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Flashback: Watch ‘Fraud’ Author of Three Cups of Tea in First Media Interview From 8 Years Ago

Greg Mortenson, the once-acclaimed author of the bestselling book Three Cups of Tea, is somewhat less than acclaimed these days, as you probably have heard. Mortenson’s book has been dubbed a fraud—a “fabrication“—and he himself has come under endless amounts of criticism of late.

If you haven’t heard of Three Cups of Tea, or are unfamiliar with the controversy, allow me to update you:

“Three Cups of Tea” was released in 2006 and sold more than 3 million copies. That notoriety helped Mortenson grow the Central Asia Institute by generating more than $50 million in donations, Krakauer said.

According to the charity’s website, it has “successfully established over 170 schools” and helped educate over 68,000 students, with an emphasis on girls’ education.

Krakauer, author of “Into the Wild,” cast doubt on Mortenson’s story of being lost in 1993 while mountain climbing in rural Pakistan and stumbling upon the village of Korphe, where the residents helped him recuperate and he promised to build a school. Krakauer called it a “myth.”

“Mortenson has lied about the noble deeds he has done, the risks he has taken, the people he has met, the number of schools he has built,“ Krakauer wrote in the recently published ”Three Cups of Deceit.”

Flashback: Watch Fraud Author of Three Cups of Tea in First Media Interview From 8 Years Ago

Nicholas Kristof of the New York Times sums up the recent controversy over the book:

And now his life’s work is tottering after a “60 Minutes” exposé and an online booklet by Jon Krakauer, a onetime supporter. Greg is accused of many offenses: misstating how he got started building schools; lying about a dramatic kidnapping; exaggerating how many schools he has built and operates; and using his charity, the Central Asia Institute, “as his personal A.T.M.” The attorney general of Montana, where his charity is based, has opened an inquiry into the allegations.

Mortenson may face a legal challenge, and he may be liable for over $20 million in back taxes.

Responding to this, Chris Barrett of KBC Media, a public relations firm, e-mailed The Blaze this week. Barrett sent us a recently digitized video clip from Mortenson’s first global interview on CNN International, from 2003. KBC Media “was the first group working with Greg Mortenson in his efforts to take his story to a national and international level,” Barrett tells us.

Barrett recalls his experience working with Mortenson back in those days, saying, “It just seems odd this would all be fabricated so early on in his quest. He was one of the nicest and sincere people I have had the opportunity to work and speak with.”

More from Barrett:

We garnered Greg his first global interview on CNN International in July of 2003. I sat with Greg in Washington, DC before that appearance and he talked to me for over an hour telling us all of his stories from getting turned down from almost every celebrity he asked for donations from except a single $100 donation from Tom Brokaw to being held hostage for eight days then befriending his captors. In fact, he discussed with me personally how it takes three cups of tea to gain trust within their culture. This was years before he even knew he was going to write his book Three Cups of Tea.

It just seems odd this would all be fabricated so early on in his quest. He was one of the nicest and sincere people I have had the opportunity to work and speak with. He even invited me on a trip to Afghanistan, but at the time I had to turn it down. We took Greg on as a client because he had an amazing mission to share with the world and a lot of good to do. We thought by assisting with the national and international PR that we would be able to do our part to help the children of Afghanistan and Pakistan. This all seemed very genuine at the time we worked with Greg. I personally will feel disheartened if it turns out to be a fabrication.

Here is the CNN International clip:

Comments (29)

  • junkmaninohio
    Posted on April 22, 2011 at 3:50pm

    This guy graduated from the Jim and Tammy Fay Baker school of fraud and deceit. Dispicable to use children as a cause to further his lavish lifestyle. But then again, Bernie Madoff did the same thing. People committed suicide because of that.

    Report Post »  
  • pat
    Posted on April 22, 2011 at 11:29am

    our book club read this book about 4 years ago. i didnt like it (everyone else ‘loved it;) and didnt read more than a few chapters. it stunk from the getgo and i wasnt aware of his politics. im glad its out that it may be fabricated-i will feel vendicated. as we are all aware, lying is the order of the day! everywhere! sad, sad, sad but true

    Report Post »  
  • Zaggynuts
    Posted on April 21, 2011 at 11:37pm

    Who would have thought that we can‘t just take someone’s word concerning information about their past or past deeds.

    Report Post » Zaggynuts  
  • ShiningRadiance
    Posted on April 21, 2011 at 11:11pm

    Recently, at my college, there was an event of “Three Cups Of Tea”.

    I didn’t attend, but I did have to go to the workshop (some feel-good session about understanding and touchy-feely sharing each others’ pasts. ugh) for a class’s credit, basically. I heard nothing like this story, and I’m glad TheBlaze shared this.

    I’m in Vermont now, so there’s obviously going to be many cases of leftist indoctrination in the school system here.

    Report Post » ShiningRadiance  
  • TouchStoneMT
    Posted on April 21, 2011 at 10:51pm

    …and don’t forget that the current AG here in Montana is a leftist twerp………

    Report Post » TouchStoneMT  
  • TouchStoneMT
    Posted on April 21, 2011 at 10:50pm

    What if he’s innocent?
    His “Three Cups” book is recommended reading for military officers headed to A’stan, mainly because it helps them better understand the mind-set of the locals.

    Since when are you people so trusting of the accusations of the media?

    Report Post » TouchStoneMT  
  • Mainer forever
    Posted on April 21, 2011 at 9:08pm

    It was a good book…too bad he lied. This makes me sad. I really believed it.

    Report Post » Mainer forever  
  • Cynic-clinic
    Posted on April 21, 2011 at 6:50pm

    This whole story has a mild odor about it. The Islam people, mostly the Taliban, are opposed to the education of females. That begs the question, how did he accomplish such an education agenda in 2 Islamic countries without getting his head lopped off??? Just askin–

    Report Post »  
  • Greenguys11
    Posted on April 21, 2011 at 6:49pm

    You people should be ashamed of yourselves! Since when do you believe “anything” that comes out of CBS. I mean how terrible is this guy for devoting his life to helping these kids? I’ve seen nothing that 60 Minutes reported that changes my mind about Greg Mortenson! 60 Minutes needs to hang their heads for making a mountain out of nothing, even if these things are true, which I don’t believe they are. The media once again shows their colors, doing anything to make a story, even if it hurts someone or our country. People have their lives ruined can never get their reputations back, even if falsely accused and what does the media care, they hyped a story and made some money!

    Its disgusting, like most of these comments!

    Report Post »  
    • Hungry_i
      Posted on April 21, 2011 at 7:38pm

      Have you read Krakauer’s “Three Cups of Deceit’? It’s a free download. Mortenson was the liberal anti-Bush posterboy who fabricated most of his accomplishments. Too bad, really.

      Report Post » Hungry_i  
  • high school drop out
    Posted on April 21, 2011 at 6:48pm

    Let me phrase this like my son would..“The dude is slime”!!!!!

    Report Post »  
  • EdBoo
    Posted on April 21, 2011 at 6:09pm

    Yet another liberal scamming federal and state government tax laws and our citizenry.

    I will be surprised to see any of this drivel show up on MSMBC and CNN. “He’s one if us you know!” will be heard in planning meetings. LOL

    Report Post »  
  • Hungry_i
    Posted on April 21, 2011 at 6:07pm

    I think the motive behind the scheme was political, not humanitarian: Mortenson wanted to contrast his essentially liberal ideals as to how to handle the problem of Islamic militancy verses conservative ones. Trouble was, he had to lie to make it appear to work.

    Report Post » Hungry_i  
  • rugin
    Posted on April 21, 2011 at 5:57pm

    I also thought it was a fraud when I read the book. He talks about living in a car, homeless, and yet he was a ER nurse working nights and doing double shifts. ER, working nights at a major Medical Center are NOT POOR and living in a car. In SF they make over $60,000. He was single for goodness sakes! I tried to post a question on his facebook page but he never answered.

    Report Post »  
    • BenInNY
      Posted on April 21, 2011 at 6:13pm

      It might depend on the area he was living in -
      Take the cost of living in NYC for example – a studio apartment can go for anywhere from $1000 to way way more a month depending on the area. NY is a hard place to maintain a bank account.

      Report Post » BenInNY  
  • eat-more-bacon-USA
    Posted on April 21, 2011 at 5:47pm

    Who? Why?

    Report Post » eat-more-bacon-USA  
  • NSDQ
    Posted on April 21, 2011 at 5:37pm

    How is this currently relevant ? Blaze your reporting as of late has been slipping, this story is worth the rehash.

    NSDQ  
  • ED4237
    Posted on April 21, 2011 at 5:27pm

    The road to hell is paved with good intentions.

    Report Post »  
  • Whirling Dervish
    Posted on April 21, 2011 at 5:26pm

    Wait until my wife finds out about this.

    Report Post » Whirling Dervish  
  • ozchambers
    Posted on April 21, 2011 at 5:25pm

    Why the fascination with this guy?

    Report Post » ozchambers  
    • cheezwhiz
      Posted on April 21, 2011 at 5:34pm

      It just seems odd this would all be fabricated so early on in his quest.
      ———————–
      hehehehehehe…..atleast it wasn’t a birth announcement in some Hawaiin newspaper

      Report Post » cheezwhiz  
    • BetterDays
      Posted on April 21, 2011 at 5:41pm

      @Cheeze
      Oh now you didn’t, oh yes you did!….lol

      Report Post »  
    • Darmok and Jalad at Tanagra
      Posted on April 21, 2011 at 5:47pm

      After I finish my beer I can make him 3 cups of “Tea”. It will be warm though.

      Report Post » Darmok and Jalad at Tanagra  
    • Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
      Posted on April 21, 2011 at 5:50pm

      Lets go after this crook and the largest crooks within the reaches of DC:

      Obama, the progressives, the czars, and all the others who are criminals in regards to the law of the land and especially the Constitution.

      Report Post » Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}  
    • Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
      Posted on April 21, 2011 at 5:56pm

      @Darmok:

      Just leave the mandrake roots out of it, along with the foxglove – nasty stuff.

      Tell him the tea was prepared by Pelosi and he is to be handed over to Napoletano for some “private airport scanner screenings” by her personally. The effect should be worth it.

      Report Post » Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}  
    • Kenzington
      Posted on April 21, 2011 at 7:04pm

      Clearly you have not read the book…otherwise you would understand..

      Report Post »  

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