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Vets fundraiser who vanished re-emerges

A Maryland man who vanished in January 2009 with thousands of dollars that he raised for a presidential inaugural ball for veterans that never happened — leaving sponsors, entertainers and ticketholders in the lurch — is back.

Using a slightly different variation of his name, D. Dante Anthony Hayes is trying to raise money for a “Maryland Armed Forces” event, seeking to sign up military organizations to sponsor a combination benefit concert and fashion show that he claims will be held May 22 in a Baltimore park.

Hayes, who uses multiple addresses in Maryland and the District of Columbia, is the director of a nonprofit group that he formed called the Congressional Education Foundation for Public Policy. His pitch this time is about the same as last time, asking military organizations to lend their names to his event in return for a promised 10 percent of the proceeds.

He called himself simply Dante Hayes in late 2008 and early 2009 when he lined up several military and veterans groups, 34 beauty queens and some entertainers for an armed forces inaugural ball that never took place. He appears to do most of his business out of a residential home in Baltimore.

This time, he is promising a star-studded benefit concert featuring performers Patti LaBelle, R Kelly, Morris Day and the Time and Cameo, although the list appears to vary depending on who is being pitched. The list he provided to veterans groups that he has tried to sign up is different than the list posted on the Web site through which he is selling tickets.

Booking agents and tour schedules for the listed organizations do not show that any of the promised performers have agreed to appear. For example, Elyse Murray of Elyse Group 7, who represents the 70’s R&B group Cameo, said the group has no May 22 performance scheduled and she does not recall ever speaking to Hayes or anyone from his foundation.

“We are not scheduled to play May 22 at all,” she said.

The day-long event touted by Hayes also is supposed to feature a panel discussion about veterans issues, involving politicians, academics and veterans groups, and a fashion show with 50 models displaying casual and business clothing, “hats, purses and women’s shoes” for women of all sizes, according to ticketing information. Additionally, he promises a mechanical bull, water slide, climbing walls, obstacle course and outdoor children’s movie.

The event, to begin at 9 a.m. and end at 9 p.m., would be free to service members, students and seniors but cost $10 to $55 for individuals and from $135 to $10,000 for corporate sponsors.

In addition to receiving part of the proceeds, the groups signing on to the event supposedly would get the opportunity during the benefit concert to place their flags on the stage, said Grant Goods, treasurer of the Chesapeake Chapter of The Retired Officers Association, who met with Hayes.

“He was very clear that he wanted a letter from us saying we were part of the benefit,” Goods said.

The American Legion, Disabled American Veterans, Maryland’s state department of veterans’ affairs and unspecified funds for helping homeless veterans and the purchase of calling cards for deployed service members are also causes that Hayes said would get 10 percent of the proceeds.

Hayes promised during the meeting and in a letter to veterans groups that 75,000 to 100,000 people would attend the event at Carroll Park in Baltimore, raising $1.5 million to $2 million for veterans causes.

Hayes did not return multiple telephone calls and e-mails seeking more information about his event. The company he said would provide the fashion models could not be located. Booking agents for several of the entertainers listed on promotion material said they had never heard of Hayes. Some stars, like Patti LaBelle, specifically decline to appear at fundraising events, according to her agency.

Carroll Park is a city-owned property that features a skateboard park, and is not suited to an event for 100,000 people, said Michele Speaks-March, a spokeswoman for the Baltimore Recreation and Parks Department. “We don’t have any request for a permit from that man or from anyone for that day,” she said.

Hayes lists Carroll Park as the site of another event on May 29, for a gospel choir-related all-day event. Speaks-March said no permit has been requested for that event, either.

The Congressional Education Foundation for Public Policy does exist, according to the Internal Revenue Service. But the IRS lists the nonprofit as a private foundation for which full tax deductions are not permitted for making charitable contributions. Instead, deductions are limited to 30 percent, a sign that most of the money raised may not go to charities.

The foundation Web site lists two other veterans-related fundraisers that Hayes is working on. He has tickets available for a June 4 gala for Maryland service members that he says will be held in the historic Fifth Regiment Armory and is also collecting donations to send veterans on a four-day Carribean cruise for New Years. For the cruise, he is seeking donations, in $35 increments, to sponsor veterans.

Goods said Hayes “identified himself as a doctor, although a doctor of what wasn’t clear,” and that he was very interested in setting up accounts so that contributions from sponsors could be deposited in New York or Baltimore accounts. TREA did not sign up to sponsor the event, Goods said.

“We are getting the word out to other veterans groups to be wary,” he said.

Hayes came to the attention of the U.S. Secret Service after he raised money for a Veterans Inaugural Ball that was to be held in January 2009 but then disappeared, leaving a trail of disappointed charities, sponsors and performers. Beth Jannery, a Virginia-based public relations consultant and author who worked with Hayes on that event, was among those who said they were shocked when he vanished.

“As far as I know, nothing has been resolved,” Jannery said. “Unfortunately, justice has not been served and no money has been returned, no apology has been made.”