DORENA KEARNEY
Nutter and U.S. Attorney Laurie Magid announced that Dorena Kearney, former executive director of The COLOURS Organization Inc., had been indicted on charges that she stole $138,000 from the group for her personal use.
Kearney is accused of using the funding for plastic surgery, a cruise and dog grooming — what Nutter spokesperson Maura Kennedy called the “most egregious examples” of the misappropriation.
City Inspector General Amy Kurland, who spearheaded the investigation, said Kearney used the money “basically for a shopping spree.”
“COLOURS was receiving both city and federal funding, so the money that she allegedly embezzled from the organization would have been both city and federal,” Kurland said.
The presence of the federal funding allowed for the FBI to get involved with the investigation.
FBI spokesperson Patti Hartman said Kearney has not been arrested and will be allowed to self-surrender for her first court appearance, which has not yet been scheduled.
Kearney, of Lindenwold, N.J., was executive director of the organization, which serves LGBT people of color, from 2001-07 and an employee there since 1999.
Kurland said the thefts occurred “over a period of time.”
In COLOURS’ 2004 tax filings, the most recent one the organization submitted, Kearney reported an annual salary of $65,660.
When Kearney left the organization in 2007, COLOURS hired Dr. Victor Seltzer. In July 2008, however, the Greater Philadelphia Urban Affairs Council — which oversees COLOURS — abruptly terminated Seltzer for “employment issues.”
Michael Hinson, founding executive director of the group, then took over as interim executive director, a position he still holds.
Hinson declined to comment on the indictment and said he did not know if any other COLOURS employees had been notified that they were being investigated.
Kurland also declined to comment on whether the investigation was ongoing.
If convicted, Kearney could face 12-18 months in prison.
Jen Colletta can be reached at jen@epgn.com.
Isn't Mark such good friends with Street and these folks? Hinson, Tyrone, and others? Such wonderful contributions they all have made to the community.