Company Running Illegal For-Profit Clothing Bins Fined By State Attorney General

A company operating some of the illegal, for-profit clothing collection bins that have popped up around the neighborhood over the last few years has agreed to pay $50,000 in penalties and costs, and has made a payment of $650,000 to two not-for-profit organizations, the New York Community Trust and the Westchester Community Foundation, so that the charitable intent of the people who placed clothing in its bins will be fulfilled, according to the state Attorney General.

Thrift Land USA, which had a bin on Cortelyou Road, made at least $10 million selling the clothing donations to companies that then sold the items to people in Mexico and other foreign countries, reports the Daily News.

Many of the bins advertised for local non-profits, such as Big Brothers, Big Sisters and I Love Our Youth, but none of the donations were given to the local organizations. The AG also reached settlements with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Rockland County and I Love Our Youth, Inc. for entering into agreements with Thrift Land that enabled the company to use their name and logo to deceive the public.

“Duping members of the public into thinking that they are making a charitable donation, when in fact they are enriching a for-profit corporation, is both deceptive and illegal,” said Attorney General Schneiderman in a statement.  “When a for-profit company masquerades as a charity, my office will hold it and its owners accountable.”

Sanitation officials have worked to removed the bins that have been appearing around the city for the last few years. There were 2,084 bins tagged for removal in fiscal year 2014, 1,278 in 2015, reports the Daily News.

if you have clothes you’d like to give to charity, there are plenty of legal ways to donate in the area. And you can donate your old coats at PS 139 the entire month of November.