Steph Curry Surprised Oakland Youth Gym With $50,000. Its Leader Kept the Cash, Feds Say

Updated 10:40 a.m. Friday

The former head of an East Oakland youth boxing program pleaded not guilty on Monday to mail fraud and tax evasion following accusations that he embezzled more than $100,000 — including a $50,000 donation that Stephen and Ayesha Curry presented to the organization on TV.

Solomon Howard is accused of using the East Oakland Boxing Association’s debit cards to make personal Amazon purchases — including a queen-size bed and a memory foam mattress — falsely reporting them as “program supplies” and other generic descriptions, according to charges filed last week in an Oakland federal court.

Federal prosecutors also allege that Howard, who led the organization from 2017 to 2021, used its funds to pay for a vacation rental, reporting it as a business expense, and to purchase a Ford Explorer, which he later traded in for a Cadillac Escalade and registered in his own name.

He is also accused of grossly underreporting his taxable income throughout much of his tenure as executive director.

Howard’s attorney declined to comment on Monday but confirmed that he had entered a not-guilty plea in court.

On Monday, Dawna Williams, EOBA’s interim executive director, also declined to comment, saying the organization was still in the process of notifying its funders about the charges against Howard.

In a statement released on Thursday, the organization called it a “devastating moment for our community but one that EOBA had been preparing for.”

“When we uncovered financial irregularities, we took action, raising concerns that led to a full investigation to protect our mission, our supporters, and — most importantly — the children who rely on us,” the statement said. “We condemn the alleged actions that led to the misuse of funds and betrayal of trust. … Despite this, EOBA remains steadfast in our commitment to rebuilding trust and ensuring this never happens again.”

Founded in 1987, the East Oakland nonprofit offers boxing lessons to children and young adults, as well as a range of other youth development programming, including gardening and academic support.

EOBA drew national attention in 2019 when the Currys made a surprise visit to the organization as part of an episode of Ellen DeGeneres’ show, “Ellen’s Greatest Night of Giveaways.” On the show, the celebrity couple personally deliver a truck full of boxing equipment, computers and other gifts to the program.

“Solomon is a man after our own heart in terms of the work that he’s doing in the community,” the Golden State Warriors’ All-Star point guard tells his celebrity chef wife as they drive the truck to the gym.

In the episode, Howard describes the organization as an after-school program “focused on keeping young folks off the streets and engaged in more holistic wellness activity.” He says it serves kids in “essentially kind of the forgotten part of Oakland, where a lot of poverty, crime, violence and negative activities happen.”

At the end of the episode, the Currys reveal the surprise $50,000 donation. “Hopefully, it goes a long way, man,” Steph Curry tells Howard as the two men hug each other.

Howard subsequently deposited that entire donation into his own personal account without the knowledge of EOBA staff or its board members, prosecutors allege.

The media firm representing the Currys declined to comment but emphasized that the donation was facilitated by the producers of DeGeneres’ show and not given directly by the couple.

If convicted of the charges, Howard faces up to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, as well as restitution.

March 7: This story was updated to include a statement from the East Oakland Boxing Association.