CLEVELAND (CN) - The American Lung Association claims Executive Ticket and the man who runs it, who uses 12 aliases, cheated it of charitable contributions by reporting only half instant bingo tickets it sold and diverting the rest for his own profit.
The association claims Joseph A. Priore Jr., a many of many aliases, concocted the scheme with the taverns and other businesses where people bought the charitable tickets. "For every four boxes of instant bingo tickets distributed to any one of the taverns and establishments, only two boxes would be recorded," the complaint states. "Under this 50/50 split arrangement with the tavern and establishments, Defendants received 50% of the proceeds from the sale of the instant bingo tickets and the taverns and establishments received 50% of the proceeds which were retained by them and never reported to or paid to the ALAO," it states.
The association claims defendants Ona Lisa Fryer aka Lisa Ona Fryer and Kenneth Frank Urbania participated in the fraud, that the State of Ohio has prosecuted them for it in seven or more cases, and that Priore and Fryer pleaded guilty.
The lung association seeks $75,000 in compensatory damages, and punitive damages. It is represented in Cuyahoga County Court by Mark Jacobs with Kahn Kleinman.
Subscribe to Closing Arguments
Sign up for new weekly newsletter Closing Arguments to get the latest about ongoing trials, major litigation and hot cases and rulings in courthouses around the U.S. and the world.