Washington, D.C., has officially cut ties with one of its violence‑intervention partners, and it comes with a price tag. A D.C. Superior Court judge has entered a default judgment ordering the nonprofit Women in H.E.E.L.S. to repay $60,502.48 to the District, while its founder, Ikeia Hardy, has been ordered to return $57,302.48. The ruling also permanently bars Hardy from serving as an officer or director of any nonprofit in the District, following a lawsuit from the Office of the Attorney General that accused the group of misusing Cure the Streets grant money.
Judgment Spells Out Repayment And Ban
According to WJLA, court filings show the Superior Court granted a default judgment in favor of the District and set the exact repayment figures. The outlet reports that Women in H.E.E.L.S. must pay back $60,502.48, while Hardy is personally on the hook for $57,302.48. WJLA also notes that the judgment permanently bars Hardy from holding any leadership role in a D.C. nonprofit.
What The Government’s Complaint Alleges
Documents filed in the case spell out the Office of the Attorney General’s allegations in more detail. According to a complaint filed by the Office of the Attorney General, Women in H.E.E.L.S. was awarded up to $814,000 in each of fiscal years 2022 and 2023 to operate a Cure the Streets violence‑intervention site. The complaint alleges that between June 2022 and March 2023, Hardy transferred $57,302.48 in grant funds into her personal checking account and that the nonprofit failed to return more than $200,000 in unspent funds after the grant was terminated. The filing lists the disputed transfers and documents the agency’s demands for repayment.
Alleged Bookkeeping Failures And Conflicts
The Washington Post reported, when the lawsuit was filed, that the complaint also accused Women in H.E.E.L.S. of entering a prohibited conflict‑of‑interest transaction by contracting with a company tied to an employee. The same reporting noted that the organization allegedly allowed its federal tax‑exempt status to lapse by failing to file required returns. According to The Washington Post, the Office of the Attorney General said it gave the group opportunities to explain the apparent irregularities before taking the case to court.
AG’s Message And Enforcement
Attorney General Brian Schwalb has cast the case as a test of public trust in the city’s anti‑violence funding. In a statement, he said that “Women in H.E.E.L.S. and Hardy misused grant funds intended to keep District residents safe, taking advantage of taxpayers and undermining gun violence prevention efforts in Congress Heights,” as detailed by the District’s Office of the Attorney General. A press release from the Office of the Attorney General also identifies the assistant attorneys general handling the matter and outlines the agency’s enforcement powers under the District’s Nonprofit Corporation Act.
What Happens Next
Reporting indicates that Women in H.E.E.L.S. did not return any of the money the Office of the Attorney General sought after the Cure the Streets grant was cut off. With the default judgment now in place, the District can move to collect the ordered amounts. WJLA also reports that the Attorney General’s office and Women in H.E.E.L.S. did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the ruling. According to the Office of the Attorney General’s public statements and court filings, typical next steps in cases like this include civil collection efforts, enforcement through Superior Court, or other equitable remedies authorized by law.
