Putting on a brave face: Smiling Lamar Odom is pictured

Earlier this week he was accused of 'operating a fraudulent cancer charity' after an investigation by sports network ESPN.
But Lamar Odom looked distinctly unruffled by the allegations against him as he arrived at basketball practice for the Clippers team in Los Angeles on Wednesday.
The 33-year-old husband of Khloe Kardashian couldn't stop smiling as he left his vehicle, despite sporting a knee injury.

 

Putting on a brave face: Lamar Odom was pictured for the first time since the reported charity scandal as he arrived at Clipper's practice on Wednesday in Los Angeles

The star wore a bulky white bandage over his knee and lower calf along with socks and sandals, with one leg of his tracksuit bottoms rolled up.
The ESPN investigation, called Outside The Lines, claimed that none of the $2.2 million accumulated by Lamar's charity Cathy's Kids, had been given to any cancer-related causes since its foundation in 2004.

Instead of funds going to cancer-related patients, it has reportedly been mostly used to finance two elite youth basketball travel teams.

Questions were raised about the use of the money after investigators rifled through eight years of the NBA player's tax records.

 

ESPN says at least 60 percent of the $2.2 million has helped fund the AAU (Amateur Athletic Union) teams.

 

Injured: The basketball ace still smiled despite the allegations and suffering a knee injury as he appeared with a bandage wrapped around his leg

More scandal: Khloe Kardashian and husband Lamar Odom have been married for three years

But TMZ reports that the an AAU representative informed them Cathy's Kids had 'never donated' to the programme.

'They have never, ever contributed to us,' Henry Forrest told the website. 'On Sunday morning it was mentioned that Cathy’s Kids has contributed to AAU Basketball teams. That is an incorrect statement.'
ESPN showed documents which seemingly proved $1.3 million of $2.2 million raised was donated to 'AAU team sponsorship.'
According to TMZ, Lamar has discussed the particular charities Cathy's Kids supported. 'A lot through AAU basketball in my neighborhood where I come from in South Jamaica, Queens,' he told a reporter.

But Forrest acknowledged that Lamar could have used the money to finance an independent local team that then participated in AAU events -  a view supported by a source close to the basketball player.

'Lamar had teams he funded for their expenses for AAU sanctioned events,' they said. 'Money did not go directly to the AAU, it went directly to the teams for their expenses.'
The ESPN report also stated that the sole employee on the books for the charity is Lamar's high school coach and best man at his wedding to Khloe, Jerry DeGregorio.
Acting as secretary for Cathy’s Kids - named in honor of Lamar's late mother who died of stomach cancer - from 2004 to 2011 - he was reportedly paid a median annual salary of around $72,000, despite the charity operating at a loss since it was created.
Cathy's kids is currently $256,000 in debt largely due to a loan Lamar made to the charity, according to his business manager and charity’s treasurer, Lester Knispel.

 

The new ESPN revelations now allegedly see Lamar in danger of violating tax law - that if a charity spends funds not consistent with its stated mission, including paying someone like DeGregorio a salary, it could be considered fraud by the IRS or state attorney general’s office.
Meanwhile, Lamar's wife Khloe came to his defence, writing messages both on her Twitter page and via her website.

 

 

Speaking out: Khloe turned to her own blog to speak out about the allegations, insisting they haven't committed any fraudulent behaviour

She wrote on Tuesday night: 'It is unfortunate that my husband has been the target of an attack on athletes’ charities, although he has personally contributed approximately $2.2 million to his foundation, Cathy’s Kids, to fulfill its charitable purposes that include helping underprivileged inner-city youth.
'The millions of dollars personally contributed by Lamar constituted more than 90% of the money raised by the foundation. All of the funds donated by Lamar and the other contributions to Cathy’s Kids were used for one of the foundation’s intended charitable purposes. Not one penny went to help Lamar personally or any member of his family.'
She went on: 'No charitable funds were misused, and the IRS has repeatedly given Cathy’s Kids a clean bill of health, confirming that there were no improprieties.'

 

Her comments come on the same day Khloe and her husband removed all of the items for sale on their eBay store - coinciding with the 'fraudulent' allegations.
And as the findings of the investigation were released, the star couple then seemed to delete all items up for auction on their joint eBay store.

 

'Zero items': Khloe and Lamar have now deleted all items from the eBay store, which had said each item will have a portion go towards the charity

 

Ceased trading? The couple removed the items on the same day the investigation was revealed, having formerly made thousands from auctioning their clothing and accessories

Up until they removed the items on Tuesday, Khloe and Lamar had been selling everything from pre-owned clothes, including sports bras of Khloe's, as well as sunglasses and other accessories.

Employee: The sole employee on the charity's books is said to be Lamar's best man at his wedding, Jerry DeGregorio, seen here walking down the aisle with Khloe's maid of honour Kim 

According to Radaronline.com, they had made thousands of dollars through the store, with a total of $1,425.06 after their last day of sale on Monday.
On the site the couple state on each item that 'a portion of the proceeds benefit Cathy's Kids', which was founded by Lamar in 2004.
But by Tuesday the shop was empty, with the message that there is now 'currently no items for sale', with a returned entry of '0 items'.
A representative for the couple has been contacted by the MailOnline for comment on the decision to remove the items.
But Khloe has again defended this decision and complaint, writing on her blog: 'Cathy’s Kids was formed with several purposes in mind, including benefitting underprivileged youth and cancer research.
'A decision was ultimately made that the charity should focus on one of those purposes — to help enrich the lives of underprivileged inner-city youth.
'It accomplished that goal. Cathy’s Kids helped fund multiple AAU basketball teams providing underprivileged youth with opportunities enriching their lives, providing financial support for coaching and travel to tournaments, helping inner-city youth on a path toward success and leading many participants to go on to college.'
Khloe has previously gushed about her husband's charity efforts on her blog.

'Every time I see him working with Cathy Kids. I fall more and more in love with him,' she once wrote.'He’s made me a better person and has taught me that anyone can make a difference if you have the desire and passion to do so.'

 

Show of support: Khloe pictured the day after the ESPN report broke, watching Lamar's Clippers team take on the Indiana Pacers

 

ESPN has since sought a comment from Odom about his charity's spending habits.
The basketballer reportedly simply responded with: 'It’s my money.'
The Outside The Lines report also investigated more than a hundred other charities attached to high profile athletes.

 

It revealed that 115 of the big name charities were not handing out raised profits effectively or properly.
It found that more than 74 percent were not operating under the Better Business Bureau and the National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy standards.