Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez on Tuesday said a former employee of a Brooklyn-based nonprofit that supports Black Trans people was indicted for grand larceny and falsifying business records for allegedly siphoning money meant to bail individuals out of jail.
The DA identified the defendant as Dominique Morgan, 42, of Atlanta, Ga., according to a press release. Morgan, a former executive director at OKRA Project, a nonprofit that provides mutual aid and other resources to the national Black Trans community, allegedly used the money that was allocated for bail on personal expenses.
Between July 14, 2022, and July 27, 2022, the defendant had approximately $99,000 transferred to her personal account in order to purportedly use those funds to pay for bail. Instead, she used the money on a $19,000 California Closet renovation, car payments for a Mercedes Benz, purchases at apparel stores and other expenses including meals, the press release said.
When asked by OKRA for proof of the payments toward bail, she allegedly submitted purported bail receipts for 23 individuals who were supposedly arrested in Fulton County, Ga., and Douglas County, Neb. An audit by OKRA revealed that those receipts were fraudulent and that no such persons were arrested in those counties at the time.
“The theft of nonprofit funds deprives communities of critical resources, erodes public trust, and cheats donors who give in good faith," Gonzalez said. "The defendant in this case allegedly stole bail funds meant to secure pre-trial release of indigent defendants, instead using the money for personal benefit.
Morgan was charged with one count of second-degree grand larceny and 23 counts of first-degree falsifying business records.
The Okra Project terminated Morgn's employment in August 2022 after financial discrepancies were uncovered, said Gabrielle Souza, the current executive director. The incident prompted the Okra Project to contact the Brooklyn District Attorney's Office, which launched its own investigation into the matter, a statement from Souza said on Instagram.
"The Okra Project stands firm in our comittment to those we serve and to our donors, remaining steadfast in our mission to provide essential support and advocacy," Souza said.
