The following is a statement from DuBois United Way.
Area of DuBois United Way dedicated to transparency while supporting member agencies
DuBois, PA, 11/05/2023 – DuBois Area United Way (“DAUW”) remains focused on maintaining organizational integrity and successfully supporting its member agencies. To do this effectively, since learning of the allegations against the former executive director and after discovering additional information on related matters, the DAUW has, from day one, cooperated with law enforcement to enable an investigation adequate and complete. DAUW is dedicated to providing full and complete transparency on all matters, not only to build public confidence in DAUW’s mission, but also to maintain the organization’s integrity within the community.
In order to provide full transparency, the DAUW Board of Directors has decided to publish the following information regarding these matters. Here are the highlights of the release:
DAUW believes with a reasonable degree of certainty that the $21,293.30 allegedly embezzled from DAUW’s S&T Bank checking account is an allegation without merit. DAUW does not believe that the $93,000 in cash, which was DAUW is not a cash-intensive organization, as most, if not all, of DAUW’s donors contribute to DAUW by paper check or direct deposit . The DAUW, upon learning of the non-DAUW cash being held and removed from the DAUW office building, quickly contacted a bonded locksmith to change all the locks of the DAUW building. to the “Community Fund” and was removed from the DAUW office building at the direction of the City Attorney. For the sake of clarity, the City Attorney neither represents the DAUW nor speaks for the DAUW in any way.
Full story: Following the arrest of the former executive director on March 20, 2023, the DAUW board of directors called a special meeting on March 22, 2023 to discuss matters related to the indictment, regarding DAUW funds . After reviewing the criminal complaint and affidavit of probable cause filed against the former executive director, the DAUW has worked with its external accountant and independent auditor, while conducting internal investigative measures, to determine the veracity of the allegations against the former executive director, as these allegations relate to the alleged theft of DAUW funds. As a result of these efforts, and based on documentation identified by DAUW and in DAUW’s possession, DAUW believes with a reasonable degree of certainty that the $21,293.30 allegedly embezzled from the account running from DAUW’s S&T Bank, lack of merit.
On March 22, 2023, however, for the first time, DAUW representatives became aware of cash being removed from a safe in the DAUW office building and the existence of non-DAUW security located in the DAUW building. Until this time, DAUW representatives were unaware that any cash was being kept inside the building, much less that cash had been removed from the building. DAUW is not a cash-intensive organization, as most, if not all, of DAUW’s donors contribute to DAUW via paper check or direct deposit. The DAUW also uses an external bookkeeper to maintain its accounts and write checks (ie, the DAUW does not maintain or write any checks in its office building); all DAUW checks, after being written by the external accountant, have always required two signatories. For these reasons, the DAUW does not believe that the $93,000 in cash, which was reported to have been removed from the DAUW office, were funds belonging to the DAUW. The DAUW, however, cannot state with certainty why non-DAUW cash was ever kept in the DAUW office building; why he removed himself from the DAUW building without the DAUW board’s knowledge; or where the non-DAUW cash originated.
The DAUW board, on March 22, 2023, immediately after learning of the non-DAUW cash that was kept and then removed from the DAUW office building, as well as safe deposit boxes that are not DAUWs located in the building, made initial contact with the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office (“AG”) to disclose these facts. Since then, the DAUW has continued to cooperate with the AG’s office on these matters. As an additional measure to protect the DAUW and its integrity, the DAUW quickly contacted a bonded locksmith to change all the locks on the DAUW building.
Additionally, to ensure full transparency, DAUW representatives also learned on March 22, 2023 that at least one of the non-DAUW safes located in the DAUW building may have been accessed sometime between on March 20 and 22. 2023. The DAUW does not know, to the extent that one or more of the safes have been accessed, who accessed them. This information, along with all other relevant information held by the DAUW on these matters, was quickly disclosed and given to the AG’s office.
The DAUW reconvened for another special meeting on March 28, 2023, to further discuss, among other things, the status of these matters and DAUW’s continued cooperation with law enforcement. Following the conclusion of this meeting, during the afternoon hours of March 28, 2023, DAUW’s attorney, CJ Zwick of Zwick & Zwick LLP, was contacted by the DuBois City Attorney regarding to the cash that was removed from the DAUW building. The city attorney, via a voice message left with DAUW’s attorney, indicated that the cash that did not belong to DAUW belonged to the “community fund” and that, at the direction of the attorney of the city, the cash was removed from the DAUW building and taken into his hands. for the purposes of handing it over to a forensic accountant. The DAUW still does not know the exact time when the non-DAUW cash was removed from the DAUW building. For purposes of clarity, the City Attorney does not represent the DAUW or speak on behalf of the DAUW in any way.
Current DAUW Executive Director Neil Hanes stated, “We want to assure the DuBois community and surrounding communities that the DuBois Area United Way is dedicated to being transparent about these issues.” Hanes continued, “As I have said since I started with DuBois Area United Way, under my leadership, the important mission of our organization, to support member agencies and positively impact local community members, will remain the basis of who we are, what we do and why we do it.”
