The former head of the Bronx Community Pride Center was in tears on Monday when a judge sentenced her to two to four years in prison for embezzling more than $300,000 from the organization.
Blubbering Lisa Winters was led away in cuffs after Bronx Supreme Court Justice Martin Marcus signed off a deal that’ll keep her locked up for two to six years.
She pleaded guilty to second-degree larceny on Feb. 14, in connection to her $338,000 rip-off of the Bronx Community Pride Center.
Thankfully His Honor wasn’t buying it: “I’m amazed you are in the position you are in now,” he replied “There was absolutely no excuse.”
Winters clearly didn’t learn her lesson: In February, the Daily News reported she was back in the “fund-raising” business, soliciting donations for an animal-rescue group called A Winter’s Tail. (The News says Winters, using Scroggin’s last name) referred to Winter’s Tail as an all-volunteer organization but it was “not listed with the state Attorney General’s Department of Charities.” (The group’s website was deactivated shortly after the article was published.)
How about we take this to the next level?
Our newsletter is like a refreshing cocktail (or mocktail) of LGBTQ+ entertainment and pop culture, served up with a side of eye-candy.
Sadly, the Bronx Pride Community Center closed after 16 years last summer. At the time, board members blamed “economic difficulties, past debt and inability to raise [funds]” for the closure. Hopefully sympathetic New Yorkers will open their hearts—and pocketbooks—to help get it back up and running.
Photo: Bronx Community Pride Center
ArthurTreacher
I have become extremely wary of any and all “charities” and do-gooder organizations. They are often filled with con artists and lowlifes.
streeteditions
And the “wife”, Mrs. Scroggins-Winters, walks away unscathed when she obviously profited from this fraud?
TinoTurner
2-4 years??? Jesus, we’ve all read of people doing way less and getting 10-15. This bitch needs to do more then 2 years!
Peter C.
We’ve been working on building a new LGBTQ community services center for The Bronx since last September, when we incorporated as a NYS Not-For-Profit corporation. We recently filed our 501(c)3 exempt status application with the IRS, and most recently held our first fundraiser.
Other organizations, and individuals, are reaching out to us to assist in our efforts to build a community center that is centered around the community. We have taken extraordinary measures to ensure that this new Bronx LGBTQ Center caters to the community and that the community has direct involvement, as well as oversight, as to how the center is operated.
We’ve sent press releases to Queerty but have never had them acknowledged. We’d love to discuss our progress to date, as well as our plans on building this new Bronx LGBTQ Center.
You can read some of the press we’ve received at:
http://www.nextmagazine.com/content/bronx-pride-tale
http://www.edgenewyork.com/news/local/features//141169/feb_9_gala_1st_step_to_reopen_bronx_lgbt_center
and
http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/bronx/gays-bronx-waiting-new-center-bronx-community-pride-center-closed-scandal-article-1.1258962
jeff4justice
Always keep an eye on so-called nonprofit groups.