-Marina del Rey, Calif.
-Dipping into Feast Fest's official budget without the knowledge of higher-ups to buy FF chef Jane Rousswick $122,222 in gifts was the straw that finally broke the camel's back for Pete Chilphingham.
Chilphingham was at last fired Friday morning after allegations that he had stolen the money from Feast Fest's official budget surfaced. Feast Fest says that they could press criminal charges against Chilphingham, but that they have decided not to "to spare our event a stressful litigation process so close to the big day" as stated by Head Scouter Jim Dall.
Chilphingham had been a controversial figure for years at Feast Fest's Scouting Department, and narrowly escaped firing four other times. He stole money from a fellow scouter's wallet on another occasion.
"It was time for Mr. Chilphingham to go," said an analyst, Mike Vilshire.
But Rousswick herself has also come under fire for not reporting the pilfered money and lavish gifts to Feast Fest early enough. The gift giving occurred from July to September and included several diamond jewelry pieces, a trip to Honolulu, $20,000 in cash, and a Cadillac.
Rousswick's alibi is that she only found out this week that the funds used for the gifts had been pilfered. She will be interrogated and could face disciplinary action beginning Nov. 18, when all 67 chefs will assemble in Marina del Rey, Calif. for a 10-day preparatory and training session preceding Feast Fest on Thanksgiving, Nov. 28.
"Rousswick has the real chance of being benched from Feast Fest over this matter," Vilshire said.
Rousswick vowed to return all of the $122,222 to Feast Fest Events, Inc.
FF Wire Service
The NCA Feast Fest lives here
Friday, November 8, 2013
Rousswick States She Received Improper Gifts
-Marina del Rey, Calif.
-Feast Fest chef Jane Rousswick has gotten a Feast Fest scouter in hot water after she claimed she had been bought lavish gifts by the scouter, who apparently has amorance for her, using the Scouting Department's own official budget.
Rousswick announced Thursday that she was in the process of repaying $122,222 worth of gifts that came directly from Feast Fest Events, Inc. without the knowledge of higher-up officials.
Rousswick claimed that she had long been the object of amorance for scouter Peter Chilphingham. She says that she received $20,000 in cash, a Cadillac valued at $47,383, over thirty pieces of diamond jewelry together valued at $44,561, and a trip to Honolulu worth $10,278, all over a period from Jul. 24 to Sept. 18. Rousswick, 39, returned all of the gifts to their distributors and pledged to return the moneys associated with them to Feast Fest Events, Inc.
Rousswick joined Feast Fest in 2009 along with her brother, Alan; Rousswick is based in Halifax, N.S.
Chilphingham has been an odd character throughout his tenure with the Scouting Department. He twice resigned, only to beg for his job back the same day. He was caught dipping into a fellow scouter's wallet in October 2010.
"Mr. Chilphingham's actions have approached firing on multiple occasions," Head Scouter Jim Dall said. "And this may have been the straw to break the camel's back."
Dall said that any decision to fire Chilphingham would have to be approved by Feast Fest executives.
Some, though, are questioning why Rousswick took more than four months to report the lavish gift-giving, which she called "suspicious," to Feast Fest Events, Inc.
"If this situation had been treated properly, the money would have been brought back much sooner." Dall called for an investigation of Rousswick's actions as well, although that, too, would have to clear executives' tables first before becoming a reality.
Rousswick claimed she only realized this week that the gifts had come from Feast Fest's official budget. She said she knew that tough questions will arise when she arrives, with all the other chefs, for a ten-day preparatory pre-Feast Fest session in Marina del Rey on Nov. 18.
"I will be ready to discuss the matter at that time," Rousswick said, and would have no further word on the matter.
Chilphingham would not answer phone calls to his office Thursday.
-Feast Fest chef Jane Rousswick has gotten a Feast Fest scouter in hot water after she claimed she had been bought lavish gifts by the scouter, who apparently has amorance for her, using the Scouting Department's own official budget.
Rousswick announced Thursday that she was in the process of repaying $122,222 worth of gifts that came directly from Feast Fest Events, Inc. without the knowledge of higher-up officials.
Rousswick claimed that she had long been the object of amorance for scouter Peter Chilphingham. She says that she received $20,000 in cash, a Cadillac valued at $47,383, over thirty pieces of diamond jewelry together valued at $44,561, and a trip to Honolulu worth $10,278, all over a period from Jul. 24 to Sept. 18. Rousswick, 39, returned all of the gifts to their distributors and pledged to return the moneys associated with them to Feast Fest Events, Inc.
Rousswick joined Feast Fest in 2009 along with her brother, Alan; Rousswick is based in Halifax, N.S.
Chilphingham has been an odd character throughout his tenure with the Scouting Department. He twice resigned, only to beg for his job back the same day. He was caught dipping into a fellow scouter's wallet in October 2010.
"Mr. Chilphingham's actions have approached firing on multiple occasions," Head Scouter Jim Dall said. "And this may have been the straw to break the camel's back."
Dall said that any decision to fire Chilphingham would have to be approved by Feast Fest executives.
Some, though, are questioning why Rousswick took more than four months to report the lavish gift-giving, which she called "suspicious," to Feast Fest Events, Inc.
"If this situation had been treated properly, the money would have been brought back much sooner." Dall called for an investigation of Rousswick's actions as well, although that, too, would have to clear executives' tables first before becoming a reality.
Rousswick claimed she only realized this week that the gifts had come from Feast Fest's official budget. She said she knew that tough questions will arise when she arrives, with all the other chefs, for a ten-day preparatory pre-Feast Fest session in Marina del Rey on Nov. 18.
"I will be ready to discuss the matter at that time," Rousswick said, and would have no further word on the matter.
Chilphingham would not answer phone calls to his office Thursday.
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