Former San Francisco Charity CEO Faces Nine Felony Charges for Alleged $1.2 Million Embezzlement
Gwendolyn Westbrook, the 71-year-old former chief executive officer of a prominent San Francisco homeless services charity, is scheduled for arraignment on Tuesday afternoon following shocking allegations of financial misconduct. Prosecutors have charged Westbrook with nine felony counts, including misappropriation of public funds, grand theft, and filing false California tax returns, after she allegedly stole more than $1.2 million in taxpayer money intended to support homeless and low-income individuals.
Decades of Service Overshadowed by Financial Abuse Allegations
According to a detailed statement released by the district attorney's office on Monday, Westbrook exercised "near-exclusive financial control" over the United Council for Human Services during her nearly two-decade tenure. Prosecutors allege that between 2019 and 2023, Westbrook systematically diverted public funds through unauthorized self-payments, improper cash withdrawals, and fraudulent reimbursement practices. Court documents filed this month reveal that she allegedly used the non-profit's money to purchase luxury vehicles and make extravagant purchases at high-end retailers including Louis Vuitton and Neiman Marcus.
A Troubled History of Financial Irregularities
The San Francisco Chronicle reports that these charges represent the latest chapter in a long history of financial troubles for both Westbrook and the United Council of Human Services. Her legal problems date back to 1997 when she was accused of stealing thousands of dollars from a cashbox at a parking lot owned by the San Francisco Port, her employer at that time. In 2015, regulators discovered unsanctioned blackjack tables operating in the back of a charity bingo hall managed by the non-profit, raising further questions about the organization's financial practices.
Impact on Homeless Services and Public Trust
The United Council for Human Services operated a vital soup kitchen and secured millions of dollars in city contracts to provide shelter for San Francisco's homeless population. Westbrook's alleged embezzlement represents a devastating betrayal of public trust and potentially compromised essential services for some of the city's most vulnerable residents. Messages sent to Westbrook and the United Council for Human Services seeking comment on the charges have gone unanswered, and an attorney for Westbrook could not be located at the time of reporting.
Broader Pattern of Charity Fraud in California
This case emerges alongside another significant charity fraud investigation in Los Angeles, where Alexander Soofer, CEO of homeless services charity Abundant Blessings, faces federal and state fraud charges. Prosecutors allege Soofer misused approximately $23 million in taxpayer funds to finance an extravagant lifestyle, including purchasing a $7 million Los Angeles home, a vacation property in Greece, and a $125,000 Range Rover. Soofer has been charged federally with wire fraud, with additional state charges including felony counts of conflict of interest, offering false evidence, and forgery.
The timing of these parallel cases highlights growing concerns about oversight and accountability within California's network of social service providers, particularly those receiving substantial public funding to address the state's ongoing homelessness crisis. As Westbrook prepares for her Tuesday arraignment, questions remain about how such significant financial abuse could occur undetected for years within organizations tasked with serving society's most vulnerable populations.
