CON MAN BLUES
ROBERT CHILES & THE PROJECT PRIDE FOUNDATION OF OKLA
DIRECTOR ACCUSES CHILES OF RIPPING OFF KELSEY BRIGGS FOUNDATON
New: In an interview on Friday Amber Gregg stated on Wednesday Chiles tried to obtain a letterhead from their foundation in order to use it for fundraising events. He informed the non-profit director that he'd already obtained a donation for the foundation. Gregg became suspicious when Chiles began declaring he was arranging a number of benefits on their behalf, such as a Blake Shelton concert, a celebrity golf tournament with headliners Bob Stoops and Barry Switzer, a benefit dinner, and a 'Kelsey Briggs Day' at a Thunder basketball game. He, also, was having $3,000 worth of t-shirts made for the foundation courtesy of an "anonymous donor". Earlier in the year, Chiles had used an Ada-based business to create t-shirts for his own foundation and then paid them with a bogus check. He was also claiming an upcoming Project Pride Foundation benefit dinner, so his current scam is quite similar to the ones he used previously.
Pontotoc County Undersheriff Arnold Scott says Chiles claims to have gone to California to sell a kidney in order to pay everyone off - something which is illegal to do. As we reported on Dec. 5th, Chiles has previously claimed in two conflicting tales to have had kidney cancer and was donating, not selling, a kidney. A current photo album on his MySpace page shows someone vacationing in California and the Grand Canyon - not selling or donating a kidney. On his Facebook wall Chiles left a November entry that stated, "Donated a Kidney to Sue Krause just got home from hospital and im hurting real bad!!! She is doing awesome now though hopes she gets out tommorrow. November 22 at 9:42 am."
Upon further investigation Gossip Boy was able to locate Sue Krause through the Eastern Missouri Chapter of the National Kidney Foundation. She stated she's never heard of Robert Chiles nor has she, a Missouri resident, been in California for medical treatment. It appears that Chiles obtained her information from a donor's list of the National Kidney Foundation and is using it to conduct yet another charity scam of which the NKF is now alerting all its chapters.
The Kelsey Briggs Foundation was founded after the child abuse-related death of two-year-old Kelsey Briggs, who passed away on October 11, 2005, after enduring nine months of harsh abuse. Her death led to reforms in the way child abuse cases are treated in Oklahoma. The foundation seeks to raise awareness for child abuse and advocate for victims. Anyone that has been asked by Chiles for a donation to the group is urged to contact the police immediately.
In recent weeks Chiles had failed to appear in a Pontotoc County court appearance and a warrant was issued for his arrest. He managed to convince authorities there to allow another court date to be set. Now on Dec. 17th he has court appearances scheduled in Cleveland and Oklahoma Counties both at 0 am and a hearing in Pontotoc County at 1 pm. He has been ordered to come up with a three thousand dollar payment, when he shows up for the Cleveland Co. appearance or face being put in jail. Chiles has a bogus check conviction in McClain County already. We will be doing additional coverage on this latest criminal act by Robert Jordan Chiles.
BODYGUARD ACCUSES CHILES OF SCAM
December 2, 2009 Norman resident Michael Oleary has stepped forward with new allegations against Project Pride swindler Robert Chiles. Oleary, a former bouncer at a strip joint called Sugars, is claiming that last December, he met Chiles when he began working as a DJ at the club. Later, Chiles told him about the foundation he'd come up with and said he needed personal protection, due to the fact that gay foundation founders are at great risk in Oklahoma.
Oleary alleges Chiles took him to the Oklahoma Democratic Party gathering in the Spring where he was introduced as a bodyguard. At that meeting Chiles was elected to the ODP's Affirmative Action Committee. One of the higher ups also being elected that day, who Gossip Boy in an upcoming story is preparing to expose as having a sexual relationship with Chiles and likely behind threats made to our staffers, was set to lead the foundation and was going to get other Democrats to contribute to the now discredited non-profit.
When it came time to be paid, Oleary says he never received a dime and he is out for an $800 loan made to Chiles and approximately $5,000 for personal protection services. The former bouncer and ex-marine says Chiles had duped him into believing a check was being waited on by the foundation.
Oleary is now working with the Cleveland County District Attorney's office in a potential fraud investigation against Chiles.
Chiles has so far been indicted by three counties in the state after Gossip Boy exposed his scam to the public and stopped him from ripping off more LGBT charities and businesses.
ROBERT CHILES JUMPS BOND - NOW A WANTED FUGITIVE
November 16, 2009
UPDATE: December 10, 2009 Chiles is now no longer a fugitive after making arrangements with Pontotoc County on Nov. 24th. He told court officials that he was in California selling a kidney just a few days before - something which is likely untrue. Also, the sell of a kidney would be illegal to begin with.
The Pontotoc County Court Clerk in Ada, OK has confirmed that Robert Jordan Chiles is now a wanted fugitive after jumping bond in a bogus check fraud case. According to them Chiles failed to show up for two different court appearances in October and November causing his bond to be revoked and a warrant for his arrest to be issued on Nov. 12th.
Chiles’ last log in to his MySpace account was Nov. 12th, the same day he became a fugitive.
He placed as his current mood the word “Scared”.
The bail jumping has caused Chiles to invoke warrants in three separate Pontotoc County felony cases: CF-08-00080, CF-09-00244, and CF-09-00384. He was to appear in court on Oct. 28th and failed, so rescheduled for Nov. 12th and, when he did not show up for that hearing, authorities made their move and filed for the failure to appear order.
Chiles has pending court appearances in Cleveland County where he has posted a $10,600 bond and in Oklahoma County where he is under a $2,000 bond. Cases in all the counties stem from a summer crime spree that saw a number of gay charities and businesses being swindled by him under the auspices of his phony Project Pride Foundation. Were he to appear at the other hearings he would be detained for the Pontotoc County warrant. If he does not, additional charges could be filed.
Chiles, a former Central Committee official for the Oklahoma Democratic Party, was last known to be involved with Daniel Stamps a past employee of Gushers and resident of the Habana Inn. Stamps moved to Tulsa at the exact time Chiles went on the run last week. They’re both claiming their status as single now on their MySpace pages, but sources have informed us that it is an attempt to throw off authorities, as Chiles is said to be still with him and hiding out in Tulsa. If that information is true, Stamps could be prosecuted for aiding a fugitive unless he steps forward and turns Chiles in to law enforcement or bounty hunters.
Was Robert Chiles trying to rip off
the Matthew Shepard Foundation?
(October 4, 2009) Court records and witness testimonies allege that Robert Chiles spent many months this year posing as the founder and director of a foundation that didn’t do anything but leave a wake of check fraud and broken promises. He is currently accused in three Oklahoma Counties of a number of felonies with a fourth county expected to file charges on him this month. Among his suspected victims are Tulsa Pride, the Open Arms Youth Project, the MetroStar, Relay for Life, the Oklahoma Democratic Party, and several businesses. Chiles is believed to have created what he called the Project Pride Foundation of Oklahoma (PPFO) for very suspect causes.
Statewide the bad checks Chiles is accused of writing are in the tens of thousands of dollars. LGBT non-profits and businesses took substantial financial hits; hits that only stopped once Gossip Boy exposed Chiles.
Now we’ve discovered that Chiles had inquired about opening an OKC-based office of the Matthew Shepard Foundation back in October 2007.
In that request, which can be found here, Chiles stated (the spelling is his own), “Hello my name is Robert Chiles and i want to find out how we can open a matthew shepard office here in Oklahoma City so we work with youth here in oklahoma because we have no where they can go so i am cuurently looking at grants to open a home where GLBT young adults can go and have a place to feel safe.”
From the many criminal proceedings against Chiles presently working their way through multiple court systems, due to what many believe to be a fake foundation, one has to ask just what sinister purposes Chiles wanted with a Matthew Shepard Foundation office?
Of Chiles it is claimed he targeted people with AIDS, cancer survivors, and gay youth and it’s possible he’d show no remorse misusing the good name of one of LGBT’s most significant historical figures.
Robert Chiles Said to be in Custody in Oklahoma City
- Left Tulsa Pride with $8,000 Worthless Check
UPDATE: The reports have been confirmed and Chiles was arrested in Norman, transferred to Oklahoma County, and made bond for the latest criminal allegations against him.
In related news, the OU Daily, the campus newspaper for the University of Oklahoma, has published a report that accuses Chiles of falsely posing as the campaign manager for Miranda Norman in a 2008 race for the Oklahoma State House of Representatives.
We do know that last fall, Chiles was passing out business cards listing himself as her campaign manager in clubs on 39th Street and asking for donations, but the candidate says Chiles never held that position and was not allowed to solicit funds.
If anyone gave a candidate donation to Chiles they are urged to contact the district attorney’s office at (405) 713-1600.
The story by OU reporter Ricky Maranon also states that Chiles purchased a Tulsa Pride sponsorship for $8,000 with a worthless check. Toby Jenkins of Oklahomans for Equality says the check has been turned over for prosecution and that Chiles wrote other bogus checks to four other LGBT organizations in the Tulsa area.
THIRD COUNTY FILES FELONY CHARGES ON CHILES
September 22, 2009
Update 9/23/2009: Oklahoma County Court Case CF-2009-5367 now shows that the charge is for writing a bogus check in an amount that exceeded one thousand dollars. An arrest warrant for Chiles was signed by Judge Carol Hubbard.
As anticipated, the Oklahoma County District Attorney’s office has filed felony charges on Robert Jordan Chiles, the highly discredited founder of the Project Pride Foundation of Oklahoma. Exact details of an arrest warrant have not yet been made public, but will be under Case CF-2009-5367, which was opened on September 21, 2009. We will publish specifics as soon as they become available.
Oklahoma County joins with Cleveland and Pontotoc County in prosecuting the 25-year-old. Currently, all crimes Chiles is alleged to have committed are related to a multi-county bogus check scheme that moved into the sphere of outright fraud as victims ranging from a gay youth group, to an AIDS charity, to a cancer charity, to several businesses were targeted.
On September 16, 2009, Chiles appeared in Pontotoc Co. District Court for an early stage hearing. He will next appear there on October 28, 2009, for a status docket. Earlier that same day he appeared in a Cleveland County without an attorney courtroom to post a $10,600 bond. For that case, his next appearance is October 22, 2009.
According to sources close to Chiles, he continues to proclaim his innocence and has called news coverage of his activities all fabrications. This despite all warrants and court actions made publicly available. Also, in what may be a desperate plea for sympathy, Chiles is now telling others he is suffering from kidney cancer.
SLIMEY ROBERT CHILES NOW WORKING WITH SALLY KERN
September 14, 2009 On the lam from the authorities with one warrant after another being issued on him, Robert Chiles, who founded the Project Pride Foundation of Oklahoma for what many consider to be for the sole purpose of ripping off the LGBT Community has now admitted in a threatening message to Gossip Boy that he is in contact with Rep. Sally Kern and providing her information about Community members. Further Chiles declares he is setting law enforcement agencies against gay bars on the 39th Street Strip.
The fugitive also made threats against current and former Gossip Boy staffers, which will be turned over to our legal counsel.
Although not mentioned in his threats, Chiles is a forced out member of the Oklahoma Democratic Party’s Central Committee. He is alleged to have bilked the ODP too. Therefore it is a strong possibility that he will feed party information to the Republicans in order to get back at them as well.
Obviously, with his reputation ruined after several businesses, a gay youth group, a gay newspaper, and an AIDS charity accused him of ripping them off, Chiles plans to do as more damage to gays and lesbians in Oklahoma before he is captured and put on the road to prison. The self-serving little punk bitch can betray the Oklahoma LGBT Community easily, because he already has done so with his foundation scheme.
UPDATE Sept 14, 2009
An arrest warrant for Robert Chiles has been signed by Cleveland County Judge Tom Lucas for a felony bogus check charge with the rider that the suspect knowingly attempted to cheat and defraud. The bond assigned to the warrant is for $10,600, which is considered extremely high for a bogus check warrant, but the prosecution is taking into account other illegal activities around the state in which Chiles is alleged to have participated.
In a complaint filed by District Attorney Greg Mashburn on September 11, 2009, Chiles is accused of knowingly issuing a check on March 3, 2009 to a Homeland grocery store in the amount of $1,229.85. The check used was drawn from a bank account for the Project Pride Foundation of Oklahoma, whose account was at the City National Bank in Norman.
Chiles has a court appearance in Pontotoc County this Wednesday over a preliminary hearing for writing several thousands of dollars in bad checks to Ada businesses. Chiles’ whereabouts are currently unknown, but parties closely related to him have informed Gossip Boy he will not show up for his Wednesday hearing, as he will be placed under arrest and held for the Cleveland County Sheriff’s Department to pick him up.
PONTOTOC COUNTY ISSUES NEW WARRANT FOR ROBERT CHILES
August 24, 2009
A felony arrest warrant was issued Friday, August 21, 2009, in Pontotoc County District Court for Robert Jordan Chiles, who now faces an additional felony count under CF-09-00384 for obtaining money or property by two or more bogus checks.
We did confirm with the Pontotoc County Sheriff’s Department Monday night that there is an active arrest warrant out for Chiles and he is being sought.
Chiles was required to appear August 27, 2009, in Pontotoc County Court for a preliminary hearing related to charges filed against him for similar crimes on June 4, 2009. However, a motion to dismiss that count filed under CF-09-00244 was made on August 20, 2009. Likely, that resulted in the combining of numerous charges under one case, but we won’t be able to verify that until Tuesday morning, when we can talk with the court clerk and district attorney in Ada, OK.
AUGUST PRELIMINARY HEARING SET FOR
PROJECT PRIDE FOUNDATION’S CHILES
July 8, 2009
Robert Chiles has a preliminary hearing scheduled for August 27, 2009 in Pontotoc County District Court for two separate felony charges. Filed in June 2009 is CF-09-00244, which accuses Chiles of obtaining money, property, or valuable thing by means of a false or bogus check. Also, from February 2008 is CF-08-00080 an obtaining money by false pretenses charge for which Chiles had been running from when an investigation by Gossip Boy into his foundation led to his surrender to authorities.
The Oklahoma Democratic Party continues to keep mum about their formal official and have quietly moved to fill Chiles’ seat in the coming months.
Chiles still faces prosecution in Oklahoma County District Court for more fraudulent behavior.
The “foundation” founder remains free on bond, but staying far away from gay-related charities, businesses, and youth groups. After Chiles’ alleged crime spree during Tulsa Pride and subsequent media exposure, he stayed far away from OKC Pride.
EMBATTLED CHILES RESIGNS ROLE WITH OK DEMOCRATIC PARTY
June 26, 2009
Robert Chiles has now officially resigned from his position within the Oklahoma Democratic Party. This comes after allegation after allegation has been revealed claiming Chiles ripped off everyone from people with AIDS, to cancer victims, to gay youth, to small business owners.
Chiles submitted his resignation at Oklahoma Democratic Party headquarters on Friday afternoon.
Earlier today the front page of the Tulsa-based LGBT newspaper MetroStar proclaimed, “Project Pride Foundation Director Under Investigation For Fraud” and confirmed allegations being made against Chiles.
CHILES GAVE FAKE DONATION TO TULSA GAY YOUTH ORGANIZATION
Junes 26, 2009
The Openarms Youth Project of Tulsa, a non-profit organization dedicated to the safety and well being of Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgendered youth and their friends, thought they had finally found a solution to financing a much-needed upgrade to their security system for the building that provides a haven for their members. During Tulsa Pride, which was the first weekend in June, a generous donor stepped up asking them what their needs were and offering to take care of them.
Unfortunately, the generous donor turned out to be Robert Chiles.
Tim Gillean, president of the organization, said, “Robert Chiles asked us what are needs were and when we indicated our security system needed upgraded he cut us a check for $1600.”
As with checks written to others, this one was worthless too.
The organization was smart enough to wait until the check cleared before ordering the expensive system, so besides a $25 bank fee did not suffer any significant losses. Had they not waited, they would’ve been forced to come up with those funds on their own.
They still, however, are in need of a new security system. If you’d like to help them reach their goal in providing a secure facility for the Community’s youth, you can donate to the well-respected 501c(3) non-profit or contact them via their website at openarmsproject.org
CHILES SWINDLES CANCER CHARITY AND ADA BUSINESSES
June 25, 2009
By James Miko
Multiple reports are now coming in on likely swindles Robert Chiles is conducting on behalf of his Project Pride Foundation of Oklahoma and the Oklahoma Democratic Party. Having already ripped off an AIDS charity in Tulsa, a new accusation has surfaced that he misdirected at least one donation meant for Relay for Life, a charity benefit trying to raise money for cancer research. Additionally, Ada, OK businesses are now experiencing several thousand dollars in losses after being tricked into accepting bogus checks written on the PPFO account.
Chiles entered the business premises of Donaghey’s Greenhouse in Ada and requested a donation of plants for Relay for Life, an annual event in the city used to raise funds and awareness for cancer victims.
Chiles walked out with a donation.
Yet by happenstance a legitimate volunteer with Relay for Life asked Donaghey’s for a donation just three days later; a donation the florist has given annually for years. That’s when the proprietor realized he’d been conned into giving a donation to someone uninvolved with the cancer charity. Relay for Life never received the donation given to Chiles.
Chiles continues to claim Roger Damien Greenlee as the PPFO’s new director, but it appears that the Ada man is being conned as well. Yesterday Greenlee averred, “As I have stated before, I am not nor ever was the director of this foundation. After reading your articles I decided that it would not be in my best interest to help in any capacity. As for the office in Ada, it is closed and appears that all items inside have been returned or where taken out by the landlord. Please do not connect me with this foundation in any way. I have worked on many different fundraisers in the town of Ada for over 10 years and don’t want people to lose faith in me.”
Greenlee has indeed legitimately served a number of Ada area charities over the years. It would seem Chiles soaked the innocent Greenlee for information about the Relay for Life benefit, which Greenlee has participated in before. Then he used the knowledge gained to redirect the donation from Donaghey Greenhouses, which was meant for the cancer charity, towards his own use – a use unknown at this time.
Chiles crooked path didn’t end there. Reports are still coming in as businesses discover they’ve been duped. How many exactly is not yet fully known, but it is known that among them were the main street furniture store Rhynes & Rhodes in Ada. A bogus check was written to them in the amount of $1077 for two chairs, a table, and a lamp. The local Radio Shack was taken for over $200.
Magic T’s, a screen painting firm in Ada, was taken for over $2700 for an order they did making t-shirts and plaques for the foundation. During Tulsa Pride, Chiles and others were seen wearing those garments at various events. The Pontotoc County District Attorney’s Office has given Chiles until Friday to recompense the retailer or be charged. However, as this criminal probe expands and a pattern of fraud emerges, prosecution seems inevitable.
A check for $590 used to rent a small office in Ada for use by the PPFO bounced. When landlord Short Runt Properties went to approach Chiles, they weren’t able to locate him but found several pieces of merchandise he’d gotten from local businesses using more bogus checks.
Tenants living in apartments above the downstairs office area claimed, “All Robbie did when here was mooch off of us.”
Another victim of Chiles is Pontotoc County artist and retailer Glenda Roach, who owns the Ada Old Bank Fine Art Gallery. She was written a number of checks for merchandise that included paintings valued at $1200. When the PPFO office landlord took back possession of space being used by Chiles, he discovered those paintings and returned them to Roach. However, Chiles had placed an order for specialty porcelain pieces that she will suffer losses from.
When placing the order, Roach said Chiles told her the porcelain pieces were going to be used as centerpieces for an upcoming charity dinner the PPFO was going to host. Chiles special ordered Made in Oklahoma craft that a small company would contract to do in nearby Tecumseh. The Poole Pottery Company, owned by master ceramist Don Poole, made the items exactly to the specifications Chiles wanted. Now the small business owner is being forced between eating the $600 order herself or returning the order to Poole.
“I’ve never had to return an order before. It is embarrassing and makes me look awful. I don’t know what I am going to do at this point. They’re victims like me and being a small company I don’t want them to have to eat the loss. I guess I’ll just put them out and see what I can get for them,” lamented Roach.
After spotting him in Ada, Roach approached Chiles after the checks returned and in a conversation he claimed that he’d been “offered a wonderful, high paying job in Dallas” so had resigned as director of the PPFO and was no longer responsible for its checkbook. He then promised her that the new director would be coming in to take care of it.
As Chiles’ employment history amounts to failed positions at McDonalds and Braums and his formal education ends at being a beauty school drop out, it’s unknown who in Dallas would be offering him such a prominent position. Roach says she didn’t fall for Chiles’ charisma a second time.
Roach also offered that the Ada Business Community will not be accepting checks or dealing with Chiles in the future. She has talked with several businesses, including the ones known to have been duped by Chiles and has heard repeatedly that he used his position with the Oklahoma Democratic Party to gain confidence with the various retailers.
It is suspected that Chiles was planning to sell tickets to a benefit dinner someplace in Oklahoma City that he was financing with hot checks to do a fundraiser for the foundation. The plaques he had made by Magic T’s were for certain elected democrats in the state that he planned to honor at the event.
That suspicion was affirmed by a friend of Chiles’, who asked we not reveal his identity.
He said, “Robbie has been saying the Project Pride tickets would sell for a $100 or more a plate and up to $5,000 for tables with certain sponsorships. He thought he could spend about 10 grand and make 30 grand. He told me I could go with him afterwards as he was going to spend the rest of the summer at the Suncoast Resort in Florida.”
The Suncoast Resort & Hotel is located in St. Petersburg, Florida and caters to a gay clientele.
Possibly, Chiles would’ve taken the benefits to cover the bogus checks and retained the remainder. Similarly, he made a $1000 donation to an AIDS benefit at Renegades in Tulsa earlier this month and then asked for the club to hold a benefit for the PPFO. The donation check was worthless and club personnel were alerted in time not to conduct any benefit for Chiles.
A common scheme among con artists is to float a little seed money around in order to get a bigger pay off later. It would seem Chiles’ downfall is that he had no real money to float and had to rely on obtaining money and merchandise by false pretense to seed what is clear to others as being a major swindle.
Also revealed is that Chiles planned to make friend and political patron Gordon Melson a keynote speaker at the event. Whether or not Melson was aware of that is unknown. Melson, a former executive director of the Oklahoma Democratic Party, has law offices in Ada and last week convinced authorities there to cancel a warrant out on Chiles and allow him to pay off checks written last year off his personal account.
Melson befriended Chiles when he was a teenager helping with the then judge’s campaign. He officially endorsed Chiles at the ODP’s convention in May for the position that would give him the influence and title to expand his scheme. Rumors are circulating among Democratic party members that Melson and gay teen Chiles, who would’ve been underage at the time of their first association, have a much closer relationship than being revealed. That is not to imply the judge did anything inappropriate and the extent of the relationship may only be known to the pair.
In fact Gossip Boy has since talked to a number of parties close to the former judge, who are also close friends with editor James Miko. It's starting to look as if certain ODP members, who bear a grudge, are attempting to make accusations that are without merit.
How Chiles, who is down to “mooching”, was able to retain a high profile retired judge and former district attorney to help protect him from the consequences of his behavior, could be attributed to their friendship.
An AIDS benefit, a cancer charity, a Democratic Party gathering, and several small businesses, including the gay-owned MetroStar are just Chiles’ targets from the last month. One wonders just how low this Democratic party official is willing to go, how many more victims will surface, and how long his political ties will keep him from justice.
“SUGAR BOY SCANDAL” IGNITES OKLAHOMA DEMS
June 24, 2009
[The MetroStar has provided Gossip Boy with information concerning new allegations against Chiles in Pontotoc County, which are included in this report.]
MORE WRONGDOING ALLEGED
Facing more felony charges, Robert Chiles, founder of the suspicious Project Pride Foundation of Oklahoma, is said to be on the run and hiding out in the Ada, Oklahoma area where he has family and friends.
In recent weeks Chiles rented an office at 111 S. Townsend in Ada and paid the rent and deposit using a bogus check believed to have been drawn on the foundation’s empty bank account. In an interview conducted after Gossip Boy tracked down the office, Chiles said the space had been donated to him by his cousins.
The Townsend address is a former retail outlet called Granny’s Attic, which has been converted into office space.
When the building’s owner went to confront him over the hot check, Chiles was not present, but the owner discovered several pieces of Native American pottery and paintings valued at $2400 in the office. As it turned out, Chiles had written even more bogus checks to local dealers to obtain that artwork.
Chiles began using the office address as a place for people to send donations to after our initial story on June 3, 2009, exposed his post office box in Norman.
CHILES AT THE OKLAHOMA STATE CAPITOL
“SUGAR BOY SCANDAL” IGNITES OKLAHOMA DEMOCRATS
After three weeks of being notified of Chiles’ actions, the Oklahoma Democratic Party continues to allow him to function as their official. With his ODP status and armed with what will appear to many as a legitimate foundation’s checkbook, and the fact that Chiles has to be aware he is racking up multiple felonies, one can only guess when his alleged crime spree will end.
Some democrats are demanding party heads impeach Chiles. They are raising serious questions as to why certain powerful figures appear intent on protecting Chiles, who in recent weeks has also victimized an AIDS charity and a gay-owned business.
One question gaining popularity is: Just what is Chiles’ true relationship with former ODP Executive Director Gordon Melson? Also, why did Melson pull strings with Pontotoc County Assistant District Attorney Nancy Shew to get a warrant rescinded that was out on Chiles for obtaining money by false pretense after he’d already been convicted of a similar crime in McClain County?
Melson, a former judge from Seminole, now acts as Chiles’ attorney. It is known Chiles, age 24, began a friendship with Melson when a young teen as he worked on the judge’s last campaign. Melson aided Chiles in gaining his ODP affirmative action committee post last month. Suspicions over the extent of that relationship are now surfacing in more and more circles. After a rousing referral by Melson, Chiles was elected into office over more qualified candidates and ones who were not fugitives in the very county Melson maintains a law office.
Chiles told Gossip Boy that Melson was going to file a restraining order against us to stop our investigation. However, Chiles’ other statements have proven less than credible.
The semi-retired Melson currently maintains a law office at 211 West 13th in Ada and one at 1800C N. Milt Phillips Avenue in Seminole. He is a former district attorney and district judge for Judicial District 22, which is comprised of Seminole, Pontotoc, and Hughes County. Currently, he serves on the Oklahoma Bar Association’s Evidence Code Committee and is on the executive committee of Southern Methodist University’s Perkins School of Theology.
On Friday, June 19, 2009, Melson visited the White House in Washington DC with openly gay Oklahoma State Representative Al McAffrey. With the pair were Congressman Dan Boren and State Rep. Ryan Kiesel. The previous evening Melson, McAffrey and others were spotted at a Beltway reception.
Others are questioning why Tim Reese, an Edmond personal injury attorney deeply involved in the ODP, has censored information about Chiles on a popular state democratic forum. Reese had recently been in the musical chairs game for ODP Fearless Leader.
After news about Chiles’ misdeeds first surfaced, the forum known as demookie.com, which is co-owned by Reese, was flooded with a number of new users from Cleveland County where Chiles was residing, who began staunchly denying that there was a warrant or criminal record hanging over him. Reese immediately shut off any attempts to provide evidence on Chiles, but continued to allow the Cleveland County defenders to spread their misinformation to other party members.
Raising more eyebrows, is how out of 77 counties in Oklahoma, the Cleveland County Democratic Party was able to pack the four-person affirmative action committee with three of their members – one of which was Chiles.
Upcoming speakers for Cleveland County Democratic Party meetings will be Jim Drummond speaking on the need to reform prison sentencing and on another date Bo Cox will be talking about his life in and after prison. More known for their beans and cornbread gatherings, the CCDP is oddly listed on wedding.net under Bachelor Parties in Norman OK . It appears even search engines don’t take the CCDP and their histrionic leader very seriously.
Current chair and long-time bachelor Todd Goodman is working hard to plug leaks within his staff (specifically, leaks going to Gossip Boy), while juggling the Chiles scandal. New to his chair position, questions are being raised over, if he cannot openly and competently handle the Chiles scandal, how the rest of his leadership will play out. Goodman, a member of the Caddo Nation, previously worked for Sen. Andrew Rice and is on the planning committee for Red Tie Night – the annual AIDS fundraiser.
One leak Goodman hasn’t been able to plug has dubbed the Chiles’ controversy The Sugar Boy Scandal.
Further dissension within the party is revealed with the belief that Christine Byrd, a failed candidate last month for the ODP chair, is a confidante of Chiles’ and is preparing an unrelated lawsuit against the most recent chair Ivan Holmes for reasons we cannot disclose at this time. Holmes has been actively seeking the removal of Chiles from his ODP position.
As the court of stooges trip over themselves, Chiles is somewhere in Southeastern Oklahoma with his ODP authentication, a checkbook, and two forms of ID. But at least they stopped threatening to blackmail Gossip Boy staff!
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AIDS CHARITY LATEST VICTIM OF CHILES’ FOUNDATION SCHEME
June 15, 2009
By Wayne Fuller
The greatest fears about Oklahoma Democratic Party official Robert Chiles and his Project Pride Foundation of Oklahoma (PPFO) are coming true, as yet another victim of his shady scheme has come forward.
This time the target was an AIDS charity.
While performing in Tulsa earlier this month the touring company of The Drowsy Chaperone, did a benefit at the Renegades Club in order to raise funds for Until There’s a Cure, which is a national nonprofit organization that raises funds to provide services to those living with AIDS. At the special engagement, Chiles presented a check on behalf of the PPFO. The check turned out to be as bogus as the one given to the MetroStar, the Tulsa-based gay newspaper, to pay for advertising in order to gain donations for Pride festivities around the state. With great fanfare Chiles presented the troupe with what was described at the time as a very generous contribution. Chiles then asked for the club to do a fundraiser for his own foundation.
Chiles and the PPFO gained substantial positive publicity, while the AIDS charity received only a worthless donation and the opportunity to be a conduit to see Chiles further legitimize his foundation in front of LGBT Oklahomans, and state LGBTs received a blackeye in front of a Broadway touring company raising funds for AIDS awareness.
Gossip Boy has been contacting those who Chiles has been making connections with on behalf of his foundation. This morning we sent out an inquiry about the donation he’d made at the benefit in Tulsa.
Tabitha Taylor, who aides fundraisers at Renegades, said, “I was made aware of the situation last night actually. The check Robert and the Project Pride Foundation wrote was for an "Until There is a Cure" benefit at Renegades sponsored by The Drowsy Chaperone touring cast. The company manager of the show, Jose Solivan organized the benefit and received the check from Robert. I saw Jose last night and he informed me that the check did not clear. After contacting Robert, he was told a cashier's check would replace the previous one. Jose has had no contact or returned calls and did not receive the replacement cashier's check.”
Taylor also stated, “Thank you for being on top of this. If I had not run into Jose this weekend I would not have been aware and the organization [PPFO] had approached me after the cabaret fundraiser asking to be added on our rotation of our monthly benefit show, Red Ribbon Revue at Renegades. Glad this was caught before we did a fundraiser with the name attached.”
Gossip Boy is awaiting a statement with more details about the check from Jose Solivan with the theater group and will provide that once it arrives. The Drowsy Chaperone just finished an Oklahoma City run on Sunday, June 14, 2009, at the Civic Center.
Chiles did two phone interviews with Gossip Boy editor James Miko last week. It was agreed between the two that Chiles would release a number of documents and reveal the names of the foundation’s board members before a final interview would occur. To date, Chiles has not been able to provide those items. We will not be a party to his making what are proving to be false statements to the press in order to keep his suspect foundation going. Therefore his claims of redemption and desires to aide LGBTs will not be published, as they have certainly been invalidated.
As recent victims within the LGBT Community discover they have been targets of what looks more and more like a con, we condemn Robert Chiles and his foundation, and encourage his prosecution. Further, we condemn the Oklahoma Democratic Party (ODP) for the continued protection of their official and are expanding our investigation into Chiles’ relationship with his political patrons, including his current attorney Gordon Melson of Shawnee, who is a past executive director of the ODP and a former judge. Last Monday, Melson worked out a deal with Pontotoc County Asst. District Attorney Nancy Shew to squash a warrant out on Chiles for obtaining money by false pretense, which is a crime he’d already been convicted of in 2006 in McClain County that arose from his assistance in Gov. Brad Henry’s re-election campaign.
In a telephone interview with Robert Chiles, the Gossip Boy editor was told Melson would be seeking a restraining order against us to stop our investigation into Chiles and his foundation. This followed a number of threats to staff here that included an attempt at blackmail.
Oklahoma Democrats, it seems, aren’t real happy with the exposure and their attempts at covering events up won’t work.
LGBT NEWSPAPER METROSTAR LIKELY LATEST
VICTIM OF CHILES & HIS SUSPECT FOUNDATION
June 10, 2009
The MetroStar, an LGBT Newspaper serving Oklahoma, informed Gossip Boy this morning they have turned over for prosecution in Oklahoma County District Court a bogus check Robert Chiles gave them to pay for advertising in their June 2009 issue. Due to the potential to commit deceit, that could be a crime heightened from bogus checks to a fraud offense called obtaining money or property by false pretense. Such has already happened with Chiles in two other counties.
The MetroStar ad sought volunteer and financial support from LGBTs across the state to support Pride festivities around the state. There is, also, word Chiles incurred a $1200 debt during the May 16, 2009, Oklahoma Democratic Party State Convention that has gone unpaid.
Chiles has claimed to Gossip Boy he wishes to change and begin a new life of service to others. However, both these misdeeds occurred within the last month.
CHILES APPEARS IN PONTOTOC CO. COURT TODAY
June 8, 2009
By James Miko
Robert Chiles appeared in Pontotoc County District Court at 1:30 pm today with his attorney Gordon Melson and made arrangements to prevent further criminal prosecution in the case that has drawn so much attention and controversy. With Pontotoc County Assistant District Attorney Nancy Shew’s consent, Chiles is being allowed time to repay monies owed. If he fails to abide by that arrangement, charges could be re-filed on August 27, 2009.
ADA Shew is wanting to resolve the case with Chiles and not advance it to another more serious level. The warrant that had been issued on him was withdrawn after today’s court appearance, so he is no longer being actively sought by authorities.
Chiles, after speaking with this writer, is affirming that although he has had problems in the recent past he is now redemptive and wants to aid others. Also, he has retained an accountant and is providing assurances that no donations will be placed in his hand, but will be administered by that accountant.
Further details will be made available Tuesday as Chiles has arranged an exclusive longer interview with Gossip Boy staff.
OKLA DEM FORUM CONSPIRES TO SPREAD FALSE INFO
June 8, 2009
By Wayne Fuller
After speaking with the Pontotoc County District Attorney’s office in Ada last week, their investigator put us in touch with Joe Glover, the former undersheriff who originally investigated the case. Authorities clearly stated they were actively seeking Robert Chiles in order to prosecute him for crimes they allege he committed in their county. Due to Chiles' residence in other counties, those places have been notified he is being sought.
However, an Oklahoma democratic forum website, whose administrator Tim Reese started squashing posts on Chiles a few days ago, is now allowing an anonymous Chiles’ defender to spread the misinformation that there is no warrant out on him - a warrant already acknowledged by Oklahoma Democratic Party officials. Yet that warrant can be confirmed by calling the Pontotoc County District Attorney’s Office at (580) 332-0341 or the Court Clerk’s office at (580) 332-5763. In fact, that warrant was re-issued on May 4, 2009.
We invite readers to call Pontotoc County’s DA and Court Clerk and confirm the warrant themselves and not rely on the anonymous posts Tim Reese is allowing to cover up for Chiles, while prohibiting the truth. You can verify that the same warrant issued on May 4th of this year is from the February '08 case.
When reporting on criminal charges, Gossip Boy does not rely on online records (which can be outdated or not up-to-date, just like those of sheriff department records), but goes straight to the ones in the know: those who prosecute the case – the district attorney – and those charged with maintaining court records – the court clerk.
With Oklahoma democrats trying to blackmail this news site, prohibit discussion, and willfully spread false information to protect their official…well, draw your own conclusions. Reese has made sure that the facts relating to the criminal case cannot be posted on the site he administers, while allowing false information to be freely posted in order to discredit news articles and bring up chidlish questions about our intentions. It's clear who has the true agenda here.
There may be a very good reason that particular democratic forum is snidely referred to as TownDrunk.com
Gossip Boy has further received information that parties related to that site have been heard to make disturbing remarks about "faggots needing some rightwing extremist-style punishment". One can only guess if that means being shot or fire bombed, as can happen when dealing with political idealogues of either party in this country. There are good reasons why gay and lesbian journalists around the country need to take additional protections in safeguarding their private lives, families, and homes that other people do not have to worry about and are incapable of ever understanding even behind their false facades of being gay supportive. And now it seems as if those self-preservation methods are even more important considering what passes as a Democrat in this state.
CHILES STEPS DOWN AS “FOUNDATION” DIRECTOR...MAYBE NOT SO MUCH.
June 8, 2009
By Wayne Fuller
Oklahoma Democratic Party official Robert Jordan Chiles, age 24 of Norman, claims he has resigned as director of the suspect Project Pride Foundation of Oklahoma (PPFO), but appears to be determined to remain in his Oklahoma Democratic Party position, which could end up leading to impeachment proceedings.
Although Chiles is claiming to have resigned, evidence now uncovered suggests the resignation may be part of a continued con job.
On the foundation’s MySpace page, the only web presence they maintain, it is now stated, “Project Pride Foundation was created by Robert Chiles but Robert has stepped down as director and Roger Greenlee has stepped up as director to ensure all GLBT members get the services they deserve.”
It appears Greenlee is an associate of Chiles from Pontotoc County where he is wanted on an obtaining money by false pretense charge. Roger Damien Greenlee, age 35, is himself familiar with criminal prosecution in an Ada, OK courtroom. He has two convictions for operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of an intoxicating liquor. The MySpace page now gives a contact address for the PPFO as 111 South Townsend in Ada, but continues asking for donations to be sent to a Norman, OK post office box operated by Chiles. Despite the claim of a new director, Gossip Boy has received this communication from Greenlee after Chiles edited the MySpace to reflect a new director, “I have read your current articles on Robert Chiles, and while I am a friend of his and also have expressed interest in helping him with the foundation I have not accepted the position in any way." We’ve been unable to fully confirm just exactly what is located at 111 S. Townsend in Ada. A neighboring florist doing business as Bobbie’s Flowers at 117 S. Townsend didn’t know if it was even occupied and they asked the Tri County Indian Nations at 115 S. Townsend, who did not know either. However, a clerk said that someone named Robbie is associated with the address. A phone listing for a business called Studio One, which had the 111 S. Townsend address is now disconnected. The new email address being promoted on the MySpace page as projectprideok@sbcglobal.net does not exist. A message sent to that email account bounced back with this message, “Google tried to deliver your message, but it was rejected by the recipient domain. We recommend contacting the other email provider for further information about the cause of this error. The error that the other server returned was: 553 553 5.3.0 <projectprideok@sbcglobal.net>... Addressee unknown, relay=[209.85.217.219] (state 14).”
Greenlee also offered, "While I do reside in the Ada area I do not live at 111 Townsend as that is a store front and not for residential living. As for your information that you received from ODCR you are correct I have had prior convictions for DUI's 5 years ago.”
No mention is made why Chiles resigned or about his legal problems, but the PPFO continues to seek contributions from others. They’ve also removed comments and questions posed by their MySpace friends about the ongoing controversy and the cloud of suspicion covering the foundation that now claims it is actively seeking a legal non-profit status.
The PPFO has still yet to come forward with the names of the 12 board members it has been claiming exists. Were such a board to truly exist it would be their duty to appoint a new director and not Chiles'.
An official with MySpace is investigating the use of their website by the PPFO and it appears will likely move forward with suspending the account.
The evidence suggests that despite the now dispelled claim of a new director and location, Chiles has ensured potential donations make their way to one of his addresses.
Reports have been received by Gossip Boy that Chiles was in Tulsa over the weekend for that city’s Pride celebration. One source told us, “You might look at Chiles' involvement in the Tulsa Diversity Festival - apparently he was collecting money for rides on the Ferris wheel, which he secured for the festival. During the time he conned at least two guys into thinking they were a new boyfriend to him, and was staying at the Hotel Ambassador, downtown, claiming that the state was paying for it.”
Karina Henderson, Communications Director for the Oklahoma Democratic Party, contacted Gossip Boy this morning on behalf of state director Todd Goodman. She has confirmed that Robert Chiles has not resigned from the party as of this date. She noted that the party is aware of Chiles’ legal problems and there are two options available to end his tenure as an official there: resignation or impeachment. No impeachment proceedings have begun as party officials consider their options, but Henderson stated Chiles has informed them he has contacted an attorney. Chiles’ former attorney Rhonda Rudd was forced to sue him in district court over unpaid legal fees involving a 2006 conviction in McClain County for obtaining money under false pretense.
When asked about Democratic party members attempting to blackmail Gossip Boy into stopping our coverage, Henderson stated, “The Oklahoma Democratic Party is in no way involved in that.”
Henderson also indicated that their hopes would be Robert Chiles surrenders to authorities. It may be his best option, as television media are now making inquiries about this controversy and his former mug shot may end up being posted on television screens across the state.
OKLA DEMOCRATIC PARTY OFFICIAL
EVADES POLICE CAPTURE
June 7, 2009
By Wayne Fuller
With multiple counties now hot on his trail, Oklahoma Democratic Party official Robert Chiles, founder of the suspicious Project Pride Foundation of Oklahoma which solicits money from LGBTs, has once again evaded capture by law enforcement. The Pontotoc County Sheriff’s Department notified both Norman and Oklahoma City authorities of known locations of Chiles, but he’d fled the premises when they went to search for him.
On May 16, 2009, Chiles was elected to serve on the state party’s Affirmative Action Committee and is now listed on their website’s official/staff page.
After gaining legitimacy by being placed in an official capacity by the Oklahoma Democratic Party, who didn’t bother checking on the background of their wanted felon/official, fugitive Chiles began soliciting donations from the LGBT Community after a conviction in McClain County for obtaining money by false pretense followed up by the same allegation in Pontotoc County. Now at least three counties are actively seeking the Democratic Party official in an attempt to bring to an end his swindles.
Despite concerns that Chiles founded a very suspect foundation in order to obtain money from the LGBT Community, the Oklahoma Democratic Party has begun a con game of their own instead of taking steps to protect gays and lesbians from a convicted swindler hiding out from the police. Although the con man fooled the ODP, instead of trying to stop further crimes party members started spreading misinformation that official court records of convictions and warrants were only rumors. Generally, public records that include plea arrangements and arrest warrants are not considered “rumors” but factual evidence. It’s unknown why some state democrats are incapable of understanding the difference.
Earlier former ODP head Ivan Holmes released a statement to current director Todd Goodman claiming Chiles had resigned his position.
To Todd Goodman
From Dr. Ivan Holmes
Subject: Robert Chiles resignation from Oklahoma Democratic Party Central Committee
Date 6/5/2009
On Friday, June 5, 2009, I received a phone call from Robert Chiles sating that he had resigned his position on the Central Committee.
You will need to find a replacement on the Affirmative Action Committee.
Sincerely,
[signed]
Ivan Homes
Yet by Saturday afternoon party members had begun denying the resignation took place or was even legal. Goodman has failed to return messages to Gossip Boy. Chiles has only tried to get in touch with Gossip Boy via an intermediary named "M" using a web address related to his employer. [Editor's Note: We originally published this source's full name and that of his employer, but as he appears to be yet another misled by Chiles, we chose to remove them.]
"M" has contacted Gossip Boy and stated that Chiles did not have permission to use his phone to email us. "M" said, "He did not have authorization to be sending emails from my iPhone to anyone. I thought he was just making a phone call as he asked if he could borrow my phone because his was dead. Unfortunately any emails sent from my phone are linked directly to my work. I don't want bad publicity like this for the company I work with if that is understandable."
It’s not known whether the party’s protection of Chiles has resulted in financial losses to innocent gays and lesbians in the state. Gossip Boy is actively pursuing leads to those who may’ve incurred losses, because of Chiles’ standing with the party and using that position to gain the confidence of others.
Unlike the Oklahoma Democratic Party and its members, Gossip Boy chose not to allow friendships and relationships to influence its decisions. Chiles is friends with GB’s editor James and writer Lucas K. Yet those friendships were set aside in order to warn the Community of a potential scam where gays and lesbians could fall prey to an established con man. Editor James Miko stated, “I’ve known Robbie and his former partner for a number of years, but there was no way I was going to bury a legitimate story that could have consequences to the Community. It’s difficult to focus negative attention on someone you know and care somewhat for, but we would not be doing our jobs if we allowed personal alliances to take precedent over protecting the LGBT Community. The truth isn’t always liked and although members of the Oklahoma Democratic Party wants to attack us and rake us over the coals for reporting the truth, which ended up embarrassing them, it doesn’t change things. We’re not going to be a party to a cover up. That’s not us. If you want to squash the truth, then ask Tim Reese for some tips. Our readers know that despite the consequences, we are always going to tell it like it is and not give a flip who gets offended. Most certainly, we will continue to stubbornly stand up to being bullied over what we report. The veiled threats do not work on us. They motivate us.”
James added, “We are the most far left people you’ll find publishing in Oklahoma, but that does not mean we will hide the truth in order not to embarrass someone. Wayne’s story was relevant and important. Personally, I believe his reporting saved many members of this Community from becoming a victim of crime. The ODP didn’t share our concerns and it seems would’ve preferred Chiles to be left alone to do what he wanted. I have never been so disgusted and disappointed with the Democratic Party in my life. Their actions should be looked at as nothing less than corrupt.”
In 2005 James co-signed a lease agreement for Chiles and his then partner Derrick S. for an apartment in Norman. Derrick, a returning Iraq war vet, was friends with the Gossip Boy editor, whose own son had just returned from Iraq after suffering significant burns, while attempting to rescue service members involved in the downing of a helicopter. At the time, James knew little about Chiles, but because of Derrick’s service and friendship chose to back a lease the pair were not credit worthy to obtain on their own. That trust was short lived as they soon damaged the apartment after a violent domestic confrontation between the them that saw substantial property damage to their living quarters. However, James allowed things to go and remained passable friends with both. Court records show the pair continued their habit of evictions even after that incident.
The couple, though no longer lovers, ended up in Ada where Chiles’ crime spree was seeded – first in McClain County and later in Pontotoc County. As Chiles’ lived a double life as a “straight” man, Derrick moved in with his former lover’s grandmother. [Correction: Derrick moved in with Chiles' mother, not grandmother.]
What certain democrats refer to as a rumor, McClain County Asst. District Attorney Alissa Preble sees as a conviction - a conviction that Chiles pled no contest to on December 14, 2006. Court case McClain County CM-06-00664 saw Chiles receive a two-year deferred sentence for obtaining merchandise by false pretense. Represented by Oklahoma City attorney Rhonda Rudd, who would later sue Chiles for failing to pay his attorney fees, he would end up violating the conditions of that sentence and see a bench warrant issued on him for failure to appear in court.
Just barely a year later, Chiles was charged in Pontotoc County for a similar crime (or as Oklahoma Democrats refer to as a “rumor”). This time it was big enough to be a felony-style “rumor”. On February 6, 2008, District Attorney Nancy Shew filed CF-08-00080 against Chiles for obtaining money under false pretenses. Chiles has yet to be brought to trial for that case.
Pontotoc County Undersheriff Joe Glover, who has been searching for Chiles for 16 months, told Gossip Boy, “Chiles owes this county lots of money. His tool was bogus checks, but he used them in such a way as to defraud and deceive a number of people. That is why the district attorney filed the obtaining money under false pretenses charge. It was a con job.”
Glover has notified local authorities of the search for Chiles and hopes to have the Oklahoma Democratic Party official behind bars soon where he faces a decade in the state penitentiary, if found guilty of the latest crime.
The Oklahoma Democratic Party official is, also, an associate of Gossip Boy writer Lucas K. Yet despite those associations this publication decided there were more than enough concerns to confront Chiles and warn the Community away from donating to his questionable foundation.
One democratic leader – Tim Reese, even being aware of Chiles’ fugitive status, now refers to any questioning of his conviction and arrest warrant, as being a personal attack that won’t be tolerated. It’s unknown if other democratic officials would prefer Chiles to be able to freely run his foundation and take funds from gays and lesbians, while ducking the cops for stealing money from others.
James also stated, “I have no personal problems with Robbie, but Wayne’s reporting is factual and enough to raise serious concerns. There was no way I could not allow it to be printed. For members of the Oklahoma Democratic Party to dismiss Wayne’s reporting as nothing more than rumors in order to cover up their own incompetence outraged me. Wayne did a public service for the LGBT Community and likely saved many people from being victimized. For ODP members to throw him to the wolves, simply because he reported the truth, a truth they didn’t like, is reprehensible and is more telling of their personal characters than I am sure they’d like others to know. Court documents, conviction records, and arrest warrants are not rumors, whether those people want them to be are not. In fact some members even acknowledged seeing those records, but continued with the charade to discredit Wayne’s work as being nothing more than rumors, despite having the court records in their face. I don’t know if they’re ashamed of themselves, but what I do know is I am ashamed of them enough for everyone.”
Despite his fugitive status, at this time Chiles remains in his capacity as an ODP official and Cleveland Democrat Party members continue to staunchly defend him, while subverting discussion on the topic and attacking the press for exposing a likely scam that could’ve presented substantial monetary losses to gays and lesbians across the state.
NEW OKLA PRIDE FOUNDATION OUT COLLECTING MONEY POSSIBLY A SCAM
June 4, 2009
By Wayne Fuller
A new organization calling itself the Project Pride Foundation of Oklahoma, which is seeking donations from the LGBT Community, may not be all it's cracked up to be - considering its founder, Robert Jordan Chiles, is currently being sought for obtaining money by false pretenses.
Chiles, age 24, has an active felony warrant in Pontotoc County for obtaining money under false pretenses from a scheme alleged to have occurred in 2008. Also, he has a previous misdemeanor conviction in 2006 for obtaining property under false pretenses in McClain County which resulted in a two-year deferred sentence. Further questioning the financial stability of this person is the fact he has been sued twice this year by payday loan services in Norman and has been the subject of numerous small claims actions throughout the state.
Besides a MySpace page at www.myspace.com/projectprideok, a Norman-based post office box, and some business cards being passed out by Chiles on the 39th St Strip, there is no evidence this is a foundation functioning beyond his personal whims. The foundation’s MySpace states, “Project Pride Foundation Of Oklahoma is a non-for-profit organization registered with the Oklahoma Secretary Of State. Project Pride Foundations mission is to create a stronger bond among all the GLBT community of Oklahoma by offering many services to the community including Free HIV/AIDS/STD testing, Prescription Assistance, Housing Assistance, and much more. Project Pride Foundation was created by Robert Chiles (Director) and has a 12 member board who oversee all operations. All request sent in for assistance and expenditures have to be approved by board of directors at regular scheduled meetings once monthly unless deemed by director as an emergency status. For more information, please feel free to contact us at 405-410-9402 or by email at projectprideok@yahoo.com Project Pride is committed to all people of the GLBT community of Oklahoma and if u also would like to volunteer or donate to the organization please send to Project Pride Foundation PO BOX 5084 NORMAN, OK 73071.”
On March 19, 2009, Chiles registered 'Project Pride Foundation' with the Oklahoma State Secretary's office using his apartment's address in Norman, but nowhere does the foundation list articles of incorporation, bylaws, a mission statement, officers or any other board member.
In early May, Chiles attempted to lead a rally at the Oklahoma State Capitol, but because of reservations about him that Gossip Boy already harbored, we chose not to promote or cover the event. On May 16, 2009, Chiles was elected to the Oklahoma Democratic Party’s Affirmative Action Committee. Party officials are now moving to vacate him from the committee.
There has been word that Chiles recently made a donation to a Tulsa benefit on behalf of the foundation, however, it would not be unusual for someone running a con to spread around some money in order to draw in more. Oklahoma LGBTs are urged to avoid this organization, while it is under active investigation and its founder is being sought for criminal charges.
If you've given money to Chiles or been asked to, please, contact Gossip Boy at mail@gossip-boy.com
[Editor’s Note: It is Gossip Boy’s policy not to expose the private lives of LGBTs. However, because of concerns that gays and lesbians in Oklahoma could possibly be made victims of a scam, we are overriding that policy and publishing any results we find. We, also, need to disclose that certain staff members here know Chiles from the clubs, as do many others.]
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