Sheryl Davis, once a prominent figure in San Francisco’s city government, has found herself at the center of a scandal. Known for her advocacy of human rights, Davis now faces 17 felony charges, accused of misappropriating taxpayer money for personal indulgences such as luxurious travel, sports event tickets, her son’s college fees, and personal public relations ventures.

As the former director of the San Francisco Human Rights Commission, Davis, along with her long-term partner, is accused of exploiting funds earmarked for supporting the city’s black communities to serve their interests. These charges highlight a significant breach of trust and responsibility.

District Attorney Brooke Jenkins emphasized the need for improved oversight mechanisms, stating on Monday, “This is certainly a lesson for the city that there has to be an infrastructure for checks and balances so things like this don’t happen.”

The allegations against Davis and her partner, Spingola, suggest they orchestrated a scheme to divert $4.5 million of city funding to Spingola’s nonprofit organization, Collective Impact, through questionable contracts. Jenkins describes this as a “pattern of self-dealing.”

Previous audits reveal that Davis spent millions on extravagant expenses, including $2.1 million for renting an ice rink, hiring a DJ, and catering for an event in Philadelphia. She also allegedly spent $267,000 on gala tickets and sponsorships and $60,000 for an event at the Golden State Warriors’ Chase Center.

Further scrutiny found that Davis facilitated the sale of 1,500 copies of her children’s book, “Free to Sing,” and allocated $75,000 to promote her books and personal projects, according to the audit. These actions have brought her integrity and ethical standards into serious question.

Her spending was “frivolous, unethical, and unjustifiable. It unfairly tainted the broader work of the department and requires that trust and confidence now be rebuilt,” San Francisco Controller Greg Wagner said of the audit last year.

Davis was in charge of both the city-funded Human Rights Commission and Dream Keeper Initiative, which was created in 2021 by ex-mayor London Breed.

Dream Keeper was described as a $120 million investment in San Francisco’s black communities after the police killing of George Floyd. Officials initially sought to strip funds from law enforcement to pay for Dream Keeper Initiative, though it was largely funded through general city dollars.

Though some Dream Keeper Initiative funds went towards legitimate programs, such as down payment assistance, the program was plagued by a lack of oversight and questionable spending, according to published reports and city investigations.

Of the roughly $40 million per year allocated to the initiative, some was doled out to community groups that spent money “in ways that have mystified and embarrassed city officials,” the San Francisco Standard reported.

One Dream Keeper funding recipient, nonprofit J&J Community Resource Center, was barred from doing business with the city after it fraudulently tried to bill $100,000 in cigars, motorcycle rentals and other expenses, city auditors said.

Another nonprofit, called Both Sides of the Conversation, attempted to submit invoices for pricey meals, liquor and first-class travel, per the SF Standard.

At one community bowling event sponsored by Dream Keeper and the Human Rights Commission, Both Sides of the Conversation organizers boasted of $20,000 in cash and gift card “giveaways” and posted splashy video of handing out cash to to attendees tossing $1 bills into a crowd of children.

“Shout out to our sponsors, the amazing folks that made this happen. And the honorable Mayor London Breed!” said organizer Jon Henry.

Davis was known to chop up invoices into amounts of less than $10,000 in order to avoid the scrutiny of city bookkeepers, according to the city’s audit.

She also allegedly regularly violated restrictions on what can be purchased with her department’s money.

In 2023, for example, the Human Rights Commission paid $8,000 to a nonprofit Total Women Empowerment Inc. to fund a “Queen’s Weekend Retreat,” with the stated purpose of helping the unknown participants “serve themselves to continue to service their community.”

The department spent $685,123 on San Francisco Giants tickets, rental of the Golden State Warriors’ Chase Center, and air fare. Restaurant rentals and catering cost taxpayers $353,113, and Davis spent $79,950 on a house rental and other fees at Martha’s Vineyard.

Davis also allegedly demanded the department pay for weeks-long stays at the luxurious Intercontinental Hotel for a pal, Antione Phillips, who assisted with a department initiative in 2024. The justification provided was that Phillips had “recently lost their job and trying to find a place to stay while they get new employment,” per the city audit.

Davis’ attorney defended her in a statement, saying she was “hand picked due to her experience and connections in the business of helping SF’s black community” and has cooperated with the investigation.

“They provided her with no guidance about transitioning into government bureaucracy and asked her to develop a robust system to help those in need to advance not only individuals but San Francisco as a city where the black community could thrive,” said attorney Tony Brass.

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