The former head of a nonprofit that worked closely with the San Francisco Police Department faces a litany of felony charges. Kyra Worthy, ex-executive director of SF SAFE, was arrested and charged with a massive embezzlement scheme that involved stealing more than $700,000 of public funds, according to a press release from the San Francisco District Attorney's Office.
An intensive investigation by the DA's Public Integrity Task Force uncovered Worthy's alleged misuse of funds over a period that spanned her tenure at the nonprofit. The 49-year-old former director from Richmond abused public money through various schemes, including submitting fraudulent invoices, theft, wage theft of SF SAFE employees, and engaging in "check kiting," as detailed by authorities. In response to these allegations, District Attorney Brooke Jenkins recused herself from the case to avoid a conflict of interest.
According to the San Francisco District Attorney's Office, Worthy's charges are extensive: she misappropriated over $500,000 designated for a "Mission Safe Streets" program, failed to distribute funds to contract subgrantees, and pocketed over $100,000 from SF SAFE directly for her personal use. Her deceit also extended to fabricating expenses for services never rendered and expenses never incurred, falsely claiming monies had been directed to rightful parties. The crushing weight of these transgressions has left the 48-year-old charity SF SAFE in ruins, unable to operate as of January this year.
Documents filed in the court highlighted a pattern of activity in which Worthy egregiously misappropriated the nonprofit's funds. These allegations include expenditures such as $8,000 for community meetings, payments for her landlord in 2018, and over $90,000 on a home healthcare worker for her parents disguised as community meeting expenses. As SF SAFE's funds dried up, Worthy continued spending on parties, events, and even a "Candy Explosion" event that bled the nonprofit nearly $98,000, contributing to its financial downfall.
In what seems to be a gamble with the organization's fiscal responsibilities, Worthy is accused of not withholding or paying payroll taxes for SF SAFE employees from September 2023 through January 2024. At the same time, she continued to submit invoices to OEWD claiming full wages and taxes had been paid, eliciting full reimbursement. The SF District Attorney's Office urges anyone with information to contact their Public Integrity Task Force tip line, offering the option to remain anonymous.
