Two '93 Grads Targeted In 'Champions' Probes

An investigation of past organizers of the Eliot House ice skating charity show Evening With Champions is focusing on two members of the Class of 1993, a highly-placed source told The Crimson Friday.

The source said that former Evening With Champions treasurer David G. Sword '93 and former cochair Charles K. Lee '93 are at the center of an investigation being conducted by the Middlesex district attorney's office. Officials in that office and at Harvard are trying to determine why $160,000 in donations raised for the Jimmy Fund, which supports cancer research and treatment, are missing.

In addition, investigators have been informed that Sword allegedly told another student working on Evening with Champions that he took a portion of the funds, the source said. That student informed College administrators, who relayed the allegation to the office of district attorney Thomas Reilly.

The Boston Globe, citing anonymous sources, reported the same information Saturday.

Rod Sword, David's father, last night said he had hired a Boston law firm and that, on the advice of legal counsel, neither he nor his son would comment. "It would be unfair to all parties for us to make comment at this time," he said. Lee also would not comment yesterday.

Lee told The Crimson last week that he accepted full responsibility for what he termed a "miscommunication" between Evening With Champions leaders and officials at the Jimmy Fund. He said he decided to forego the donation before the show last fall in an effort to meet mounting expenses and pay off longstanding debts.

Lee apologized for failing to inform Jimmy Fund officials of his decision. "I didn't communicate clearly to them," he said. "That's my fault."

However, Eliot residents interviewed this weekend and Jimmy Fund Executive Director Mike Andrews present a picture that differs from Lee's account.

They said that in May of this year Lee attended and organized's ceremony to present a six-figure donation to the Jimmy Fund.

Although no money changed hands that night, the commemorative blow-up check given to Andrews at the ceremony was for more than $100,000, students said. Attempts to locate a picture of the ceremony were unsuccessful.

In interviews Friday and yesterday, Andrews said Evening With Champions never turned over proceeds from its November 1991 show.

He said Lee and his co-chair, Rachel L. Schultz '93, who were responsible for that donation, told him that the delay was because of outstanding bills.

Andrews would not comment on Lee's statements to The Crimson, but he indicated that they did not change his outlook on the situation and that he would continue to co-operate with the district attorney.

"If there is wrongdoing, I hope that the people will be prosecuted," said Andrews. "It's sad that thousands of Eliot House students who have worked on the show are all being put under a gray cloud."

While Lee said last week that he had not been contacted by the district attorney's office or Harvard, Sword appears to be in communication with Eliot House officials.

The Crimson has learned that a Federal Express package sent by Sword was received by Eliot House Masters Stephen A. Mitchell and Kristine L. Forsgard. The package is believed to have contained three or four pages on an unknown subject.

Mitchell declined to comment yesterday.

University Attorney Anne Taylor, Harvard's point person on this issue, would not comment specifically on Lee or Sword's role. Taylor seemed dubious of Lee's explanation, but said that it would takes months of sorting through records to know more.

"We'd have to see whether the records or expenses support that," Taylor said.

In the interview last week, Lee said records and receipts of last year's show have been thrown away or are likely lost and unrecoverable. He said Sword kept a milk carton full of receipts that he believes are now missing.

Taylor said that, in fact, records of the show had been difficult to find and that the University would look into changing the informal way Evening With Champions keeps its books.

Lee also said some of the event's unpaid debts included money owed WGBH-TV, which has supplied a producer, Susie Dangel, for the show. Questioned outside The Crimson Sunday night, Dangel called the situation "sad." Officials at WGBH-TV have been unable to confirm or deny that they were owed any money by Evening With Champions.

The co-chairs for next fall's show, Jonathan Kolodner '94 and Kelly Morrison '94, released a statement last week saying they were co-operating with the investigation.

They are not potential targets of Harvard's or the district attorney's probe. Stopped outside Eliot on Saturday, they referred all questions to Taylor.

Contacted over the weekend, Eliot residents and friends of Lee and Sword said they were shocked by news of the investigation. Those who know the two students said they could not believe either one was involved in any wrongdoing.

Jill Reilly, spokesperson for the Middlesex district attorney, refused Friday to comment on Lee's statements

In interviews Friday and yesterday, Andrews said Evening With Champions never turned over proceeds from its November 1991 show.

He said Lee and his co-chair, Rachel L. Schultz '93, who were responsible for that donation, told him that the delay was because of outstanding bills.

Andrews would not comment on Lee's statements to The Crimson, but he indicated that they did not change his outlook on the situation and that he would continue to co-operate with the district attorney.

"If there is wrongdoing, I hope that the people will be prosecuted," said Andrews. "It's sad that thousands of Eliot House students who have worked on the show are all being put under a gray cloud."

While Lee said last week that he had not been contacted by the district attorney's office or Harvard, Sword appears to be in communication with Eliot House officials.

The Crimson has learned that a Federal Express package sent by Sword was received by Eliot House Masters Stephen A. Mitchell and Kristine L. Forsgard. The package is believed to have contained three or four pages on an unknown subject.

Mitchell declined to comment yesterday.

University Attorney Anne Taylor, Harvard's point person on this issue, would not comment specifically on Lee or Sword's role. Taylor seemed dubious of Lee's explanation, but said that it would takes months of sorting through records to know more.

"We'd have to see whether the records or expenses support that," Taylor said.

In the interview last week, Lee said records and receipts of last year's show have been thrown away or are likely lost and unrecoverable. He said Sword kept a milk carton full of receipts that he believes are now missing.

Taylor said that, in fact, records of the show had been difficult to find and that the University would look into changing the informal way Evening With Champions keeps its books.

Lee also said some of the event's unpaid debts included money owed WGBH-TV, which has supplied a producer, Susie Dangel, for the show. Questioned outside The Crimson Sunday night, Dangel called the situation "sad." Officials at WGBH-TV have been unable to confirm or deny that they were owed any money by Evening With Champions.

The co-chairs for next fall's show, Jonathan Kolodner '94 and Kelly Morrison '94, released a statement last week saying they were co-operating with the investigation.

They are not potential targets of Harvard's or the district attorney's probe. Stopped outside Eliot on Saturday, they referred all questions to Taylor.

Contacted over the weekend, Eliot residents and friends of Lee and Sword said they were shocked by news of the investigation. Those who know the two students said they could not believe either one was involved in any wrongdoing.

Jill Reilly, spokesperson for the Middlesex district attorney, refused Friday to comment on Lee's statements