Former CEO of Minnesota nonprofit gets 4 years in fraud case

Published 5:06 pm Friday, May 12, 2017

MINNEAPOLIS — The former head of a now-defunct nonprofit group has been sentenced to four years in prison for fraud.

Sixty-six-year-old Bill Davis led Community Action of Minneapolis for 24 years. He pleaded guilty last year to 16 counts of theft and fraud.

Prosecutors say he stole taxpayer money that was meant for low-income people and spent it on cars for himself, lavish trips with girlfriends and other personal items.

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Davis was charged after a government audit found his organization spent at least $800,000 on unauthorized purchases over two years. He was suspended and several high-profile Democrats, including U.S. Rep. Keith Ellison, resigned from the nonprofit’s board.

Davis’ son, Jordan, is serving two years in federal prison for accepting payments for work he didn’t perform. Jordan Davis is a former Minneapolis officer.