Nicolas Runk

English 3313 section 08

Dr. Lynn Pifer
February 22, 2013
Greg Mortenson is a hero to some, and a scoundrel to others. The man has been hugely
successful in his endeavors in Northern Pakistan and Afghanistan, as detailed in his books Three
Cups of Tea and Stones into Schools.These endeavors consist mostly of building schools in
destitute villages throughout northern Pakistan. However, in 2011, a broadcast of CBS News 60
Minutes disputed many claims in the books and alleged fiscal irresponsibility of the Central Asia
Institute (CAI), the charity of which Mortenson was the executive director. In addition, Jon
Krakauer, a former donor to the CAI who also appeared on 60 Minutes, released an e-book
following the broadcast entitled Three Cups of Deceit, How Greg Mortenson, Humanitarian
Hero, Lost His Way. In this book, Krakauer plays the role of investigative journalist, detailing his
own experiences with Mortenson and the CAI, while reaffirming and elaborating on many claims
made on the broadcast of 60 Minutes. Since these questions have been raised, there have been a
number of repercussions for both Mortenson and the CAI. The organization and Mortenson have
had legal problems to face. These events have also seen a diminish in Mortensons
The biggest and most dubious claim against Mortenson and the CAI is the alleged misuse
of funds. Founded in 1996, the CAI produced its first audited financial statement in 2010. This
document revealed that only 41% of the CAIs income was actually being used for building
schools; the rest was put towards domestic outreach, which included travel expenses for
Mortenson and promoting the books Three Cups of Tea and Stones into Schools. Daniel
Borochoff, head of the American Institute of Philanthropy, tells CBS Sounds like a book tour to

me (Kroft). Even more ominous is the $1.7 million listed as book-related expenses, a figure
much higher than the amount of money that went towards building schools in Pakistan.
Additionally, Mortenson retained royalties for copies of the books sold without a penny going
towards the CAI. Another form of improper practice detailed by Krakauer in Deceit is that
Mortenson would buy books with CAI money to give away for free, but would buy them from
retailers, where his book would be artificially promoted as a best seller, and Mortenson would
receive royalties for the transaction.
In addition, there are a number of basic facts in Mortensons books that have been
disputed by Krakauer and others. The first and most obvious inconsistency comes from
Mortenson himself. In Three Cups of Tea, he makes the promise to build a school to Haji Ali, yet
on numerous speaking engagements, Mortenson claims a little girl asked him to build a school
there. Krakauer goes on to say The first eight chapters of Three Cups of Tea are an intricately
wrought work of fiction presented as fact. (Krakauer 7). Krakauer quotes Scott Darsney, who
attempted K2 with Mortenson, saying that not only has Mortenson fabricated various Himalayan
expeditions, but that when they drove out of the mountains Mortenson didnt know Korphe
existed (qtd. in Krakauer 8). Since the publication of Deceit, Darsney has tried to retract his
statements to Krakauer, questioning the accuracy and fairness of the book as well as the context
of the statements he made to Krakauer. In an email to Outside Online he says He'd ended up in
a village on the wrong side of the Braldu River. It's certainly plausible that this was Korphe
(Darsney). Krakauer asserts that eventually after failing to ascend K2, Mortenson and Darsney
eventually visited a village named Khane to visit the cook of their previous K2 expedition who
they had befriended. After realizing Khane had no school, Mortenson promised to build a school
their. However, after trying to fulfil this promise, somehow he was persuaded to build the school

in Korphe instead. The account isnt quite clear in Deceit, but apparently after learning about the
school through his adopted son Mohammed Ali Changazi, whose compound stored the school
materials, Haji Ali, chieftain of Korphe, resolved to have the school built in his village. This
directly contradicts Mortensons words in Three Cups of Tea:
Standing next to Haji Ali, on the ledge overlooking the valley, with such a
crystalline view of the mountains hed come halfway around the world to measure
himself against, climbing K2 to place a necklace on its summit suddenly felt
beside the point. There was a much more meaningful gesture he could make in
honor of his sisters memory. He put his hands on Haji Alis shoulders, as the old
man had done to him dozens of times since theyd shared their first cup of tea.
Im going to build you a school, (33)
Finally, in Deceit, it is said that in Mortensons letter to the American Himalayan
Foundation he originally asks to help realize a clinic and school in Khane (qtd. in Krakauer 9).
This would make sense if Krakauer is right, as this would have been the original project and the
decision to build in Korphe instead would not have been made yet.
Next, Krakauer asserts that Mortenson was never abducted by the Taliban. Krakauer
quotes Mansur Khan, Mortensons host in the Waziristan region, as saying No, no, no. He really
enjoyed his stay there. And he was given very good treatment. If he tells, I have been
kidnapped, he is lying. He was an honored guest of the whole village (qtd. in Krakauer 15)
Also, CBS managed to track down people in a photograph produced in Mortensons book of his
alleged captors. These men produced another photo where Mortenson is the one holding the AK47. The men were supposed to be his protectors while in the Waziristan region; not his his
abductors.

Finally, Krakauer insists that many of the schools built by the CAI either werent built by
them or are now ghost schools, with that term implying the schools arent being used (for
educational purposes). CBS digs deeper and says after looking into nearly 30 schools, roughly
half werent being used, even though some were functioning well (Kroft). Furthermore, the plot
of Mortensons Stones into Schools centers around the school in Afghanistans Bozoi Gumbaz.
Krakauer suggests several logistical errors that went into its construction, such as not meeting the
most prevalent needs of the community, a road or a clinic, and not responding to the desire for it
to be a boarding school due to the harsh weather. In the context of Deceit it seems that the only
thing that mattered to Mortenson was the time frame, that is, getting the school built quickly so
he could finish Stones in time for the American holiday season. In addition, CBS interviewed Ted
Callahan, an anthropologist who spent nearly a year in the area. Callahan says he knew Khan
very well, and that Mortensons portrayal of him was inaccurate. In addition, in regards Khans
wish to build the school, he says The most generous thing I could say is that it's grossly
exaggerated. And probably the harshest thing I could say is a lot of it just sounds like outright
fabrication (Kroft). Callahan is unique because he can be thought of as a primary source; at
least in judging the portrayal of someone he knew in a book.
After the publishing of Deceit and the 60 Minutes segment, a flourish of media attention
brought on legal action. An investigation by the Montana Attorney Generals office began on
April 19, 2011. Whereas much of the media attention focused on mistruths and lies told by
Mortenson, this investigation focused exclusively on financial and operational issues (Bullock)
of Mortenson and the CAI to see if the organization had violated the law. It was the stance of the
office that the CAI could learn from the mistakes it had made: this stance is evident in a
settlement made between the two entities. Measures were put into place to ensure money the

organization collects will be used more effectively. These measures include removing Mortenson
from any position of financial oversight in the CAI, but allowing him to be employed by the
organization. In addition, the board of directors must be replaced and expanded. Also, due to the
misuse of funds, Mortenson had to repay the organization in excess of $1 million. On July 19,
2012, seven new members were named to the board.
The American Institute of Philanthropy, a nonprofit organization that provides
information about charities financial efficiency, accountability, governance, and fundraising. On
their website www.charitywatch.org, they typically rate various charities on a scale of A to F. In
2010, due to lack of financial records, the organization received a ? Rating. Later, after the
CAIs first audit in mid 2010, CharityWatch renewed its website that the CAI would still receive
a ? rating due to concerns that more of CAIs money was being spent domestically rather than
in Pakistan and Afghanistan. Another concern was that the CAI wasnt receiving revenue from
the sales of the books it was helping to promote or from the speaking events Mortenson
participated in. The organization has since commented on the legal settlement, saying on its
website: The very same three person board, which includes Greg Mortenson and is responsible
for the mismanagement of CAI, is empowered with selecting its replacement board, according to
the settlement reached with the Montana Attorney General (Charity Watch). Although there was
a settlement, it is unclear how much change can manifest if the original board selected the new
board.
In response to claims by the American Institute of Philanthropy, another charity
watchdog group, Charity Navigator issued the CAI a four-star rating to the CAI. However,
after the 60 Minutes segment, the group now lists donor advisory on its website in regards to
the CAI, with links to the CBS story and a timeline of what has happened since the story.

Over the course of events since Mortenson began his work in Pakistan, he has been
bestowed various honorary degrees and awards. Since the criticisms of him and his charity in
April 2012, many of these awards are being retrenched or reconsidered. These awards are from
institutions including The University of Alberta, Fontbonne University, The University of
Georgia, and The University of California. An honorary degree previously awarded to Mortenson
in 2008 by the University of Washington is being reconsidered.
It is also worth mentioning that the coauthor of the book, David Oliver Relin, died on
November 15, 2012 via suicide. His family reports that after the allegations were made against
the validity of Three Cups of Tea, Relin was diagnosed with depression. This event casts an
even more ominous shadow over the situation surrounding Mortenson and Three Cups of Tea.
Once the truth came out from Krakauer and 60 Minutes, it was certain that there would be
repercussions for Mortenson and the CAI. There has been legitimate proof of inconsistencies in
Mortensons account, and legal action has been brought against him and the CAI. Those that
continue to defend Mortenson say that his work is too important, and that while these acts arent
necessarily excusable, the work is of such lofty importance that they can be overlooked. Since
the publication of Deceit, Mortenson and the CAI have taken a hit, but their work continues, and
although they need to recover, the work may now be managed in a more responsible manner.

Works Cited
"Central Asia Institute Wins No Award for Accountability- Charitywatch.org." Central Asia
Institute Wins No Award for Accountability- Charitywatch.org. American Institute of
Philanthropy, n.d. Web. 15 Feb. 2013.

Darsney, Scott. "Scott Darsney's Response to "Three Cups of Deceit" | Books |

OutsideOnline.com." Outside Online. Mariah Media Network, LLC, 13 Apr. 2009. Web. 15 Feb.
2013.

Kroft, Steve, Andy Court, Kevin Livelli, and Maria Usman. "Questions over Greg Mortenson's
Stories." CBSNews. CBS Interactive, 24 June 2012. Web. 15 Feb. 2013.

Montana. Department of Justice. Consumer Protection. Montana Attorney 's Investigative Report
of Greg Mortenson and Central Asia Institute. By Steve Bullock. Helena: Department of Justice,
2012. Print.

Krakauer, Jon. Three Cups of Deceit: How Greg Mortenson, Humanitarian Hero, Lost His Way.
New York: Anchor, 2011. Print.

Thomson, Sarah L., Greg Mortenson, and David Oliver. Relin. Three Cups of Tea. New York,
NY: Dial for Young Readers, 2009. Print.