianfighterpilot.com/2017/04/19/mikey-weinsteins-mrff-charity-reported-to-irs-for-potential-impropriety/
Oh look…these folks have similar salaries as Mr. Weinstein….hmm, tax exempt or close to tax fraud?
CBN salaries included $282,417 for Michael D. Little , CBN’s president, and $268,604 for Gordon P. Robertson , Pat Robertson’s son, who is a program co-host and a CBN vice president.
Other salaries included $194,448 for Terry Meeuwsen , a co-host of “The 700 Club,” and $161,950 for Lee V. Webb , the show’s news anchor.
Free country, freedom of religion (or no religion), capitalistic country/society an economic system based on the private ownership of the means of production and their operation for profit.
@Carmine Wiggins
Welcome back. We’ve been down this road before, and you’ve only made it worse. For example, Little makes less than Weinstein does, yet Weinstein brings in about $750,000 a year, while CBN brings in $50 million. The Military Times made the same observations. And as a “charity”, Weinstein isn’t supposed to be in an “operation for profit.”
@Carmine Wiggins,
You may want to read this article in Stars and Stripes. Even they say that his compensation is in violation of IRS rules – https://www.stripes.com/news/report-military-religion-nonprofit-ceo-weinstein-pays-himself-huge-salary-1.291852
Thanks JD, this COVID thing has taken a toll on a lot of things….
No, it’s not worse and I did say “similar”… a $5K difference is chump change. The point is they are all very rich or desire to be, compared to the average person, and what they make or pay themselves is kinda of a thing in the USA. For Gordon to have a net worth of $50M says a lot about him. Why does he need $270K from working in a church/religious organization, when $70K is considered a good living? Does he live in opulence, have an expensive home/car or maybe a limo service, maid service…I can go on? Not that this is a good thing, but why do the Robertson’s get to living like Kings and Queen’s and Weinstein doesn’t?
You pick on Weinsein because he provides a service to people who believe he is doing the right thing and not your thing…and apparently the IRS doesn’t believe he is shady or they would attack like a bulldog.
@Carmine Wiggins.
You’re conflating organizational income and personal net worth. Again.
The reason the Air Force Times “picked on” Weinstein was because even reputable charity watchdogs called his pay (and the fact he voted on it at the time) exorbitant as a percentage of the donations he received.
Sure, those other people make lots of money. They also actually do something — like run an organization that has nearly 1,000 employees. Weinstein’s charity has two employees, and he’s one of them. He does little else than run his mouth and put out a few press releases every now and then. It’s simply not comparable.
You won’t be convinced of that, and that’s fine, even if it’s a shame.
JD — I googled Gordon’s net worth and the results came back as $50M, so I didn’t conflate anything. Still, mega bucks no matter how you conflate it.
The only thing I’m convinced of is both Mickey & Gordon are “comparably” very wealthy men off other people’s “charity”; this, my good man, is the real shame.
Gordon P. Robertson (Googled)
Net Worth: $50 Million
Date of Birth: Jun 4, 1958 (62 years old)
Gender: Male
Profession: Lawyer, Televangelist, Film Producer, Television Producer
Nationality: United States of America
@Carmine Wiggins
con·flate /kənˈflāt/ verb; to combine (two or more texts, ideas, etc.) into one.
You are conflating organizational income and personal net worth. They are two distinct things and these discussions pertain to only one of them.
Weinstein’s issue isn’t his personal net worth. It is that he takes a majority (>50% this year alone) of the charitable donations he receives as personal compensation. No other leader of a “charity” that you have discussed does that.