A Pryor couple, founders of an addiction recovery non-profit, were convicted by a Tulsa County jury on charges of embezzlement and related offenses. Jordan and Vanessa Parker, who spearheaded Reckless Saints of Nowhere, face substantial prison time and fines for their criminal actions, according to a news release from the Oklahoma Attorney General's Office.
Attorney General Gentner Drummond's Consumer Protection Unit filed charges against the Parkers, operators of a program aimed at supporting individuals with substance abuse issues. The convictions revealed that a $600,000 donation from a Tulsa business, designated for sober living services, was used to purchase personal items including a vehicle, a motorcycle, a timeshare, and other goods.
Between April and June of 2021, the Parkers redirected charitable donations into personal expenses, leaving the Reckless Saints of Nowhere without significant assets. According to legal affidavits, the organization's board was unaware of the Parkers' unauthorized spending.
“Embezzling funds that were meant to support addicts recovering from substance abuse is indefensible," Drummond stated in the aftermath of the jury's verdict. The maximum punishments assessed for their convictions total 18 years imprisonment and $45,000 in fines, as per the news release.
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