Revealed: Nonprofit’s $10K Payment to SF Official’s Son for Minimal Work Sparks Controversy

In a developing scandal, a San Francisco nonprofit reportedly paid $10,000 to the son of the city’s top human rights official for creating just five presentation slides for a panel discussion moderated by his mother. This transaction occurred while she was approving multimillion-dollar contracts for the organization, according to legal authorities.

Sheryl Davis, who formerly led the San Francisco Human Rights Commission, was taken into custody on Monday. She faces multiple charges related to public corruption during her tenure overseeing the Dream Keeper initiative, a $120 million program designed to support the city’s Black communities.

During her time in office, Davis authorized over $3.5 million in city contracts to the Homeless Children’s Network, a nonprofit based in San Francisco that offers substance abuse counseling and other critical services to families in need. Prosecutors allege that the organization subsequently made “questionable” payments to Davis’ son amounting to more than $140,000.

Part of this sum was the $10,000 fee for creating a set of slides for a panel featuring the Executive Director of the Homeless Children’s Network, along with anticipated questions and answers for the discussion.

Henry Davis, identified in city documents as Sheryl Davis’ son, received $140,000 from the nonprofit for various research services over a period of less than three years.

While Henry Davis has not been charged with any illegal activities, prosecutors point out that these payments give rise to “the appearance of impropriety and unfairness.”

He was allowed to “insert a description of work he would perform into contracts” and set his own pay schedule and price as part of the plum gig, per the affidavit.

Homeless Children’s Network made payments into an account held jointly by Davis and her son — creating a conflict of interest, prosecutors allege.

However, it is unclear precisely how much of the dubious payments came directly from city funds as the nonprofit’s records were “mostly paper-based and electronic records were not reliable,” according to prosecutors.

Davis was accused of a “pervasive pattern of self-dealing” while in charge of the Dream Keeper Initiative — resulting in 17 felony and two misdemeanor charges after an 18-month investigation by the San Francisco District Attorney.

Davis’ live-in partner, James Spingola, was also arrested on suspicion of four felony counts of aiding Davis’ actions.

Davis allegedly used Collective Impact, Spingola’s nonprofit, as a “slush fund” to “to help fund celebrity-studded events, restaurant buyouts, VIP tickets and other high-dollar expenses.

Her department split costs with Collective Impact to pay a $10,000 speaker fee to Sonya Curry, mother of Warriors star Steph Curry, roughly $27,000 to singer Goapele, $25,000 for rapper and producer D-Nice, and some $25,000 to crooner Grammy-nominated songstress Emily King, per the affidavit.

The former human rights chief didn’t disclose her close relationship with Spingola while directing city funds to his charity, according to ethics watchdogs.

Collective Impact received nearly $8.5 million in city grants between 2021 and 2024.

A prior audit found the ex-Human Rights Commission director also spent department funds on a $2.1 million party in Philadelphia involving an ice rink rental, DJ, floral arrangements and catering, $267,000 in gala tickets and sponsorships, and a $60,000 venue rental at the Golden State Warriors’ Chase Center.

Collective Impact also paid “more than $45,000 to or on behalf of [Davis’ son] in 2023 and 2024,” prosecutors said.

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