If you’re stunned by some of the waste, fraud and abuse that Elon Musk and the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) have been uncovering in the federal government, you’re not alone. Yep, turns out your taxpayer dollars were funding things like drag shows in Ecuador, atheism in Nepal, condoms for the Taliban, and transgender comic books in Peru.
But the grift isn’t just going on at the federal level, at least according to California officials, who are suing a Long Beach nonprofit food bank for allegedly misappropriating millions in funding to support the lavish lifestyles of its leaders.
Turns out the do-gooders were in it for themselves, according to the state:
The state has filed a lawsuit against the Foodbank of Southern California alleging that its leaders misappropriated more than $11 million in state funds to enrich themselves and their families over the course of a decade.
For years, the food bank operated as a grocery-and-meal distribution hub serving hundreds of food pantries in Long Beach and South Los Angeles thanks to millions of dollars in funding from the Department of Social Services.
But the state’s lawsuit, filed March 25, alleges that board members used the money on trips to Las Vegas, a home renovation, cellphones, smart watches, Christmas decor, a truck, for-profit business ventures and more.
BREAKING: Foodbank of Southern California leaders spent millions on cars, Vegas trips, home renovations, lawsuit says.
— Futurist™ (@americasgreat) April 9, 2025
TRANSLATION: Guess they thought with the word BANK in the name, they had a line of crefit. pic.twitter.com/bind7Wsabs
Some of the expenses are mind-blowing:
In the lawsuit, the Department of Social Services alleged that [former CEO Jeanne] Cooper and [spouse Lamarr] Ramsey used the nonprofit's funds to pay for a myriad of personal expenses, including home renovations, lawn services, and an artificial Christmas tree. Investigators said they used the nonprofit's corporate accounts and credit cards to spend $228,000 at Best Buy, Home Depot, Lowe's, Office Depot, and AT&T.
Additionally, Cooper sent almost $4,800 to her sister-in-law for unspecified "transportation" expenses, nearly $7,000 to her spouse for repairs that were never made at the food bank and a little more than $2,650 to Ramsey's company to decorate two of the business's trucks, according to the complaint. The food bank also gifted Ramsey a $10,000 box truck, at Cooper's direction or authorization, according to state attorneys.
There was plenty more. Ten current or former board members and two of their family members are named in the suit. One of them is a community figure known as “Sweet Alice,” who founded the Parents of Watts nonprofit to help disadvantaged youths—yet she’s accused of funneling hundreds of thousands of dollars from the foodbank to her organization and hiring her relatives.
Dr. Sweet Alice Harris is at it again. Giving out hundreds of bikes at the annual Christmas bike and gift giveaway for local kids. Happening today at 1673 E. Imperial Hwy., Los Angeles (Watts) 9am to approx 12pm. @NBCLA #ParentsofWatts pic.twitter.com/teMOjnZvxM
— Rosa Valle-Lopez (@NewsCutz) December 15, 2022
While food banks serve the disadvantaged as well as the homeless, homelessness has exploded in the Golden State, and there are estimated to be over 187,000 people sleeping on the streets every night.
Billions upon billions have been thrown at the problem, yet it continues unabated. Many have long argued that for some greedy fraudsters, homelessness is extremely profitable and that there’s a “homeless-industrial complex” that isn’t actually interested in solving the issue.
If the allegations in this lawsuit are true, it sure looks like these folks were having a grand old time with our hard-earned taxpayer dollars.
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