The Palm Springs Classic Body Building contest and fashion show happened two weeks ago. Tickets cost $35 and organizers promoted the show as a benefit for Animal Samaritians. 

 

Now several weeks after the event--organizer-- Michael Dunn-- is facing criticsm over money management.

 

"He was promoting it to the public that it was going to benefit Animal Samaritans. We have not heard from him or seen a dime after the event," said Tom Snyder, Public Relations for Animal Samaritans.

 

The website still says proceeds from the fashion show will benefit the charity.

 

"It's really upsetting to think the public was dupped. Thinking that they are going to support Animal Samaritans, because we rely on donations, we rely on the public to keep us going," said Snyder.

 

Dunn says the whole thing is a misunderstanding. He said over the phone, he had good intentions to dontate money to help the animals.

But he says the event went over budget and there were no proceeds to donate.

 

Charity officials say they did meet with Dunn in the weeks leading up to the event. But they say they never agreed to a partner with the body building competition and they say their name shouldn't have been used to promote the event.

 

"We get so many people wanting to do good for us that it's a rare exception that someone tries to take advantage of that," said Snyder.

 

The organizer admitted to me he still needs to pay some of the people involved and he is now reconsidering whether he'll ever put on a body building event again.

 

It just so happened that the same day of that body building contest, Animal Samaritans was having its own fashion show--- and it was able to raise more than $20,000 to support its services.  Animal Samaritan's staff say if you have any question about an event advertised as supporting the charity to give them a call right away.

 

-Jessica Flores, KMIR6 News.