Michael Jackson's spiritual guru rakes in charity cash

Rabbi Shmuley Boteach was paid $229K in 2009 as the director of nonprofit group This World.

Charity really does begin at home for Rabbi Jacob (Shmuley) Boteach.

According to Guidestar, a website that specializes in reporting on U.S. nonprofit companies, 2009 tax filings by This World--The Jewish Values Network reveals the the onetime spiritual adviser to Michael Jackson was paid $229K for his services as director of the charity.

There doesn't seem to be much of a commute involved either. This World lists Boteach's Englewood, NJ home as its address.

The 2009 Form 990 filing indicates the charity took in more than $651K in contributions and other revenue and racked up $638K in operating and administrative expenses--but only $70 K of that figure amounted to charitable disbursements.

Boteach's 2009 pay was a big improvement over the previous year. The charity's 2008 tax filing indicate Shmuley-- who was named one of the 50 most influential rabbis by Newsweek magazine in 2007, '08 and '09--was paid approximately $59 K.

Guidestar lists This World as a society "dedicated to promoting Judaism and to the continuing development of the state of Israel."

Investor Michael Steinhardt's foundation donated a total of $200K to the charity in 2008 and '09. A foundation bearing the name of real-estate developer Charles Kushner, whose company owns 666 Fifth Avenue, is also among the contributors listed.

Dr. Mehmet Oz and his wife donated $5K in 2008.

Interestingly, the tax documents indicate that This World was formerly known as "Oxford "L'Chaim Society."

In 1999, London's Observer newspaper reported that Britain's Charity Commission froze the bank account of Boteach's "Oxford University L'Chaim Society and its associated charitable trust."

Showbiz 411.com writer Roger Friedman reported in May 2001 that the commission's investigation into L'Chaim determined that "a number of apparent inappropriate payments" were being made by Boteach and his wife, and that "administrative expenses were high in relation to relatively low charitable expenditure."

As a result of the inquiry, Friedman noted, the trustees decided to "wind up" the charity and its London and Oxford offices were closed.

This World president Arash Farin initially informed us that the charity was "preparing a statement in response" to our questions about its operations. He eventually stopped responding to our emails, however, and we have yet to receive the statement.