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[[Wikipedia]] co-founder '''Jimmy "Jimbo" Wales has often been criticized''' for his authoritarian style in his direction of the online encyclopedia community and for his mismanagement of the [[Directory:Wikimedia Foundation|Wikimedia Foundation]] that is responsible for running it.  

[[Wikipedia]] co-founder '''Jimmy "Jimbo" Wales has often been criticized''' for his authoritarian style in his direction of the online encyclopedia community and for his mismanagement of the [[Directory:Wikimedia Foundation|Wikimedia Foundation]] that is responsible for running it.  

==Misspending Foundation funds==

==Misspending Foundation funds==

In March 2008, Wales was accused by former Wikimedia Foundation employee Danny Wool of subsidizing personal expenditures with foundation funds.  These included rebuffed attempts to have reimbursed a $1200 dinner for four, a $650 wine tab, and even a visit to a Moscow massage parlor that Wales submitted ''twice'' for payback from the Foundation. Wool also stated that Wales had his Wikimedia credit card taken away in part because of his spending habits, though Wales denied this claim.<ref>[http://smh.com.au/news/biztech/wikipedia-head-accused-of-expenses-rort/2008/03/05/1204402516874.html Wikipedia's Jimmy Wales accused of expenses rort], Asher Moses, March 5, 2008, ''[[Sydney Morning Herald]]''</ref> Foundation Chair Florence Devouard and former foundation interim Executive Director Brad Patrick denied any wrongdoing by Wales or the foundation, saying that Wales accounted for every expense and that for items he did not have receipts for, he paid out of his own pocket.<ref>[http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/03/05/BUVFVDM3H.DTL San Francisco Chronicle]</ref>  Executive Director Sue Gardner would later defend Wales on CNET video, saying, "Jimmy has never done anything wrong."<ref>[http://news.cnet.com/1606-2-6233396.html CNET video of an extremely uncomfortable Sue Gardner]</ref>

In March 2008, Wales was accused by former Wikimedia Foundation employee Danny Wool of subsidizing personal expenditures with foundation funds.  These included rebuffed attempts to have reimbursed a $1200 dinner for four, a $650 wine tab, and even a visit to a Moscow massage parlor that Wales submitted ''twice'' for payback from the Foundation. Wool also stated that Wales had his Wikimedia credit card taken away in part because of his spending habits, though Wales denied this claim.<ref>[http://smh.com.au/news/biztech/wikipedia-head-accused-of-expenses-rort/2008/03/05/1204402516874.html Wikipedia's Jimmy Wales accused of expenses rort], Asher Moses, March 5, 2008, ''[[Sydney Morning Herald]]''</ref> Foundation Chair Florence Devouard and former foundation interim Executive Director Brad Patrick denied any wrongdoing by Wales or the foundation, saying that Wales accounted for every expense and that for items he did not have receipts for, he paid out of his own pocket.<ref>[http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/03/05/BUVFVDM3H.DTL San Francisco Chronicle]</ref>  Executive Director Sue Gardner would later defend Wales on CNET video, saying, "Jimmy has never done anything wrong."<ref>[http://news.cnet.com/1606-2-6233396.html CNET video of an extremely uncomfortable Sue Gardner]</ref>

 

==Special offer for ''Ars Technica'' readers==

==Special offer for ''Ars Technica'' readers==

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<h4>Welcome, ''Ars Technica'' readers!  This is the most popular page on MyWikiBiz this weekend, [http://episteme.arstechnica.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/34709834/m/382004926931 thanks to you!]  Here's a little Easter Egg for you... [[Help:Listing|Create a new page]] on MyWikiBiz.com before January 1, 2009.  On the "Talk" page of that new article, indicate that you are an Ars Technica reader.  On January 1st, we will randomly select one new page's author to WIN A $25 DEPOSIT TO THEIR PAYPAL ACCOUNT, (or a $20 check mailed to them, if preferred).  Does Wikipedia PAY YOU for creating good content?  Nope!  But, ''MyWikiBiz does!''</h4>  

<h4>Welcome, ''Ars Technica'' readers!  This is the most popular page on MyWikiBiz this weekend, [http://episteme.arstechnica.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/34709834/m/382004926931 thanks to you!]  Here's a little Easter Egg for you... [[Help:Listing|Create a new page]] on MyWikiBiz.com before January 1, 2009.  On the "Talk" page of that new article, indicate that you are an Ars Technica reader.  On January 1st, we will randomly select one new page's author to WIN A $25 DEPOSIT TO THEIR PAYPAL ACCOUNT, (or a $20 check mailed to them, if preferred).  Does Wikipedia PAY YOU for creating good content?  Nope!  But, ''MyWikiBiz does!''</h4>  

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==Jeffrey Merkey favors-for-payment allegations==

==Jeffrey Merkey favors-for-payment allegations==

Later in March 2008, it was alleged by [[Jeff V. Merkey|Jeffrey Vernon Merkey]] that Wales had edited Merkey's entry in Wikipedia to make it more "favourable" in return for donations to the Wikimedia Foundation. In May 2006 Wales had erased Merkey's article "because of the unpleasantness of it" and stated "we are nearing a resolution of this longstanding conflict," referring to a dispute between the Wikipedia community and Merkey over the content of the biography. Wales called the allegation that the Wikimedia Foundation had received donations in exchange for this "nonsense."<ref>[http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/cashforkindness-scandal-rattles-wikipedia/2008/03/11/1205125911471.html Cash for kindness]</ref> <ref name="bbcpaidediting">{{citeweb|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/7291382.stm|title=Wiki boss 'edited for donation'|accessdate=2008-03-12}}</ref>

Later in March 2008, it was alleged by [[Jeff V. Merkey|Jeffrey Vernon Merkey]] that Wales had edited Merkey's entry in Wikipedia to make it more "favourable" in return for donations to the Wikimedia Foundation. In May 2006 Wales had erased Merkey's article "because of the unpleasantness of it" and stated "we are nearing a resolution of this longstanding conflict," referring to a dispute between the Wikipedia community and Merkey over the content of the biography. Wales called the allegation that the Wikimedia Foundation had received donations in exchange for this "nonsense."<ref>[http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/cashforkindness-scandal-rattles-wikipedia/2008/03/11/1205125911471.html Cash for kindness]</ref> <ref name="bbcpaidediting">{{citeweb|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/7291382.stm|title=Wiki boss 'edited for donation'|accessdate=2008-03-12}}</ref>