A "bogus" domestic violence resource center, which has solicited donations claiming to help abuse victims, has been ordered to shut down, Attorney General Chris Koster said Thursday.

Battered Mother's Resource Fund, Inc., a non-profit owned by Phillip Baney, of Fulton, Mo., is supposed to shut down its website and cease solicitation activities immediately. The non-profit, which was started in 2004, has until Oct. 31 to dissolve, according to Koster's office.

The center solicited donations, claiming to provide numerous services to victims of domestic violence when it actually did nothing for those victims, Koster said in a press release.

Koster lamented that the organization "may have prevented domestic violence victims from reaching out for legitimate assistance by claiming that most domestic violence shelters separate mothers from their children. This is not true, and it is a dangerous statement that could keep a domestic violence victim from seeking assistance for fear of losing her children."

An investigation showed that the center falsely claimed to provide advertised services for victims of domestic violence, including Freedom Ranch, a place that was supposed to help children; a 24-hour crisis hot line with experienced counselors; a national database of service providers; and the Mother's Assistance Fund, which was said to provide financial assistance to victims (no grant has ever been awarded).

In an online advertisement for Freedom Ranch, the Battered Mother's Resource Fund wrote: "Join us in providing a safe haven for battered mothers and their children. A place where abusers cannot reach their victims, and where the abused can recover and gain the strength and skills to go forward as productive members of society."

Baney could not immediately reached for comment. It is unclear how much money his organization solicited.