Source: Bay Area Reporter (CA)
Contact:  http://www.ebar.com/
Pubdate: Thurs, 10 Sept 1998 
Author: Cynthia Laird

ACT UP/SF SAYS MEMBERS ABSCONDED WITH $9K IN MEDICAL POT MONEY

Members of ACT UP/San Francisco are scouring the city trying to find
Chris Abbott, a former associate they accuse of absconding with just
under $5,000 of the group's revenue from medical marijuana sales. The
group posted flyers about Abbott throughout town, with an emphasis on
the South of Market area, last Friday, September 4, although ACT
UP/San Francisco member Michael Bellefountaine said the group suspects
Abbott may have fled home to Orange County.

Abbott is described on the flyers as being a Caucasian gay man,
27-years old, about five feet, 10 inches tall, and weighing
approximately 290 pounds. He "wears Coke bottle glasses, t-shirts, and
baggies," stated the flyer. According to Bellefountaine, Abbott walked
out of the group's medical marijuana dispensary with over $4,000 in
cash nearly two weeks ago.

Flyers also went up around town last week targeting a man named Carl
McGarry; ACT UP/San Francisco members claim he also took off with
$4,000 of the club's money to purchase medical marijuana. That
incident allegedly occurred three months ago. "We tracked him to
Chicago," Bellefountaine told the Bay Area Reporter, Monday, September
7, adding the group thinks McGarry now may be back in San Francisco.
"This man was also going to procure weed for us and he took off with
$4,000."

Bellefountaine said that while the group "is not in the habit" of
going to the police, they may file a civil lawsuit against Abbott. He
also acknowledged that ACT UP/San Francisco, a group that is
relentless in its criticism of the San Francisco AIDS Foundation
because of issues concerning SFAF's accountability or the lack of it
regarding high salaries, administrative overhead, and services, has
had to re-look at its own financial accountability procedures in light
of the two alleged embezzlements.

"These are learning processes for us. To some extent it's our fault.
We've really reviewed our security and now if we have to send someone
we always send two people with finances," Bellefountaine told the
B.A.R., adding the organization operates "on a shoestring" budget.

ACT UP/San Francisco is not affiliated with ACT UP/Golden
Gate.

Butt of jokes?

Bellefountaine said ACT UP/San Francisco has just moved into a
building that is accessible for patients in wheelchairs, on Market
Street near the corner of Laguna, although the two thefts nearly
derailed the move, he added.

ACT UP/San Francisco's pot operation is one of a dwindling number of
medical marijuana establishments in San Francisco since the May 25
closing of Dennis Peron's Cannabis Healing Center. Bellefountaine said
the fate of the group's 600 patients is a symptom of the larger issue
of the city providing some way for people to have access to medical
marijuana.

"We can't fault ourselves for trusting our members. Our books are
really public and the big issue is how patients will get pot and how
clubs procure it and not get ripped off," said Bellefountaine.
"[Abbott] really stole from the dispensary, he really stole from the
600 clients. We trusted this guy," he said. "We've contacted his
parents and family." He added that Abbott had been a member of the
group for the last five years.

Although he acknowledged ACT UP/SF is aware it is not high on the list
of respected community organizations in the minds of many people,
Bellefountaine emphasized that the group has learned from the two
alleged thefts.

"We're going after both of them," he said. "We don't mind being the
butt of jokes if it prevents people from being ripped off."

And, Bellefountaine told the B.A.R., he's hopeful that Abbott will
return the money.

"If he needs help, we'd like to help him," he said. "If he's just a

thief, we'd like our money back." 

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Checked-by: Rich O'Grady