Has OC Darling Gretchen Rossi been caught in another lie? Rumors hit the web last week that the Real Housewivew of Orange County star was lying about creating her make up line and more importantly, she was accused of lying about the Jeff Beitzel Foundation she claimed to have created on behalf of her late fiance, Jeff Beitzel.
There was only one problem, no one could find out any proof that such a foundation existed, causing Gretchen to go on her facebook page and defend herself. She claimed, “The Jeff Beitzel Memorial Fund is with the Leukemia Society in O.C.! People can make donations 2 this fund directly by writing “For the Jeff Beitzel Memorial Fund.”
There’s only one problem however. The Jeff Beitzel Foundation does in fact NOT exist with the Leukemia Soceity in O.C. How do we know that? Well that comes directly from The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. One of our savvy readers, Help Me Rhonda, decided to email the Leukemia Society, inquiring about the foundation, and the response she received is below –
“It appears there was a misunderstanding about the establishment of a “Jeff Bietzel Memorial Fund.” or a “Jeff Bietzel Foundation.” The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) has not set up a fund in Jeff Bietzel’s name. Any donations sent to LLS in honor of Jeff Bietzel will be used to support LLS’s mission: Cure leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin’s disease and myeloma and improve the quality of life for patients and their families.”
So basically the Jeff Beitzel Foundation Gretchen claimed to have created does NOT exist. And Gretchen has claimed via multiple media outlets that she created this foundation.
Back in January, the OC star wrote on her bravo blog – “Download the song on iTunes, and proceeds will go to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society and the Jeff Beitzel Foundation I started in Jeff’s honor.”
And then the following was also written on her myspace page – “Gretchen has decided that she will be donating proceeds from the release of this song to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society and the Jeff Beitzel Foundation she has created.“
Note the key words used, she claimed she “started” the Jeff Beitzel Foundation in her Bravo blog, and then claimed she “created” the foundation on her myspace page. Not sure why Gretchen feels the need to lie or embellish something like this. She should have just said, proceeds from her song will be donated to the Leukemia Society in honor in Jeff. This isn’t the first time the OC star has been caught in a lie. She first denied ever being romantically involved with Jay Photoglou, before incriminating photos of the duo were leaked all over the web.
TELL US – DO YOU THINK GRETCHEN PURPOSELY TRIED TO MISLEAD THE PUBLIC?
UPDATE: A screenshot of the email sent to our reader is below, click the read more button.
UPDATE #2 – The following statement was issued by the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) :
“In conversations that took place last year between Gretchen Rossi and The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) there was a miscommunication concerning the establishment of a Jeff Beitzel Memorial Fund. A fund has not been set up by LLS and we apologize for any embarrassment this may have caused Miss Rossi. The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society will work with Miss Rossi to identify a researcher who will be named in Jeff Beitzel’s memory. The funds previously raised and any additional funds , such as those that may be forthcoming from the sale of Miss Rossi’s song on iTunes, will be used to help support the LLS mission. LLS appreciates the effort put forth by Miss Rossi.”
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