![]() ![]() The Grand Lodge of Indiana does not include the Jesters on their own page of affiliated groups. The Jesters submitted Exhibit Q, a list of national Masonic groups. ![]() ![]() Mirth is king explains to the world the purpose of our existence.” Rogers testified that the Masons were the “highest respected fraternal organization in the world” and that that “The purpose of the Jesters is spreading the gospel of mirth, merriment and cheerfulness, promoting fellowship and fraternity among members, and extending good cheer and assistance to the general public, which furthers the Masonic principles of brotherly love, belief and truth. One must be secretly invited from the Shriners to join the Jesters. One must first be a Master Mason before joining groups like the Scottish Rite, the Knights Templar and the Shriners. The Jesters are exempt from federal taxation as both a 501c3 charity and 501c10 fraternity made up of 191 “courts” with 20,500 members.Īll Jester courts correspond to 191 Shriner temples.A previous consent order granted exemption based on fraternal claims.The property is owned, occupied and used for charitable, educational and religious purposes.Jones of Ice Miller LLP and Alex Rogers, executive director, who both argued that the Jesters deserved both charitable and fraternal property tax exemptions because: Presenting their case were attorney Paul M. The Jesters submitted exhibits A-Q that included previous tax applications and documents, IRS approval letters and a list of U.S. When property is exempt from taxation, the effect is to shift the amount of taxes a property would have paid to other parcels that are not exempt.” These governmental services carry with them a corresponding obligation of pecuniary support in the form of taxation. “All property receives protection, security, and services from the government, such as fire and police protection, and public schools. The appeal process proceeded from Octoto October 11, 2011, when an attorney for the Jesters and their executive director appeared before the three-member Indiana Board of Tax Review and failed to prove their case. Marion County inspectors found the property did not meet the standards for tax exemption and denied the Jesters’ applications for 20. According to, “Tax-exempt means that a nonprofit (1) does not pay taxes to the federal government and (2) that its donors can take a tax deduction for their donations to the organization.” Additionally, the Jesters were afforded other nonprofit benefits including reduced postal rates, possible exemption from state income, sales, and employment taxes, tax-deductible contributions and exemption from Federal income tax. These documents were then filed with the IRS, where the Director of Exempt Organization Rulings and Agreements decided the Royal Order of Jesters deserved 501(c)(3) status as a charity and, on July 24, 2004, approved their application that classified their new headquarters as a “museum.” The Jesters then filed as a foreign corporation business entity with the Secretary of State of Indiana to qualify their new Indianapolis headquarters for property tax exemption. This seemingly boring property tax story began when attorney Ron Pruitt filed nonprofit incorporation documents with Texas’ Secretary of State on. Nineteen days later, I published "Jesters" To Testify about Illegal Drugs, Child Prostitution?” then twelve days after that, I published “Judge Resigns, Police Captain to Plead Guilty as FBI Investigates Royal Order of Jesters for Prostitution.” Since these three stories broke within 33 days of each other four years ago, I have exposed, detailed and documented the greatest nonprofit fraud of our time human trafficking and prostitution at tax payer expense. On February 15, 2008, I launched the first ever investigation into the Shriners’ secret sub-group, the Royal Order of Jesters by publishing “Jesters Exposed.” It alluded to rumors of prostitution but actually focused on how the Jesters appealed property tax decisions by the Marion County assessor to tax their ”nonprofit” headquarters 100%. ![]() Photo credit: Brandt ConstructionĮditor’s Note: This article is dedicated to Carl Bernstein in honor of his 68th birthday today, February 14. Alex Rogers, Jesters' executive director. ![]()
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