Contents
- Purpose
- Methodology
- Governance & Sensitive Documents
- Personnel & PII Exposure
- Financial Documents
- Wayback Machine Archive
- Certificate Transparency
- Funding & Contract Records
- Legal & Regulatory Records
- Infrastructure & Technical Surface
- Disaster & Environmental
- Media & Public Narrative
- Risk Summary
- Recommendations
- What This Means
Purpose
This audit maps the publicly indexed digital footprint of DeSales Media Group, Inc. across IRS nonprofit databases, state charitable registries, certificate transparency logs, the Wayback Machine, federal funding databases, court record indexes, DNS infrastructure, FEMA disaster records, and the entity's own web properties.
What can anyone with a search engine learn about your organization in 30 minutes?
For a nonprofit media organization operating television, print, and digital properties under a church-classified tax exemption, the question is particularly pointed: your church status shields you from mandatory financial disclosure, but it does not shield you from the cumulative picture assembled by certificate transparency logs, B2B data aggregators, archived web pages, and federal funding databases.
Methodology
Data sources queried:
- Google advanced search operators (site:, filetype:, intitle:, inurl:)
- Wayback Machine CDX API (web.archive.org)
- Certificate Transparency logs (crt.sh)
- DNS records (A, MX, NS, TXT, CNAME)
- USASpending.gov, HHS TAGGS, GovTribe
- ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer, GuideStar/Candid, Instrumentl, Charity Navigator
- Court record indexes (Justia, CourtListener, JudyRecords)
- FEMA disaster declarations, EPA ECHO
- News indexes and wire services
Governance & Sensitive Documents
Queries used
"DeSales Media" filetype:pdf "confidential" OR "internal" OR "not for distribution"
"DeSales Media" filetype:pdf "agreement" OR "contract" OR "memorandum"No confidential, internal, or contractual documents attributable to DeSales Media Group were found indexed in public search results.
Assessment: CLEAN
Summary: No governance documents have leaked to third-party hosts. This is a positive finding indicating good document hygiene.
Personnel & PII Exposure
Queries used
"DeSales Media" filetype:csv OR filetype:xlsx "employee" OR "roster" OR "directory"
"DeSales Media" filetype:pdf "staff list" OR "phone directory" OR "org chart"| # | Document | Hosted On | Risk | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Employee profiles | rocketreach.co | Low | B2B intelligence aggregator with employee lookup |
| 2 | Management/employee list | datanyze.com | Low | Sales intelligence platform with personnel data |
| 3 | Org chart | theorg.com | Low | Public organizational chart |
| 4 | Company overview | zoominfo.com | Low | URL slug references "Our Lady of Sorrows Catholic Academy" — entity conflation |
| 5 | Contact details | leadiq.com | Low | Sales prospecting tool |
Assessment: LOW
Summary: No employee rosters or directories were found in document form. However, personnel data is aggregated across at least 5 third-party B2B intelligence platforms. The ZoomInfo listing shows entity conflation with "Our Lady of Sorrows Catholic Academy."
Financial Documents
Queries used
"DeSales Media Group" filetype:pdf "budget" OR "revenue" OR "expenditure" OR "salary"
"DeSales Media Group" filetype:pdf "audit" OR "financial statement" OR "annual report" OR "990"
"DeSales Media Group" "990" OR "Form 990" OR "tax exempt"| # | Document | Hosted On | Risk | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 990 Report | instrumentl.com | Medium | Third-party aggregation of financial data |
| 2 | GuideStar Profile | guidestar.org | Low | Standard nonprofit directory (EIN 11-2613196) |
| 3 | Candid Profile | candid.org | Low | Standard nonprofit directory |
| 4 | TaxExemptWorld profile | taxexemptworld.com | Low | Address, EIN confirmed |
| 5 | Catholic Foundation — Media funding | catholicfoundationbq.org | Low | References DeSales as beneficiary |
Key finding: DeSales Media Group is classified as a 501(c)(3) Church. Under IRS rules, churches and their integrated auxiliaries are not required to file Form 990. Financial transparency is voluntary.
Assessment: LOW
Summary: The church classification shields the organization from mandatory Form 990 disclosure. Financial exposure is limited to what third-party aggregators have assembled. No budget documents, salary schedules, or audit reports were found indexed.
Wayback Machine Archive
Domain queried: desalesmedia.org
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Total unique pages archived | 3,363 |
| Total unique PDFs/documents archived | 48 |
| Earliest snapshot | 2013-01-17 |
| Most recent snapshot | 2019-10-05 (main index; PDFs through 2025) |
| Hosting platform detected | WordPress (wp-content, wp-admin, wp-json, Formidable Forms, Yoast) |
Notable archived paths
| # | URL | Type | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | /alertsystem/soeadministrators/ | Admin page | School emergency alert system — administrators portal |
| 2 | /alertsystem/soemembers/ | Admin page | Alert system SOE members portal |
| 3 | /alertsystem/principals/ | Admin page | Alert system principals interface |
| 4 | /alertsystem/faculty-staff/ | Admin page | Alert system faculty/staff interface |
| 5 | /wp-json/frm-admin/v1/install | API endpoint | Formidable Forms admin install endpoint |
| 6 | /wp-login.php | Login | WordPress login page archived |
| 7 | MediaKit 2025 | Current media kit with ad rates, contacts, audience data | |
| 8 | Discipleship Study | Proprietary research study | |
| 9 | /careers/ | Page | 14 historical job listings revealing team structure |
| 10 | /case_studies-sitemap.xml | Sitemap | Reveals custom post type for client case studies |
Assessment: MEDIUM
Summary: The archive reveals organizational infrastructure including an emergency alert system with role-based portals, exposed WordPress admin REST API endpoints, and a library of media kits containing advertising rates and audience demographics. The most intelligence-rich assets are the annual media kits (2018–2025).
Certificate Transparency
Domain analyzed: desalesmedia.org
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Total certificates found | 438 |
| Certificate issuers | Let's Encrypt, Google Trust Services, GoDaddy, Cloudflare |
| Earliest certificate | 2021-07-18 |
| Most recent certificate | 2026-03-29 |
| Wildcard certs? | No |
| Renewal pattern | Mixed: 90-day automated + annual manual |
Subdomains Discovered via SANs
| # | Subdomain | First Seen | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | desalesmedia.org | 2021-07 | Primary domain |
| 2 | www.desalesmedia.org | 2021-07 | Standard www |
| 3 | intranet.desalesmedia.org | 2021-09 | Internal portal — Google-hosted |
| 4 | support.desalesmedia.org | 2021-07 | IT helpdesk/ticketing |
| 5 | it.desalesmedia.org | 2023-05 | IT management portal |
| 6 | portal.desalesmedia.org | 2023-03 | Staff/member portal — Google-hosted |
| 7 | email.desalesmedia.org | 2023-03 | Email gateway |
| 8 | mail.desalesmedia.org | 2024-05 | Mail server — GoDaddy |
| 9 | calendar.desalesmedia.org | 2025-02 | Calendar service |
| 10 | ad.desalesmedia.org | 2025-02 | Active Directory or advertising |
| 11 | medianet.desalesmedia.org | 2025-10 | Internal media network |
| 12 | xpressiongw101.desalesmedia.org | 2025-10 | Xpression CG gateway (broadcast graphics) |
| 13 | overdrive1.desalesmedia.org | 2025-10 | Video/streaming infrastructure (primary) |
| 14 | overdrive2.desalesmedia.org | 2025-10 | Video/streaming infrastructure (secondary) |
| 15 | overdrive1bkup.desalesmedia.org | 2025-10 | Overdrive backup node 1 |
| 16 | overdrive2bkup.desalesmedia.org | 2025-10 | Overdrive backup node 2 |
| 17 | chromebook.desalesmedia.org | 2022-11 | Device management — EXPIRED |
| 18 | dialpad.desalesmedia.org | 2022-11 | VoIP/communications — EXPIRED |
| 19 | ipad.desalesmedia.org | 2022-11 | Device management — EXPIRED |
Assessment: MEDIUM
Summary: 19 subdomains discovered reflecting a professional broadcast media operation with dedicated video infrastructure (Overdrive streaming nodes with redundant backups, Xpression CG broadcast graphics), internal IT systems, and a multi-vendor hosting strategy across 4 certificate authorities. The lack of wildcard certificates means every subdomain is individually visible in CT logs.
Funding & Contract Records
Queries used
site:usaspending.gov "DeSales Media"
"DeSales Media" "990" site:propublica.org/nonprofits
"DeSales Media Group" "$" "million" grant OR contract OR award
"DeSales Media" donor OR foundation OR philanthropyUSASpending Recipient Profile: Not found — DeSales Media does not appear as a direct federal award recipient.
| # | Record | Source | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | PPP Loan (forgiven) | FederalPay/SBA | $1.39M | COVID-era PPP, fully forgiven |
| 2 | FEMA lobbying for Diocese | Schneps Media | $18M | Post-Hurricane Sandy; Diocese was recipient |
| 3 | NYSERDA energy rebate | Unknown | State energy grant | |
| 4 | NYC Council discretionary funding | Unknown | City-level funding | |
| 5 | SFC Tech Grant (as grantor) | St. Francis College | ~$3,050/student | DeSales provided iPads to SFC students |
| 6 | Catholic Foundation funding | Catholic Foundation BQ | Unknown | Ongoing grantee |
Key: Charity Navigator profile carries a March 2026 advisory citing Times Union reporting on illegal campaign contributions.
Assessment: MEDIUM
Summary: Confirmed $1.39M forgiven PPP loan and indirect access to $18M in FEMA funds secured for the Diocese. Church exemption means financial portfolio is only partially reconstructable. The Charity Navigator campaign contribution advisory warrants attention.
Legal & Regulatory Records
Queries used
"DeSales Media Group" site:law.justia.com
"DeSales Media" lawsuit OR litigation OR complaint
"DeSales Media Group" "articles of incorporation"
"DeSales Media" site:federalregister.govCorporate Formation
| # | Resource | Source | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | NY DOS Filing — DOS ID #678455 | NY Secretary of State | Filed Feb 10, 1981. Active domestic not-for-profit. 1712 Tenth Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11215. |
Litigation
| # | Case | Source | Type | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dobrosmylov v. Desales Media Group, Inc., No. 1:19-cv-05122 | E.D.N.Y. | Employment | Filed 2019. Outcome not publicly available. |
Assessment: LOW
Summary: Incorporated in New York since 1981. One federal employment lawsuit (2019) identified with no public reporting of outcome. No consent decrees, enforcement actions, or Federal Register mentions.
Infrastructure & Technical Surface
Domain analyzed: desalesmedia.org
| Record | Value | Significance |
|---|---|---|
| A | 23.185.0.2 | Hosting: Pantheon |
| MX | aspmx.l.google.com (+5 alternates) | Email: Google Workspace |
| NS | ns45/46.domaincontrol.com | DNS: GoDaddy |
| SPF | Includes Google, Microsoft 365, HubSpot | Multi-vendor email auth |
| DMARC | v=DMARC1; p=none | Monitor-only — not enforcing |
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Hosting platform | Pantheon (WordPress) — live-desales-redesign-2020.pantheonsite.io |
| Domain type | .org (nonprofit) |
| Email provider | Google Workspace (primary), Microsoft 365 (secondary) |
| CDN | Fastly (via Pantheon) |
| Marketing tools | HubSpot CRM/email |
| Internal comms | Meta Workplace, Google Sites intranet |
| Security headers | Partial — HSTS weak (max-age=300); missing CSP, X-Frame-Options |
Assessment: LOW
Summary: Professionally managed WordPress on Pantheon with Google Workspace email, HubSpot marketing, and Meta Workplace. Main gaps: DMARC not enforcing, HSTS max-age only 5 minutes, missing standard security headers.
Disaster & Environmental
Entity-specific finding: DeSales Media Group filed a FEMA Public Assistance claim under FEMA-4480-DR (COVID-19) for distributing food, PPE, and iPads. The claim was denied on first appeal and denied on second appeal.
Jurisdiction-level FEMA Declarations (Kings County)
| # | Declaration | Date | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | FEMA-4755-DR | 2024-01-30 | Severe Storm/Flooding |
| 2 | FEMA-4615-DR | 2021-09-05 | Hurricane Ida |
| 3 | FEMA-4480-DR | 2020-03-20 | COVID-19 |
| 4 | FEMA-4085-DR | 2012-10-30 | Hurricane Sandy |
| 5 | FEMA-1391-DR | 2001-09-11 | September 11 |
Assessment: CLEAN
Summary: No EPA records and no disaster damage history. The one FEMA PA claim (COVID-19) was denied. Brooklyn has experienced 12+ FEMA declarations, most notably Hurricane Sandy (2012).
Media & Public Narrative
Leadership Identified
| # | Name | Role | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Most Rev. Nicholas DiMarzio | Founding Bishop (Emeritus) | Diocese of Brooklyn |
| 2 | Msgr. Kieran E. Harrington | Founder, Former President | RiseBoro bio — now CEO elsewhere |
| 3 | Bill O'Brien | Interim CEO | desalesmedia.org |
| 4 | Bob Sharp | ED of Technology & Operations | desalesmedia.org |
| 5 | Vincent LeVien | Director of External Affairs | desalesmedia.org |
| 6 | Darcy Reyes | Director of Finance | desalesmedia.org |
| 7 | William Maier | Chief Operating Officer | Wikipedia |
Media Properties Operated
- NET TV — 24/7 Catholic television (Spectrum Ch. 97, Optimum Ch. 30, Fios Ch. 548)
- Currents News — First nightly Catholic newscast in the US
- The Tablet — Weekly newspaper since 1908, 78K circulation
- Nuestra Voz — Monthly Spanish-language newspaper
- Catholic Telemedia Network — Educational media for diocesan schools (50+ years)
Notable: Charity Navigator carries a March 2026 advisory citing a Times Union report listing DeSales Media Group among nonprofits implicated in illegal campaign contributions.
Assessment: MEDIUM
Summary: Substantial multi-platform media operation in leadership transition. Founder has departed; CEO role is interim. The Charity Navigator advisory regarding campaign contributions warrants monitoring.
Risk Summary
Scorecard
| Category | Assessment |
|---|---|
| Governance & Sensitive Documents | CLEAN |
| Personnel & PII Exposure | LOW |
| Financial Documents | LOW |
| Wayback Machine Archive | MEDIUM |
| Certificate Transparency | MEDIUM |
| Funding & Contract Records | MEDIUM |
| Legal & Regulatory | LOW |
| Infrastructure & Technical Surface | LOW |
| Disaster & Environmental | CLEAN |
| Media & Public Narrative | MEDIUM |
DeSales Media Group presents a paradox: it benefits from church-classified tax exemption that shields it from mandatory financial disclosure, yet its technical and media footprint is extensive enough that substantial organizational intelligence is reconstructable through certificate transparency logs, archived web content, federal funding databases, and B2B aggregator platforms.
Recommendations
Immediate Actions
- Review the Charity Navigator advisory regarding campaign contributions and prepare a response if the underlying Times Union reporting gains traction.
- Enforce DMARC policy — change from
p=nonetop=quarantineorp=rejectto prevent email spoofing. - Increase HSTS max-age from 300 seconds to 31536000 (1 year) to properly enforce HTTPS.
- Audit the ZoomInfo listing — correct entity conflation with "Our Lady of Sorrows Catholic Academy."
- Remove archived alert system portals from the Wayback Machine if they contained access controls.
Ongoing Monitoring
- Certificate transparency monitoring — subscribe to CT log alerts for desalesmedia.org to detect unauthorized subdomain certificates.
- B2B aggregator audits — periodically review RocketReach, ZoomInfo, Datanyze, and LeadIQ for accuracy.
- Charity Navigator profile — monitor for updates to the advisory status.
Strategic Considerations
- Church classification awareness — while the 990 exemption limits financial exposure, it also limits the ability to demonstrate transparency to donors and partners.
- Subdomain hygiene — the 3 expired Cloudflare subdomains should be formally decommissioned to prevent DNS hijacking.
- Brand namespace — the "DeSales" name is shared with DeSales University, creating potential brand confusion.
What This Means
Donor and grant transparency means your funding portfolio, tax filings, and program outcomes are publicly assembled in ways that shape how funders and the public perceive your organization. For DeSales Media Group, the church-classified exemption from Form 990 disclosure creates a deliberate opacity around finances — but it does not prevent the reconstruction of organizational intelligence from certificate transparency logs, federal disaster filings, archived web content, and business intelligence aggregators. The question is not whether this information is available, but whether you are managing the narrative it creates.