Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost has filed a lawsuit against Lamb’s House, a nonprofit based in Columbiana County, alleging misuse of charitable funds and allowing its board president to live on the organization’s property without paying rent.
“This nonprofit has served no charitable purpose for years, operating only as a personal ATM and a source of free housing for its president,” Yost said. “The jig is up.”
The lawsuit requests the dissolution of Lamb’s House, which is located in Rogers, Ohio. It also seeks the appointment of a receiver to manage the remaining assets of the nonprofit. The complaint names Mark Altomare, who serves as president and is also the founder and sole employee of Lamb’s House, along with two board members. The allegations include unjust enrichment, breach of fiduciary duty, and violations of state laws governing charities.
Lamb’s House was established in 2002 as a ministry focused on addiction recovery support. The organization owns 43 acres containing a nine-bedroom house, a large commercial building measuring 13,000 square feet, and two barns.
According to court documents filed by Yost’s office, Lamb’s House has not provided any charitable services since at least 2017. While it previously claimed to offer housing for individuals recovering from addiction, the property has reportedly been used solely as Altomare’s residence in recent years.
Altomare is accused of using tens of thousands of dollars from the nonprofit for personal expenses such as food, gasoline, utility bills—including Hulu subscriptions—and other costs.
“Board members gave board president Altomare a blank check to help himself to the funds and assets of Lamb’s House,” Yost’s lawsuit says. “In turn he reported personal expenses as charitable programming expenses without any substantiation, depleting the charity’s assets.”
The Charitable Law Section within the Attorney General’s Office brought forward this case. This section enforces state regulations that oversee nonprofits and aims to protect donations made by Ohio residents.
Individuals who suspect fraud or misuse within charitable organizations are encouraged to submit complaints through https://charitable.ohioago.gov or by calling 800-282-0515.
