Foursquare Co-Founder Apologizes for Bib Fraud
On Thursday, several runners in the 2014 Boston Marathon came forward claiming they had found photographic evidence of fraudulent bibs being used to gain access to the race’s course. In the aftermath of the story, several others came forward claiming the same thing: their number was being used by a runner other than themselves.
Kathy Brown believed her bib was one of those used for counterfeiting. She had a valid bib for the race but said she found photos of someone else wearing a bib with the same number, WCVB reported.
After looking closely at the photos, Brown said she saw a Twitter handle written on the allegedly counterfeit bib. And after doing some digging, the handle led her to Chelsa Crowley, a fashion writer in New York and the wife of Foursquare co-founder and Medway native Dennis Crowley. Some of the tweets Brown found seemed to indicate the allegations were true.
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Brown contacted WCVB who in turn reached out to the couple. After that, Dennis came forward to admit to and apologize for making and using a fradulent bib for his wife Chelsa.
In a short essay on Crowley’s Medium page, he wrote that he and his wife had “lost perspective.’’
From his message:
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Crowley and his wife participated in last year’s marathon, but were split up shortly before the finish line. She was able to complete the race before two bombs went off on Boylston Street. Crowley, along with thousands of other runners, was held up before the final stretch.
For this year’s race, Crowley was allowed to run again under the Boston Athletic Association’s new rule granting a bib to anyone not able to finish because of the attack last year. But, as Crowley explained in a statement made to WCVB.com, he and his wife wanted to cross the finish line together this year and Chelsa was not granted an automatic bib.
From his apology on WCVB.com:
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In the days leading up to the 2014 Boston Marathon, Crowley posted an essay on his Medium page expressing a strong desire to finish what he started at last year’s race.
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