Art Asylum Boston's Art 4 Hearts PayPal problem.

UPDATE: As a commenter points out, the links below are dead. That's because since writing the story this morning, Art Asylum Boston has deleted their Facebook account. You can see the Google cache of Art Asylum Boston's page here and the Google cache of the Art 4 Hearts page here.

On September 2nd, at Chacala in New York City, Art Asylum Boston and Frankie Velez hosted a charity art fundraiser called Art 4 Hearts. According to the Art 4 Hearts Facebook page, the sale of works from artists including Dave Kinsey and Shepard Fairey was meant to benefit the American Heart Association.

On August 26th Frankie Velez commented on Facebook that Art Asylum Boston would create a link for people to directly donate to the AHA whether they couldn't attend the fundraiser or simply wanted to make a charitiable contribution.

(You can read the progression of events - Velez mentioning direct donation to Cyhan's link,  from bottom to top.)

Two days later, Art Asylum Boston's Juliann Cyhan posted a link to that "direct donation page." It was set up on Art Asylum Boston's website and the money went directly to the Art Asylum Boston PayPal account.

That account has since been disabled by PayPal.

This was not a separate charitable account or direct account pointed toward the AHA as Art Asylum Boston insisted.

This was set up by Art Asylum Boston. If you were misled to believe you made a direct donation to the AHA you should contact PayPal.

You can find the full two weeks of our coverage of Art Asylum Boston here.

Comments

[STREET ART]

I AM RESEARCHING THEIR DONATIONS DIRECTLY WITH THE AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION AND SHOULD HAVE SOME INFORMATION VERY SOON.

[Decker]

The link to the facebook page does not work

[STREET ART]

IF YOU HAVE BEEN RIPPED OFF BY ART ASYLUM BOSTON PLEASE FILE A COMPLAINT WITH THE OFFICE OF THE MASSACHUSETTS ATTORNEY GENERAL:

https://www.eform.ago.state.ma.us/ago_eforms/forms/piac_ecomplaint.action

[smashley]

these people are sociopaths... thankfully I have not been scammed but I've been reading up on the countless accusations made by their victims including artists who's names were used without consent by these morons. Including Shepard who states he and Kinsey had nothing to do with this bullsh.t AHA fundraiser.. These people are heartless and those defrauded by these individuals should contact the better business bureau, the lynn police department and the massachusetts attourney general, or just visit their store and FSU.

[Kevin Peterson]

I too have NO ASSOCIATION with this gallery.