Blue Wraith

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010: Ametit

evergreen

on May 26, 2009

Venture City Society Magazine, May 2009

Spotlight on Jonathan Manor, heir to the Manor Industries empire, by Tony Gerrard.

Despite being interrupted during his very expensive lunch, Jonathan Manor listens politely to the director of a charity as he begins to give his standard plea for funds.

“I will send $20,000 to your charity if you are out of the room in 30 seconds,” Manor told him. The man picked up his charts and was gone. Manor smiled, pulled out a leather checkbook and began scribbling.

Despite his generousity, not just during lunch but all year around, charities stand to gain much more upon his death. At 35, the youngest millionaire in Venture City has announced that he is to give more than 80% of his wealth to good causes.

His first significant move into charitable work followed the murder of District Attorney Keith Blake during the Broadwater Street riots in Old Town in 1998. The young man, barely out of college, offered a $50,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of the killers.

In 1999 he launched Crime Line, which provides confidential telephone lines on which people can leave information about those they suspect of having committed crimes.

The charity celebrated its 10th anniversary with its one millionth call last summer. So far the calls have led to more than 86,000 arrests, the recovery of 102 million dollars worth of stolen property and the seizure of 151 million dollars worth of drugs.