SEATTLE — For the first time, the founder and former executive director of the Seattle-based West African Community Council (WACC), a nonprofit that serves West African immigrants, is publicly defending himself after accusations of embezzlement.
“No money is missing. No money is stolen,” said Issa Ndyiade, 43. “I did not commit fraud.”
In December, Ndyiade was ousted from the WACC after a court-appointed receiver uncovered approximately $2.3 million in donations that were deposited in an off-the-books account.
In March the receiver uncovered another previously undisclosed WACC account, bringing the total in donations that didn’t make it to the organization’s official financial books to $3.2 million, according to legal and financial records.
Hundreds of thousands of dollars were transferred from the WACC account to both Ndyiade’s and his brother’s personal bank accounts, according to financial records.
Ndyiade said none of the money was used for personal gain. He said it was all given to immigrants in need or used to buy properties for the community’s use.
“There’s a strategy that led to that money not to show up on those books,” Ndyiade said. “I have given people cash; I have given people checks. I have paid rent directly.”
In his culture, many people are afraid of government-supported programs, Ndyiade said. To help people strapped for cash, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, he said he transferred WACC donations to himself, and then gave it away. Bank records show checks written out to relatives, friends, and community members, many of them, according to Ndyiade, are undocumented immigrants.
“Here’s money from the WACC and nobody’s taking it. Then I started transferring money into my personal account and handing folks personal checks. Folks were taking it,” Ndyiade said. “Some people would rather starve than take the money. And I promised them that their information would be kept secret. It won’t be shared with the government. They won’t get in trouble.”
Ndyiade founded the WACC in 2013 and grew it to a hub for West African immigrants. Resources include a multi-lingual pre-school, childcare, immigration legal aid, food, rent assistance, and transportation.
News of alleged fraud put the brakes on important government funding and put WACC’s future in question.
“The (people WACC serves) are victims two times over. One, the money that was intended for them that didn’t get to them. The second is the jeopardy that this organization has been put in,” said the court-appointed receiver, Dan Bugbee.
The WACC early learning director said families worried about where they would turn.
“Everything was in jeopardy for these families. This is the only West African organization in this state,” said Daysha Knight. “I had families calling me crying, upset, fearful saying they couldn’t afford childcare. They didn’t know where they were going to go.”
Some of the money deposited into the two unofficial accounts paid for the following:
- A down payment on a home in south Seattle, purchased by an LLC. Ndyiade is the company’s registered agent. Ndyiade said he wants to turn the home into a mosque or Islamic school.
- To purchase the Saran African Market in Kent. Ndyiade said the market offers jobs and cooking classes for West African women.
- A down payment on his personal home in Seattle. Ndyiade did not offer an explanation for that transaction.
Ndyiade said he understands the way he handled donations from charitable organizations, foundations and funds from government grant programs was illegal, but he did what he thought was best in a time of crisis.
“I understand that is illegal,” Ndyiade said. “It’s a problem. We all can do things differently, but at the moment with all the pandemic happening, people needing money, needing resources, I have to act quick. Whatever would serve their needs I would do.”
In the last two weeks the WACC received encouraging news. Funders such as the City of Seattle and King County re-committed their long-term support.
“Everyone here worked hard so that our doors wouldn’t close,” said Knight.
So far, the receiver, Bugbee, has recovered $700,000 for WACC programs. He’s attempting to recover more but said he’s challenged without government resources from the Washington state Attorney General’s Office (AGO). The AG’s Charitable Asset Protection Team, charged with overseeing non-profit mismanagement by bringing enforcement actions to secure charitable assets and protecting consumers, has conducted a multi-month investigation into the WACC. But so far, no action has been taken and no resources, such as forensic accounting work, has been supplied.
“Yes, I was surprised (by the lack of action),” Bugbee said. But I can’t lose sight of this organization that needs to survive. That is my primary effort. Certainly, I won’t turn a blind eye to recovering what I can, but my resources are far more limited than the Attorney General’s Office.”
In February, Bugbee wrote state Attorney General Bob Ferguson to underscore the need for assistance.
“The law needs to be upheld, the funds and assets need to be returned to the WACC, and this organization needs to be saved. The people who have stolen millions of dollars from the West African community in Washington need to be held responsible, and I cannot do it without your help,” Bugbee wrote.
On Monday a spokesperson from the AGO said they still have a team investigating.
“While the receiver is appropriately taking the lead and exercising his significant authority to recover money stolen from WACC, the AGO continues to investigate how far back the scam goes and how many people were involved,” said Dan Jackson, AGO deputy communications director.
Issa Ndyiade said he deserves a second chance and that he plans on continuing his mission to help West African immigrants.
“I’m still a trusted resource. People are still coming to me,” Ndyiade said. “This one’s in my blood and I don’t think anybody can stop me from doing that.”