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Mitch Albom, charity sued over Haiti orphanage

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PONTIAC, Mich. (AP) — Operators of a Haiti orphanage have sued journalist Mitch Albom and one of his charities, claiming the best-selling author broke terms of an agreement about running the orphanage after the devastating January 2010 earthquake.

The Caring and Sharing Mission charity and its founder, the Rev. John Hearn of the Detroit suburb of Inkster, filed a lawsuit this week claiming the Detroit Free Press columnist and his A Hole in the Roof Foundation didn't follow an operating agreement they entered into with the Port-au-Prince mission after the quake.

The lawsuit filed in Oakland County Circuit Court in Pontiac seeks $2.5 million in damages.

Lawyer Eric Scheible, speaking on behalf of Albom and his charity, described the lawsuit as "frivolous" and an extortion attempt.

"A Hole in the Roof Foundation has supported the Caring and Sharing Mission in every manner possible— from staff to food to the shoes on children's feet. It continues to do so today," Scheible said in a statement.

The lawsuit claims that Albom approached Hearn and his charity after the earthquake and offered to raise money. It says Albom has tried to take control of the mission and didn't explain what was done with money for the orphanage.

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