Ex-Human Rights Commission head charged in corruption probe; Breed not implicated

Key Points:

• San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins charged Sheryl Davis, former Human Rights Commission executive director, and James Spingola, former Collective Impact head, with misusing approximately $350,000 in public funds intended for Black communities.
• Davis faces 19 criminal counts including felony misappropriation of public funds and perjury, while Spingola faces four counts of felony aiding and abetting a conflict of interest; they lived together as Davis directed grants to Spingola’s nonprofit.
• The charges stem from an 18-month investigation into the Dream Keeper Initiative, which funneled nearly $8.5 million in grants, with Davis allegedly steering funds improperly to Collective Impact and benefiting her son financially through city contracts.
• Prosecutors allege Davis used city and nonprofit funds for personal expenses, including public relations, events, and upgrades, and directed money through an unregistered entity called Megablack for unauthorized expenditures.
• The investigation involved over 50 search warrants and extensive evidence collection, with DA Jenkins emphasizing the importance of holding public officials accountable for abusing taxpayer dollars, while not implicating Mayor London Breed.