Maryland Attorney General Anthony G. Brown recently announced the shutdown of a charity accused of misusing donations. Under the terms of a settlement, The Johns Hopkins House, Inc., along with its founder, Robert S. Brown, will cease operations in the state. These announcements come after the AG's office found the charity guilty of misleading donors and violating the Maryland Solicitation Act.
The original charge against The Johns Hopkins House alleged that the organization and Robert Brown failed to disclose financial information adequately and fundamentally misled donors regarding their contributions. In a detail reported by Eye On Annapolis, the nonprofit sold tickets to several fundraising events in 2023 that never took place. The organization's declared mission was to save and restore Whites Hall, the childhood home of the philanthropist Johns Hopkins, set up a museum, and fund scholarships.
However, in a turn of events, The Johns Hopkins House lost White Hall to foreclosure in January. During the foreclosure process, Brown allegedly used contributions to cover his living expenses and fundraise rather than toward the charity mission, as donors were led to believe. The Maryland AG described the betrayal of the organization as a severe breach of trust, stating that "A charitable organization that misleads its donors about the use of their funds betrays those who just want to help their fellow Marylanders," according to a statement cited by CBS News Baltimore.
Due to the settlement, Robert S. Brown was permanently banned from operating or soliciting for any charity within Maryland. Brown issued an apology letter to donors and ceased all charity operations in the state, though he denied any wrongdoing as part of the agreement. Furthermore, Maryland residents are encouraged to verify the registration of charities through the state's public registry and to report any suspected violations, as noted by Secretary of State Susan C. Lee, suggesting that "Charities that abuse the trust of their donors undercut the public's confidence in charities as a whole," as reported by Eye On Annapolis.
