Nonprofit director of Oakland boxing gym who got $50K from Currys accused of embezzlement

(KRON) — In a 2019 segment on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, Stephen and Ayesha Curry helped one Oakland nonprofit with a surprise. The Currys donated a plethora of gifts for the kids at the East Oakland Boxing Association (EOBA), including a $50,000 cash donation.

It turns out that a former executive director of the nonprofit, 38-year-old Oakland man Howard Solomon, is part of a scheme that defrauded the East Oakland Boxing Association, according to the United States Department of Justice (DOJ). Solomon was leading the nonprofit when the Currys stopped by the gym a little more than five years ago.

Solomon is charged with mail fraud and tax evasion in a scheme against his former employer, a DOJ press release on Monday announced. Solomon served as executive director for the nonprofit from 2017 until April 2021 — a job that includes responsibilities of “managing daily operations, soliciting contributions and fundraising, managing program and staff, overseeing budget and finances, and community outreach.”

According to the DOJ, Solomon embezzled money from the nonprofit for personal use. He is accused of using the nonprofit’s money to pay for a vacation rental property, his Amazon orders and a Ford Explorer SUV.

Solomon is also accused of depositing the $50,000 donation from the Currys into his personal bank account, the DOJ said. The ex-nonprofit leader allegedly falsified his taxes from 2018-2021.

If convicted, Solomon faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a fine of $250,000 or “twice the value of the property involved in the transactions for the count of mail fraud and five years in prison and a fine of $100,000 for each count of tax evasion,” the DOJ’s press release said.

The EOBA was founded in 1987 and has a mission to help kids grow in areas more than just the boxing ring. It aims to serve kids’ wellness in the classroom, home and in the community.

​(KRON) — In a 2019 segment on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, Stephen and Ayesha Curry helped one Oakland nonprofit with a surprise. The Currys donated a plethora of gifts for the kids at the East Oakland Boxing Association (EOBA), including a $50,000 cash donation. It turns out that a former executive director of the nonprofit, […]