CLAYTON, MO. (CN) - The founder of a breast cancer awareness group, the Judy Ride Foundation, claims members of its board defamed him. Michael Katz says board members falsely accused him of stealing money from the foundation and falsely stated that he would be disbarred and would be sent prison. He says the defamatory statements were printed in various media outlets, including the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
In his claim in St. Louis County Court, Katz says he cooperated with numerous investigations into misallocation of the foundation's assets and has provided documentation that proves his innocence.
Katz said a special auditor the foundation hired told the foundation's chairman that there was no need to investigate Katz.
Katz founded The Judy Ride Foundation in 1999 in honor of his mother, to raise money and awareness for early detection of breast cancer.
Midwest Testing, five members of the foundation's board and two other people are named as defendants. Katz is represented by M. Courtney LaBelle of St. Louis.
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