Patricia Driscoll, the former girlfriend of NASCAR driver Kurt Busch, has resigned as executive director of the Armed Forces Foundation in the wake of allegations that she mishandled foundation money, Outside the Lines has learned. FBI and IRS officials began investigating Driscoll and her oversight of the nonprofit, multimillion-dollar foundation following an Outside the Lines report on May 22. The report detailed a host of questionable practices during her 12-year run leading the Washington, D.C.-based entity, which has ties to multiple sports-related entities and athletes. Driscoll is also facing a federal whistleblower complaint filed by a former foundation employee. The Armed Forces Foundation is a charity that aims to help veterans in need. Last week, the foundation’s board of directors placed Driscoll on administrative leave, and it accepted her resignation on Tuesday night. A foundation spokesman declined to comment but issued a statement noting the foundation’s accomplishments and thanking Driscoll for her work: “We are appreciative of Patricia’s 12 years of service to our armed forces, veterans, and their families.” Driscoll could not be reached for comment, but a statement issued Wednesday through the foundation attributed to her said, “I am proud of what we achieved during my time at the Armed Forces Foundation. Especially as it pertains to PTSD [post-traumatic stress disorder] and TBI [traumatic brain injury], the foundation is saving lives by creating awareness and helping veterans find the services they need before taking tragic and drastic steps such as suicide.” The foundation has hired a series of outside lawyers in recent weeks, and it began an internal investigation and authorized an independent forensic audit “ both of which remain ongoing, the spokesman said.(ESPN.com)(7-15-2015)
