Former Oakland Nonprofit Director Receives 27-Month Sentence for $549,000 Embezzlement

OAKLAND, Calif. – Solomon Howard, the former executive director of the East Oakland Boxing Association (EOBA), was sentenced to 27 months in federal prison on Wednesday for embezzling at least $549,000 from the nonprofit organization. Howard, 38, was also ordered to pay $549,133 in restitution to EOBA and an additional $287,185 to the Internal Revenue Service for tax evasion. The sentencing by U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers follows Howard's guilty plea in April to one count of mail fraud and one count of tax evasion.

The embezzlement scheme involved diverting significant funds intended for the youth program, including a notable $50,000 donation from NBA star Stephen Curry and his wife, Ayesha Curry. This donation was made during a December 2019 appearance on "The Ellen DeGeneres Show," where the couple surprised the gym with gifts and the check. According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of California, Howard deposited this and other funds into personal accounts.

Howard, who led EOBA from 2017 to 2021, used the stolen money for various personal expenses. These included purchases of merchandise from Amazon, a vacation rental, and the acquisition of a Ford Explorer, which he later traded for a Cadillac Escalade using a $24,000 credit. These expenditures were often disguised as "program supplies" or other generic descriptions in the organization's records.

IRS Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge Linda Nguyen emphasized the severe impact of Howard's actions. "Mr. Solomon’s embezzlement scheme not only victimized the East Oakland Boxing Association, but also deprived low-income, high-risk children in East Oakland of the internships, mentoring, and boxing programs the organization offers," Nguyen stated. U.S. Attorney Craig H. Missakian added that Howard "used his position of trust to steal from kids and working families."

The East Oakland Boxing Association provides crucial after-school and summer programming, including tutoring, literacy support, boxing lessons, and mentorship opportunities for children and families in the East Oakland community. Howard is scheduled to begin his prison sentence on October 30, 2025, and will also serve a three-year period of supervised release upon his release.