Tax Issue Complicates Donations To Slain NYPD Officer Peter Figoski's Daughters
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Tax troubles could impact the scholarship fund for Officer Peter Figoski's daughters.
The Officer Peter Figoski Scholarship Fund collected more than $2 million after Figoski was killed in the line of duty last year.
However, donors were mistakenly told their contributions were tax-deductible.
The fund is now being converted to a lifetime trust for the girls. Organizers are now notifying the estimated 12,000 donors about the error via a letter, asking them if would like to have their money go toward the trust for Figoski's children, a fund to help pay for educational costs for all children of slain police officers or if they wanted to have their funds returned.
Only the funds that would provide education for all children of slain officers would be tax deductible. So far, only nine donors have asked for their money back.
On Tuesday, the NYC Police Foundation, which established the fund for Figoski's children, released a statement saying it has "been working with the Figoski daughters' representatives on the next steps."
"During those discussions, they informed us that they will be establishing a trust fund that will ensure the girls' future financial stability, including but not limited to paying for the girls' full education needs," the statement read.
The foundation says the letter being sent to donors also allows them to choose how they would like to help, including the option to contribute toward living expenses, education or other expenses.
Figoski was shot in the face and killed during a botched robbery in Brooklyn last December.
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