Illinois Attorney General sends warning letter to Rockford's Miss Carly's

The Illinois Attorney General's Charitable Trusts Bureau is giving a Rockford nonprofit three weeks to file financial paperwork needed to complete registration required by law.

Assistant Attorney General Michelle Milstein writes in a letter dated April 29 and obtained by the Rockford Register Star that although Miss Carly's Inc. previously attempted to register with the state, it never completed the process.

Milstein is giving the Midtown-based charity until May 27 to submit a list of all its officers, phone numbers and home addresses; annual reports for 2022; audited financials for 2021; and a $115 fee needed to finish registration.

"Under Illinois law, the Attorney General has the power and duty to see to it that charitable assets are used and accounted for properly and, in furtherance of that goal, to ensure that the registration and annual-reporting requirements of the foregoing acts are faithfully adhered to," Milstein writes.

Failure to register could risk the future of the organization.

Milstein writes that failing to register could lead to forfeiture of any "monies, fees, salaries, commission or any compensation" generated by the charity. The assets would be "subject to distribution to charitable us(e) as a court of equity determines."

The letter from the Attorney General's Office is the latest obstacle for Miss Carly's, which already is embroiled in a legal dispute with the city of Rockford over code violations.

More: Dispute with Rockford threatens future of Miss Carly's

Kris Hemlock, a member of the Miss Carly's board of directors, said the charity is working with its accountants to produce the required paperwork, hopefully by the deadline.

"We just learned today of that day that they want things done a couple hours ago," Hemlock said Tuesday. "We will be working with them. That's the best I can tell you."

Jeff Kolkey writes about government, economic development and other issues for the Rockford Register Star. He can be reached at  (815) 987-1374, via email at jkolkey@rrstar.com and on X @jeffkolkey .

This article originally appeared on Rockford Register Star: Illinois Attorney General sends warning letter to Rockford's Miss Carly's