Tax Records Show Congressional Candidate Terry Neese Profiting From Nonprofit

More controversy surrounds the race for the Republican bid for Oklahoma’s Congressional District 5. This time over one candidate’s taxes.

Terry Neese is the founder of the Institute for Economic Empowerment of Women, a nonprofit organization, but based on tax records, it seems like Neese and her family business profit plenty from it.

According to the Institute for Economic Empowerment of Women’s website, “IEEW operates the PEACE THROUGH BUSINESS program which educates and empowers women entrepreneurs in developing countries to achieve their dream of financial independence, community involvement, and political activism.”

But IRS tax records show Neese and her family business, Neese Personnel, benefit financially from the nonprofit.

In 2012, IEEW reported revenues of $508,000 in donations. Of that, $183,000 went to Neese’s family business, Neese Personnel, for leased employees. About $25,500 went to Neese to lease office space in the Neese Personnel building, and she was paid a salary of $146,000. So, in 2012, 68% of the Institute’s revenue went to Terry Neese and her family business.

In 2013, the institute reported almost $390,000 in revenue. Almost $185,000 went to Neese Personnel for leased employees. Almost $24,000 was used to lease space in the Neese Personnel Building. And she received a salary of $135,000. So, in 2013, 86% of the institute’s revenue went directly to Neese or her family business.

And in 2014, the institute raised more than $279,000. Records show more than $176,000 went to leased employees through Neese Personnel. More than $27,000 went towards renting office space at the Neese Personnel building, and Neese received a $101,000 salary. More than 100% of the money raised by the institute in 2014 benefited Neese or her family business.

Neese said her board controls all of that.

“I don’t have the opportunity at all to vote. The board of directors, we have a board of directors and they make all of those decisions,” she said.

Neese showed News 9 the office space she leases to the institute. She said renting from her is cheaper than renting elsewhere.

When asked, why not do it for free, Neese said, “You could do it for free. And there’s been many times I’ve done that for free, because I put a lot of time and my own money into this thing. BecauseI want it to be successful.”