Hi,
I came across this in my travels and thought it would be of interest. I
cannot vouch for the accuracy of the comments made; I guess its something
we all need to make our own minds up about. But I do feel there are two
sides to every story, and this is the other side to that sorry tale.
Simon
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To The Parkinson Community September 29,1996
Hello Everybody, this is Frank Williams former Executive Director of
the American Parkinson Disease Association. I wanted very much to reach
the Parkinson Community and I thought the best way is through the internet.
You know, no matter how much you justify a wrong it is still wrong.
No one knows better than me. Tomorrow I surrender to the Federal Medical
Center in Lexington, Kentucky to start serving my 15 month sentence for
embezzlement. So far all you have heard is that I embezzled because I
thought I was underpaid, that is simply not true.
For 12 years I worked very close with practically all of the Parkinson
community, you became part of my extended family. I was with you every
step of the way. I want you to know I still love and respect you all and
pray every day for the cure. I miss you and the work I did for you. I
will always remember all of you, the patients, the spouses, the caregivers,
the coordinators, the doctors, and many others I have met along the way.
I know in order to receive forgiveness, one must ask. I ask you now
for your forgiveness. I must live with the fact that I embezzled funds, I
will serve my time in prison and hopefully someday pay back or raise the
money for Parkinsons research. There is something else that burdens my
mind that I must set free.
In 1988 the year I started to embezzle I began to get ill again four
years after my second bypass operation in 1984. I truly felt my days or
years were numbered, five years at the most. I knew I could still make a
contribution to the Parkinson community and to continue to inspire and
empower you to help yourselves and the community nationwide, even though I
have to fight the executive committee every two months for important
programs that I the chapters and centers were requesting.
In 1988 the executive committee hired Paul Maestrone, brother-in-law
of the president Mario Esposito and the senior vice president Salvatore
Esposito at the time. Dr. Maestrone was a veterinarian working for a
large drug company, the executive committee created a position for him
"Director of Scientific and Medical Affairs", Paul took the place of the
social worker. I felt at the time what we really needed was another social
worker and an administrator. From that point on my job became I living
hell. Paul would tell his brother-in-laws everything it was like working
under a giant magnifying glass if a gave someone a personal day off I would
hear it from the president, the whole office became on edge, he started to
interfere with my job.
Remember now, I was not only the so called executive director I
handled all public relations. fund raising, grant writing, direct mail,
special events, major donors and the wills and bequest program that will
probably take APDA into the next century. In fact Paul was not liked by
many people and that actually interfered with my work load. He threatened
to fire coordinators, just because he didn't like them. I spent many
wasted hours taking to our people who refused to speak to him. He would
also speak down to people and we lost important support because of his
actions. They hired Paul at $1,000 less than what I was getting paid, as
a matter of fact they had to give me a big raise to maintain that
difference. I know I got the raise because they had to keep me slightly
above him. Every raise I received after that was not for merit it was just
to keep me $1,000 a year above Paul. They gave Paul $250,000 of life
insurance and I had $50,000, they said it cost too much for my insurance,
they stated at one time that they would self insure me for $250,000 it was
not in writing but I trusted them to do good by me, I found out later after
my transplant that Mario Esposito told my wife that there would be no
coverage. After all was said and done Paul was actually making more than
me. In addition Paul would usually go against anything that I brought up
to help the Parkinson community at the executive committee meetings. He
would speak to the president before the meeting and set up against me. I
had to fight so hard for all of our chapters and centers, good examples are
Minnesota, Florida, Kansas City, California, etc. etc. etc. I could go on
and on with examples but I think you get the drift.
The executive committee didn't understand the problems of the
parkinson community, for 12 years it was an uphill battle for me, and when
Salvatore Esposito took over I became bitter and disgusted. For 12 years
Sal never wanted our chapters to get anything, he felt all their funds
should be sent to National office. I am sure in the wake of what has
happened Sal is being very agreeable "Beware of the wolf in sheep's
clothing".
In 1988 thinking my days were numbered and knowing everyday I had to
lie to the Parkinson community about how great our board of directors and
executive committee were and feeling under appreciated and thinking to
myself where could I go I began to embezzle I was wrong and I was not
thinking clearly but I justified it everyday. I never thought I was taking
from the Parkinson community, I always felt and made sure to raise more
funds to make up for what I was taking and in doing that I justified it.
Again I was wrong and I knew they would never give me what I deserved. I
made millions and saved them hundreds of thousands of dollars but other
people were more important in their eyes than I.
The justification increased knowing that the president and the senior
vice-president did their good deeds only for others to see and then blind
folded them against their unethical and unfair acts. Super egotistical and
paranoid they don't give a hoot about the parkinson community and instead
of supporting me they became envious that I became the voice of APDA. They
would change the minutes of the meetings to suit themselves. They trusted
no one no even themselves. The feelings within me began to deteriorate it
became a challenge to embezzle from people who trusted no one. They would
turn board member against board member, staff member against staff member
and play head games with me and the staff. Asking the same questions and
looking for different answers.
In the 12 years I worked there a donation was never made to APDA from
a board member and or a executive committee member, except for three that
lived on the west coast. I lied to many donors about this if Ralph
Edwards or Morris Udall knew this fact they never would have been involved
with APDA and that goes for many other prominent honorary board members,
major donors, and volenteers. The Espositos never wanted any Parkinson
patients on the board or at least not more than one they were afraid you
would take over. The reason their are now parkinson regional
representatives on the board is because of my actions, they knew it would
be hard to have the kind of open election from the chapters they called
for. I made up the election returns myself. Most of the executive board
never realized the APDA truly belonged to the parkinson community and
those who supported it.
I remember back some two or three years ago the American Academy of
Neurology meeting was held in San Diego, Calif. I was with Sal Esposito,
Dr. Lieberman and some ten or so doctors, we went to dinner at a real fancy
restaurant to honor one of the doctors, Mr. Esposito was so impressed with
the restaurant that about six months later he left for California with a
board member, the only real reason they went was to eat at this restaurant
and play golf. They stopped in on the L.A. office unannounced and visited
the president of the San Diego chapter to say hello. Things like this
coupled with the heavy salaries of Paul Maestrone and two recently hired
board members their is a waste of over $150,000 a year. I call it legal
fraud. In addition no board member or executive committee member or spouse
ever paid their way to APDA bi-annual conference. Air-hotel-food-golf and
all the extras were paid from the APDA account.
In 1994 the APDA had a golf tournament near Atlanta, Ga. not one board
member or executive committee member paid their way, they attended cost
free food, golf, lodging, and airfare. And get this the only people that
paid for everything were the parkinson patients who attended. Because of
this action they lost money on that event even with the grants we received
for support. Also that painting that I was hawking at the last conference
in Florida was a joke. They paid a board member $20,000 to do the painting
and then contracted the board members agent to supply the lithos ,
reproductions and frames, we must have lost over $150,000. You should know
that the golf tournament and painting was not my idea. I had advised
against both.
In early 1994 Dr. Lieberman and myself met in earnest with the
National Parkinson Disease Foundation to set up merger talks between them
and APDA. We really thought we were about to make history within the
parkinson community. I can tell you the APDA didn't take these talks
seriously and to my shock and dismay they ask me to pretend to the
Parkinson community that we were serious about the merger. They had 5 or 6
costly meeting knowing all the time it was a facade.
Only July 30, 1996 I was sentenced in Brooklyn Federal Court, Mr. Sal
Esposito had the right to ask for a downward departure in my sentence. He
didn't. Mr. Esposito said through the prosecutor that because I worked for
a charity didn't make me charitable and that for the years I was there I
did nothing more than my job. He knew that the life expectancy of a heart
transplant person was 5 to 8 years. I had a heart transplant in 1991. He
wanted the maximum sentence of 33 months which amounts to just about a
life sentence for me. He didn't consider my wife Mary Ann or my children
who also gave very much to the APDA. He forgot all I did for the
Parkinson community. I have been holding a lot back over the last year and
a half, their is much more I can say. All I know is that I did my best for
the Parkinson community, the patients, caregivers, coordinators, chapters,
centers and support groups. I do not think I will ever work so hard again.
You all came first in my life sometime even before my family so I
incorporated my family into yours, it worked well . There is so much more
but I really cannot go on and on maybe someday I will write a book. Even
though I justified the embezzlement in my mind, I feel remorse, but some
how not as much remorse as I feel for misleading the parkinson community
about APDA. I want to thank all of you who stood by me and to those who
fled I understand. I really did not expect the support I got. I will now
go on to the next step in life and I hope someday I will be able to again
help people less fortunate than I. I enjoyed everyday with you all, and I
still consider myself a lucky guy because I still have my family. I wish
you health, happiness and the cure. Maybe now this letter will set me free.
Very truly yours,
Frank L. Williams
P.S. Wrath and anger are hateful things and I was full of them. A man
cannot nourish anger against his fellows and expect healing and cannot
refuse mercy to his fellows yet seek forgiveness for his own sins.
