Key figure at riverfront nonprofit
charged with embezzling millions
DETROIT (AP) — A man who for years controlled the finances at a group that has turned Detroit’s riverfront into a popular attraction was charged Wednesday with embezzling tens of millions of dollars.
William Smith routinely used money from the Detroit Riverfront Conservancy to pay credit card bills for travel, hotels, limousines, household goods, clothing and jewelry, according to a criminal complaint unsealed in federal court.
The fraud is “simply astonishing in scale,” U.S. Attorney Dawn Ison said.
Smith, who was chief financial officer from 2011 until he was fired in May, was charged with bank and wire fraud. A message seeking comment from his attorney was not immediately returned Wednesday.
Smith is accused of stealing $40 million, Ison’s statement said.
Smith has not spoken publicly since the scandal broke on May 14 when the Riverfront Conservancy said he was being placed on leave. He was fired Friday.
The mission of the Riverfront Conservancy is to transform miles of shore along the Detroit River into a place for recreation with plazas, pavilions and green space. The 44-member board of directors is stocked with major business leaders and public officials, who have been stunned by the allegations.
“We each feel a sense of responsibility to overcome this horrific act,” the board said last week.
Attorney discusses
William Smith routinely used money from the Detroit Riverfront Conservancy to pay credit card bills for travel, hotels, limousines, household goods, clothing and jewelry, according to a criminal complaint unsealed in federal court.
The fraud is “simply astonishing in scale,” U.S. Attorney Dawn Ison said.
Smith, who was chief financial officer from 2011 until he was fired in May, was charged with bank and wire fraud. A message seeking comment from his attorney was not immediately returned Wednesday.
Smith is accused of stealing $40 million, Ison’s statement said.
Smith has not spoken publicly since the scandal broke on May 14 when the Riverfront Conservancy said he was being placed on leave. He was fired Friday.
The mission of the Riverfront Conservancy is to transform miles of shore along the Detroit River into a place for recreation with plazas, pavilions and green space. The 44-member board of directors is stocked with major business leaders and public officials, who have been stunned by the allegations.
“We each feel a sense of responsibility to overcome this horrific act,” the board said last week.
Attorney discusses
‘Representing Youth with Trauma’
The Youth Defense Project at the State Appellate Defender Office and Michigan Appellate Assigned Counsel System continues its series of youth defense trainings with a presentation on “Representing Youth with Trauma” online Thursday, June 20, from noon to 1 p.m. via Zoom.
Anyone who has represented children in the juvenile legal system knows that many of them have experienced trauma in their lives, and that trauma can impact what steps we must take to zealously represent them. Attorney Nichollette Hoard will discuss how to best communicate with and effectively represent a child who is dealing with the effects of trauma.
Hoard is a staff attorney with the Judicial Tenure Commission. She previously worked in the Juvenile Delinquency Division at the Washtenaw County Office of the Public Defender. Her work was centered on restoring and assisting young people from a holistic perspective, addressing their behavior and legal troubles but also mental health issues, self-esteem empowerment, family support, housing, education and employment.
This training is restricted to defense attorneys and members of defense teams. To register in advance, visit www.sado.org/go/youthtrauma. For more information contact Josh Pease at jpease@sado. org or 517-334-1205.
Anyone who has represented children in the juvenile legal system knows that many of them have experienced trauma in their lives, and that trauma can impact what steps we must take to zealously represent them. Attorney Nichollette Hoard will discuss how to best communicate with and effectively represent a child who is dealing with the effects of trauma.
Hoard is a staff attorney with the Judicial Tenure Commission. She previously worked in the Juvenile Delinquency Division at the Washtenaw County Office of the Public Defender. Her work was centered on restoring and assisting young people from a holistic perspective, addressing their behavior and legal troubles but also mental health issues, self-esteem empowerment, family support, housing, education and employment.
This training is restricted to defense attorneys and members of defense teams. To register in advance, visit www.sado.org/go/youthtrauma. For more information contact Josh Pease at jpease@sado. org or 517-334-1205.
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