Ex-Oakland youth boxing gym director sentenced for stealing donation delivered by Stephen Curry

(KRON) — An East Oakland youth boxing gym director was sentenced Wednesday to serve 27 months in prison for stealing more than half-a-million dollars, federal prosecutors said.

Howard Solomon, 38, was the executive director of East Oakland Boxing Association (EOBA) from 2017 until 2021. The nonprofit provides after-school and summer programming to East Oakland children, including tutoring and literacy support, boxing lessons, and coaching.

“Solomon embezzled at least $549,000 from his former employer and diverted funds and donations to EOBA to pay for personal expenses, including a vacation rental and a Ford Explorer,” the United States Attorney Northern District of California wrote.

Among the misappropriated funds was $50,000 donated by “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” to EOBA that Solomon diverted into a personal account, investigators said. The $50,000 donation was made during a 2019 appearance by Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry and his wife, Ayesha Curry, on an episode of “The Ellen DeGeneres Show.” The TV episode showed the Currys delivering gifts to the youth boxing gym, including the donation check.

“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,” said Linda Nguyen of IRS Criminal Investigation. “While Mr. Solomon siphoned funds from a nonprofit to serve his own greed, IRS-CI agents expertly sifted through evidence and followed the money in pursuit of justice.”

Solomon pleaded guilty on April 23 to one count of mail fraud and one count of tax evasion.

In addition to his federal prison sentence, U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers ordered him to pay restitution in the amount of $549,132 to the EOBA, and $287,185 to the Internal Revenue Service. 

“Howard Solomon used his position of trust to steal from kids and working families and threatened the very existence of an organization that is and must remain an important part of the East Oakland community. With this sentence, he is rightly being held accountable for his unspeakable greed,” said U.S. Attorney Craig Missakian.