San Francisco, CA – Kyra Worthy, the former executive director of SF SAFE, has been arrested on charges of embezzling more than $700,000 in taxpayer money. Worthy, who was responsible for the nonprofit that was funded by the San Francisco Police Department, is facing 34 felony charges related to theft, fraud, wage theft, and the submission of fraudulent invoices.
Worthy’s arrest follows an investigation revealing that she misappropriated public funds to cover SF SAFE’s debts, rather than using the money for its intended purpose. The total misused funds include over $500,000 that was spent on extravagant parties and personal expenses, including lavish catering, event planning, and luxury gifts. Notably, the nonprofit hosted a holiday party that cost nearly $50,000 on catering alone, with additional extravagant spending on a petting zoo and mobile luxury restrooms.
The SF District Attorney’s office confirmed that Worthy’s actions caused the once-vibrant 48-year-old charity to go bankrupt, and SF SAFE ceased operations in January 2024. Worthy is accused of embezzling over $100,000 in her first few years with the nonprofit, while the overall misuse of funds reached an astonishing $700,000.
Not only did Worthy’s spending raise eyebrows for its lavishness, but the nonprofit also failed to pay its workers, with over $80,000 in unpaid wages for SF SAFE staff. The workers had even begun receiving their pay via Venmo and CashApp due to the nonprofit’s failure to meet its payroll obligations.
While the charges against Worthy highlight her sole responsibility in the alleged fraud, the investigation continues, and it remains unclear whether other individuals were involved in the misuse of public funds. However, Worthy’s arrest raises significant questions about how such a massive mismanagement of taxpayer money went unnoticed for so long.
The scandal surrounding SF SAFE has rocked both the nonprofit sector and the San Francisco Police Department, with additional scrutiny on the involvement of public officials and donors, including District Attorney Brooke Jenkins, who recused herself from the case due to a potential conflict of interest.
This case is part of a broader investigation into mismanagement and misconduct within the SF SAFE organization, which once promised to prevent crime in San Francisco, but now stands as a cautionary tale of public money mishandling.
