Dear Friends,
Once again, more information comes to light, in the form of an ATLANTA magazine expose’, which underscores why I won’t be attending or associated in any way with DragonCon, until I know without question that alleged pedophile Ed Kramer is no longer benefiting financially in any way from the show. Sure, I could be earning good money at that show, but I cannot do so and sleep well at night. If any other shows I attend get tied to the same allegations, I will be boycotting those as well. As the dad of a young son, nothing turns my stomach more than this. There is a special place in hell for those who prey on the vulnerable who cannot defend or speak for themselves – the young, the elderly, the disabled, animals.
This article in Atlanta magazine was thoroughly and painstakingly researched by journalist Scott Henry. It is a long, sad and convoluted tale that required of Scott Henry much unraveling to get to the truth of the matter. You will be shocked by what you read here, and I suggest that you take the time to do so. There’s also this article on Examiner.com, in an article “DragonCon: Does Your Ticket Money Go to An Accused Pedophile?”, from which I quote:
And Mr. Henry reports that the revenue from the for-profit DragonCon (Comic Con International is non-profit) is unreported, and part of that money generated from ticket sales went to Mr. Kramer as recently as last year. He reports:
(Kramer) eventually received dividends for 2009 and 2010—although he won’t say how much Kramer received for those or previous years—but was forced to file the second suit last year in an effort to collect his 2011 dividend of $154,000.
And The Atlanta Magazine’s Mr. Henry also informs that Mr. Kramer became a millionaire from DragonCon, but while DragonCon Cofounder Pat Henry has taken to Facebook to say that Mr. Kramer had no ‘involvement’ with DragonCon since 2000, the Atlanta Magazine’s account paints Pat Henry as being less than truthful. Mr. Kramer’s collection of his stock dividend from his share of DragonCon ownership (said to be about one-third of the organization) indicates that he certainly had some involvement in its operation, if only to make sure he collected his money.
So, if you attended DragonCon in the past, a percentage of what you paid went to Mr. Ed Kramer, an alleged, but not as of this writing convicted, child predator who sits in jail awaiting extradition to Georgia.
The unanswered question is will Mr. Kramer be able to collect his share of revenue this year? If so, that means part of your 2012 DragonCon ticket money will go to Ed Kramer, and its more than likely that the dollars will be used in his legal defense.
I only hope that one day, those who chose without having the facts to vilify my friend Nancy Collins (who fought the good fight for years) will apologize to her.
Dave.
Dave Dorman 