Over a year ago, the country was still in shock from the events of the Boston Marathon bombings. In an effort to raise money and bring the community together, a benefit show dubbed “This Is Boston” featuring local hardcore acts such as Converge, Slapshot, Wrecking Crew, Doomriders, and more. A small promotions company called Lykaion Cult Productions was in charge of the event where proceeds were to go to One Fund, a Charity created specifically for those affected by the bombings. The event ended up raising about $14,000, which is all well and good except for one thing: the money never got to One Fund. Lykaion Cult co-founder Mike Eleftheratos was in charge of all the money raised from the show, but has not only since been suspected of mismanaging the money, but possibly even taking it for himself.
Converge frontman Jacob Bannon repeatedly emailed Eleftheratos in an attempt to confirm that the money was given to One Fund, but never got one. Eventually, Bannon made the claim suspecting there wouldn’t be a donation at all. Speaking with Vanyaland on the subject, Bannon says:
“This sort of thing isn’t complicated. Our band independently raised money for the event, we sold shirts through our store, and gave 100% of the proceeds. We do that all the time; money for the Red Cross, we raised money for Japanese tsunami relief, we’ve given money to Dana Farber for cancer research. We try to give back, we do what we can.”
Eleftheratos has since left the company and cut off all communications, which is just a little suspicious. As of now, the only money from the show donated to One Fund is $8,675 from advance ticket sales, which was originally sent as a check to Eleftheratos, but was then cancelled when it was left undeposited for months and sent to One Fund directly instead. Bannon further explains:
“I contacted the One Fund, and the Attorney General’s office. The One Fund did confirm the payment [of $8,675], and said that they would bring this to the Attorney General’s office. I also left a message with the Quincy Police Department, to see if I could get any legal support, whether it was law enforcement or otherwise. No one ever called me back. There’s a lot of people that this has upset, that are just beside themselves. I mean, this show, this event, it personally made me feel like a kid again, and for someone to exploit that, and to exploit the positive aspects of this community that we love, to exploit the generosity of others, just really makes me sad.”
Other Lykaion Cult co-founder Mark Laskey was just as shocked by his business partner’s apparent misdeeds:
“I remember when the marathon bombings happened, [Eleftheratos] pitched the idea of doing a benefit on one of [our usual DJ nights at O’Brien’s]; I was all for it. I mean, I worked on Boylston Street, literally a block from where those bombs went off, so it was really personal for me.”
“So many people wanted to be a part of something positive in the aftermath, and it just snowballed. In retrospect we were in way over our heads, but at the time it seemed like we could pull it off and it would be a great event. To a large extent we did, and it was… until all of this.”
At this time, Converge and other bands and people involved in the benefit show are still trying to get the money. Here’s hoping that One Fund eventually gets what was promised them or that karma get Eleftheratos back big time.
[via]
