Collection jug containing $7,000 stolen from fundraiser for cancer patient

[Editor’s note: An earlier version of this story mentioned that Jeffrey Pawloski, 41, of Toledo, was charged with felony theft. That charge ended up being dropped in Toledo Municipal Court before May 23 hearing.]

TOLEDO, Ohio (WTVG) - Ella-Lynn Dudek wants to know what happened to the money she helped raise for her friend, Suzanne Cook Kaye.

“This was out of the kindness of my heart, out of the kindness of this community’s heart to come together, and this is the thanks that we get?” said Dudek, who explains Kaye is fighting a rare form leukemia and needs to have a double-hip replacement. That’s why Dudek helped organize a fundraiser.

It was at St. Clement Hall on Tremainsville April 28, 2023. When the pizza delivery arrived, Dudek said so did three men wearing gray hoodies. She later spotted them moving a collection jug carrying an estimated $7,000. Then, she said it was gone.

“I think it was an inside job. I’m going to go on record as saying, ‘Yeah, it was an inside job,’” added Dudek.

Dudek says there are still other unidentified accomplices out there.

“Let’s find the money and let’s find the three guys who just walked into a hall and walked off with a jug,” said Dudek, who claims the event had other money go missing, adding up to a total of more than $30,000 stolen. The police report states there was a lot of confusion about who was handling the cash for food and drinks. When they later did the counting, organizers said it did not add up.

“For something so beautiful to have turned into this by people that we trusted that we know, this is unacceptable behavior and I was not raised like this,” explained Dudek. She’s calling for anyone with information to speak to Toledo Police.

[Editor’s note: An earlier version of this story mentioned that Jeffrey Pawloski, 41, of Toledo, was charged with felony theft. That charge ended up being dropped in Toledo Municipal Court before May 23 hearing.]

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