Technology | Jimmy Wales Wiki's Wales Accused of Inappropriate Spending Claims he abused his foundation's trust By Nick McMaster Posted Mar 5, 2008 10:47 PM CST Copied Jimmy Wales, founder of Wikipedia, answers a question during an interview with the Associated Press Friday, June 29, 2007, in St. Petersburg, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara) (Associated Press) Jimmy Wales has been hit with allegations that he abused his position as founder of Wikipedia, the San Francisco Chronicle reports. A former Wikipedia employee, Danny Wool, has claimed on his blog that Wales used his Wikimedia Foundation credit card for personal expenses. Meanwhile, a former girlfriend released chat transcripts between her and Wales that indicate he edited her Wikipedia entry to remove unfavorable information. Executives at Wikimedia Foundation are solidly behind Wales, denying any inappropriate expenses, but an internal email from chairwoman Florence Devouard acquired by the AP indicates otherwise. In it, she chastises Wales for asking them to cover a $1,300 steak dinner tab, despite also reporting to fellow board members that she had convinced the AP that “the money story was a no story.” Read These Next The 8 Democrats who bucked party on shutdown have something in common. Hormone therapy for menopause was unfairly demonized, says the FDA. Here's where things stand in the House ahead of shutdown vote. Merchants could slap new surcharges on certain credit card purchases. Report an error