Dear Hasti Gopal prabhu,
Hare Krishna. All glories to Srila Prabhupada. PAMFO I hope your sadhana and bhajan are going well.
Hey, don’t feel too badly. I gave a $60,000 donation in Jan 78 to NYC temple, asking only for a Patron membership card – which I got, signed by Romapada (president at that time). When I was taking care of Mahati (who I believe Lila Katha prabhu knows), for some years after they made her leave NV, Mahati in 2003 ended up throwing out my card.
The director of Life membership (Narada Rsi, an Indian devotee who was “serving” to get his green card (and rip off money…) directly saw my card when I was in NYC in 1999 and asked for a Patron membership passport (since they had “upgraded” cards at that time to ISKCON “passports”) so he knew directly I had this card. (At that time, he told me “Your card is sufficient. You don’t need an ISKCON “passport”.)
When I wrote to him in 2003 asking for a replacement and explaining why, he said, “You have to ask either (the TP) Ramabhadra or (the GBC) Romapada.” So I emailed both of them MANY times, NEITHER of them replying me. When I saw Narada Rsi in June 2005, even though he was STILL the Life membership director, he told me, “I’m not allowed to issue a replacement. You know how things work Mataji.
You have to ask Romapada, so I went to Romapada (at that time in 2005), and asked. I reminded him that he had signed the card in 1978 as the TP. Romapada admitted that he was indeed the TP at that time, but he would not issue a replacement card.
I had donated a lot more money to ISKCON, but no need to go into all of that.
If there’s any “consolation” to you or any other devotee here (in terms of whatever money they’ve given in payment for an ISKCON life or patron membership), there are quite a number of other devotees, INCLUDING FROM INDIA who have gotten ripped off in various ways; some losing a card and their being refused a replacement. Even in SOME ISKCON temples when a person HAS (SHOWS) their card, it will NOT!!! be honored. Apparently ISKCON is quite notorious for their garbage, even in relation to cheating people who have paid for life or patron memberships.
Ultimately this and any other donations (where we simply gave, not taking anything in return), we were giving in good faith to Srila Prabhupada and Krishna, so They know this…
At least now we can be more intelligent to not give it directly to these “in-charges,” (many of whom are pocketing it for themselves!!! I give for Krishna’s cows, and purchase Srila Prabhupada’s original books and give them to people, as well as using laksmi to purchase bhoga, offer to Krishna and give out Prasadam).
It’s definitely a SAD FACT though, that there is such DIShonesty, that we have to be thinking like this: How to NOT give here or there, so that it will be used FOR Krishna!!!
And why not go to the temple to take Sri Sri Radha-Ksircor Gopinatha’s Prasadam? (Maybe They’ve giving you an “excuse” so that you will go there and honor Their remnants.) 
I hope all is going well.
May we be safely situated under the shelter of Srila Prabhupada’s Lotus Feet, Those of our Guru Varga, the Vaisnavas, and Sri Sri Radha and Krishna.
With love,
Your’s in service,
B. Radha-Govinda
Hare Krishna
When my grandfather died I received something like a heirship, a cheque of 30,000 dollars. As a brahmacari I went to our GBC, at that time, Suhotra Swami, who put the cheque in his front pocket and said, thanks!
Later on I heard that he would spent all this money on a fancy car (black limousine) and to fullfill his heart’s desire, a portable home theatre. Wherever he travelled he would take with him this equipment, extra servant and a large Hollywood Movie Collection.
In the evening he used to put up a professional window covering to prevent that others see that till midnight in the sannyasi’s room, there is a cinema show going on.
Although his servants/disciples would soon become aware of that their guru was indulging in kind of strange habit he didn’t want to miss. This went on for years. He eventually also had a philosophical explanation why he needed to watch these movies to deepen his KC.
Wherever he went, his disciples/servants were seen of carrying big cases of equipment even in Vrindavan- and Mayapur Dham at Janmastami/Gaura Purnima – huge portable movie theatre. The movie collection always increasing………
In sum, although the GBC cannot be so stupid of not having noticed this strange anartha of an ISKCON guru/ sannyasi/GBC, they deliberately looked the other way. Finally Krishna had to stop this screening, the show was over.
At that time I figured, if I could, I would have asked my money back. Anyway, I donated as B. Radha Govinda is saying above, Giving in good Faith to Srila Prabhupada and Krishna………..
My advise when donating to ISKCON leaders, make sure that your money isn’t used for private purpose.
“Within this universe, the Supreme Persoanlity of Godhead in His supersoul feature is present everywhere, wherever there are animate or inanimate beings. Therefore, one should accept ony that which is allotted to him; one should not desire to infringe upon the property of others” SB 8.10.1
HDG Srila Prabhupada ; Since all property belongs to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, everything should be offered to the Lord, and we should take only prasad, tena tyaktena bhunjithah, We should not fight among ourselves to take more than we need. As Narada said to Maharajah Yudhistira;
“One may claim proprietorship to as much wealth as required to maintain body and soul together, but one who desires proprietorship over more than that must be considered a thief, and he deserves to be punished by the laws of nature” SB 7.14.8