Chilphingham Fired

-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