As the fog of alleged political corruption threatens to envelop the City by the Bay, the announcement of charges being filed against both current and former city employees for bribery, misappropriation of public money, and financial conflict of interest comes, according to the District Attorney's Office.
1/ District Attorney @BrookeJenkinsSF announced today that multiple felony charges have been filed against Lanita Henriquez, Director of San Francisco’s Community Challenge Grant Program, and Rudolph Dwayne Jones, founder & president of RDJ Enterprises + a former city employee. pic.twitter.com/vciIPjLray
— SF DISTRICT ATTORNEY (@SFDAOffice) August 29, 2023
Lanita Henriquez, the Director of San Francisco's Community Challenge Grant Program, and Rudolph Dwayne Jones, the founder and president of RDJ Enterprises and a former city employee, have been charged with multiple felony counts. These charges stem from an ongoing investigation by the San Francisco District Attorney's Office Public Integrity Task Force, in collaboration with the Federal Bureau of Investigation's San Francisco Field Office.
District Attorney Brooke Jenkins stated, "The charges announced reflect my office's ongoing commitment to hold public officials accountable when they seek to enrich themselves at the public's expense." She went on to emphasize the importance of the funds allocated to the City's Community Challenge Grant Program, which are meant to benefit the communities of the city and not to line the pockets of government officials. To fight against such corruption, the District Attorney's Office will continue to investigate allegations of misconduct by public officials and employees, working closely with their federal partners.
In the wake of these charges, SFDA District Attorney Investigators and FBI Special Agents have executed search warrants at multiple locations in San Francisco and Alameda Counties, resulting in the arrest of Henriquez while a warrant was issued for Jones' arrest remains outstanding. The criminal complaint alleges that, over a period of four years from July 2016 through July 2020, both parties appropriated public money for their own use and the use of others.
The alleged corruption goes deeper; the complaint claims that Jones paid Henriquez a series of checks totaling $25,000 between February 2017 and October 2018. In her official capacity, Henriquez is also accused of making twenty-three contracts between the City and County of San Francisco and entities controlled by Jones, wherein she had financial interests. These contracts totaled over $1.4 million.
It doesn't end there: an affidavit alleges that leading up to and during the period of these contracts, Henriquez herself received nine checks totaling $32,942 from entities controlled by Jones. Additionally, close associates and family members of Henriquez received forty-eight more checks, amounting to $156,821, from entities controlled by Jones.
Although the charges have been filed, the investigation into this case remains active. The San Francisco District Attorney's Office Special Prosecutions Unit has urged anyone with information to call them at 628.652.4000, with the option to remain anonymous.
