Man Faces Fraud Charges Over Child Cancer Charity Boxes

FORT ANN, N.Y. (AP) - State police say a 59-year-old man scammed donors to a cancer charity by keeping cash from hundreds of collection boxes he placed at businesses in upstate New York, Massachusetts and Vermont.

Investigators say Deran Akullian Jr., of Saratoga Springs, collected money from boxes soliciting donations to the National Children's Cancer Society, but didn't forward money to the charity.

Akullian was arraigned on fraud charges Thursday and sent to Washington County Jail on $20,000 bail.

His lawyer, Assistant Public Defender Scott Keller, tells the Glens Falls Post-Star (http://bit.ly/2tNl3g1 ) he has no comment.

According to National Children's Cancer Society website , vendors can collect money through candy machines and "honor boxes" with the organization's labels in exchange for a small monthly or annual royalty fee to the society.

___

Information from: The Post-Star, http://www.poststar.com