San Francisco, CA – District Attorney Brooke Jenkins announced today that multiple felony charges have been filed against Stanley Ellicott (38) of Oakland, a manager in the City’s Department of Human Resources, on numerous felony charges for his role in a scheme to misappropriate grant funds awarded through the City’s Community Challenge Grant Program.
A new criminal complaint filed by the San Francisco District Attorney’s Office alleges that, over a four-year period from May of 2017 to July of 2021, Ellicott aided and abetted Lanita Henriquez in the misappropriation of public money for her own use and the use of others in violation of Penal Code section 424. The complaint further charges Ellicott with six violations of Government Code section 1090(b), aiding and abetting Henriquez’s financial conflict of interest in six Community Challenge Grant contracts that she entered in to on behalf of the City with entities belonging to and controlled by Rudolph Dwayne Jones. Finally, the complaint alleges that Ellicott committed felony receipt of stolen property in violation of Penal Code section 496(a). There is no evidence at this time that Ellicott’s alleged criminal activity related to his work in the City’s Department of Human Resources.
“The charges announced today reflect my Office’s continuing commitment to uncover official misconduct in San Francisco’s City government,” said District Attorney Brooke Jenkins. “The District Attorney’s Office’s Public Integrity Task Force is dedicated to holding accountable those who steal public funds for their own ends.”
These charges are related to a 59-count complaint filed in August of 2023 against Henriquez, the former director of the City’s Community Challenge Grant Program, and Jones, the founder and president of RDJ Enterprises and a former City employee. Henriquez and Jones were charged with the misappropriation of government funds, multiple counts of bribery, and numerous counts of financial conflict of interest.
An affidavit filed with the Court in support of Ellicott’s arrest describes a scheme in which Henriquez entered into contracts on behalf of the City and County of San Francisco with entities controlled by Jones totaling more than $1.4 million. During the same time period, and while Ellicott was employed by the City, Jones’s company, RDJ Enterprises, paid Ellicott a total of $269,876.24. Ellicott then made payments back to Henriquez using Venmo and PayPal totaling $65,650.26.
An affidavit filed with the Court last year in support of the arrests of Henriquez and Jones also alleged that leading up to and during the time period in which Jones’s companies had contracts with the City through the Community Challenge Grant program, Henriquez received nine checks totaling $32,942 from entities controlled by Jones. During that same time period, family members and close associates of Henriquez received forty-eight checks from entities controlled by Jones totaling $156,821.
The affidavit in support of Ellicott’s arrest alleges that emails and documents located in Jones’s office pursuant to a search warrant last year show that Ellicott did website, technical, and graphic design work for the grants, but Jones and Henriquez concealed his involvement and billed his work as having been done by an RDJ employee. The grant work was unrelated to Ellicott’s City job in the Human Resources Department. Ellicott did not have authorization from the City to perform outside work.
The arrest affidavit also alleges that in February, March, and April of 2019, Ellicott sold thousands of dollars of “BRAND NEW” and “SEALED IN THE BOX” cameras and electronic equipment on eBay that had been purchased using Community Challenge Grant money.
According to the affidavit, in February and March of 2019, Jones’s company submitted invoices to Henriquez – which she approved and recommended for payment – related to a “resiliency” grant. The purpose of the grant was to purchase earthquake supplies for neighborhood groups and provide them education and outreach. These invoices included nearly $14,000 worth of items purchased at Best Buy listed as “Eureka Valley and Inner Sunset Supplies” and “Bayview and Excelsior Supplies.” The actual items purchased were three Oculus virtual reality headsets, four Rylo Action cameras, an HDTV projector, a Nikon DSLR camera worth nearly $2,000, four Go Pro cameras, three mini instant cameras, six Microsoft tablets, and four OSMO pocket cameras with expansion kits.
Lastly, the affidavit alleges that Ellicott sold most of these items on eBay, and that Henriquez sold two of the Microsoft tablets on eBay. The affidavit also alleges that Jones submitted false invoices for more than $100,000 worth of emergency equipment for neighborhood groups that he did not actually purchase. Henriquez recommended the City pay Jones for these fake purchases.
Arraignment and future court dates for Mr. Ellicott will be scheduled by the San Francisco Superior Court.
These charges are a result of an on-going investigation by the San Francisco District Attorney’s Office Public Integrity Task Force. Anyone with information is asked to call the Public Integrity Task Force tip line at 628-652-4444. You may remain anonymous.
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