Some Explaining Needs To Be Done Wyclef

Long before the world has focused squarely on Haiti, Wyclef Jean has been a prominent ambassador for his homeland since establishing himself as a music superstar.

But in the midst of urging aid support for Haiti by going to the Yele website, that foundation's ethics and managing of funds has now been serious questioned in this devastating report from Smoking Gun released early this afternoon.

Really devastating

However, Internal Revenue Service records show the group has a lackluster history of accounting for its finances, and that the organization has paid the performer and his business partner at least $410,000 for rent, production services, and Jean's appearance at a benefit concert. Though the Wyclef Jean Foundation, which does business as Yele Haiti Foundation, was incorporated 12 years ago--and has been active since that time--the group only first filed tax returns in August 2009.

The evidence is pretty damaging, with the foundation actually playing Wyclef and some around him. His foundation now:

But the largest 2006 payout--a whopping $250,000--went to Telemax, S.A., a for-profit Haiti company in which Jean and Duplessis were said to "own a controlling interest." The money covered "pre-purchased

So far, the "Yele" phone texting donations have amassed $2 million. That is a large amount of money to be entrusted with a foundation now known for being shaky with the cash they receive. Even if Wyclef 100% in his heart wants all the $2 million to go to help and only help for Haiti, the doubt of that happening is certainly embedded in a lot of people's heads.

Just a short while ago on MSNBC, former Fugees member (and Wyclef's close friend) Pras stated that situations where "the organization could be doing funny stuff with the money" don't damage the integrity Wyclef has with his Haiti advocation. Pras also requested that a "watchdog" from the Obama Administration on relief aid be made to monitor the millions dollars poured into the relief effort.

But with this evidence of egregious practices, maybe multiple watchdogs need to be placed on "Yele" itself.