Dallas Non-Profit Exec Sentenced in $115K Fraud

DALLAS – Evetta Galloway Griffin, 49, of Grand Prairie, is headed to federal prison after being sentenced to nine months for pilfering over $115,000 from the Child Care Group (CCG), a Dallas-based non-profit. U.S. District Judge Jane J. Boyle delivered the sentence this afternoon, following a guilty plea entered by Griffin in December 2016.

Griffin, formerly the Director of Facilities and Administration for CCG, systematically defrauded the organization between April 2011 and January 2015. The scheme involved submitting roughly 100 bogus invoices for printing services allegedly rendered by A-1 Express Co or A-1 Express Inc. – a phantom vendor created solely to funnel money into Griffin’s pockets. She cashed the resulting checks, netting herself approximately $115,000.

CCG, which relies heavily on federal grant funding, provides crucial Head Start and Early Head Start services to low-income families in the Dallas area. These programs aim to prepare young children for school, offering comprehensive development support from birth to age five. Griffin’s greed directly impacted the resources available for these vulnerable children.

According to court documents, Griffin held significant control over the operation of CCG’s child care centers and the procurement process for federal grants, providing her with the means and opportunity to execute the elaborate fraud. She abused her position of trust, diverting funds intended for educational programs to personal enrichment.

U.S. Attorney John Parker of the Northern District of Texas announced the sentencing, emphasizing the department’s commitment to holding accountable those who exploit non-profit organizations and federal funding streams. Judge Boyle also ordered Griffin to pay $129,196.48 in restitution, a small measure of recompense for the damage she inflicted.

Griffin is scheduled to surrender to the Bureau of Prisons on September 6, 2017, to begin serving her nine-month sentence. The investigation was led by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of Inspector General (OIG), with First Assistant U.S. Attorney Chad Meacham handling the prosecution. The case serves as a stark reminder that even those entrusted with public funds are not above the law.