Minnesota nonprofit – Minnesota’s AG alleges a violence-interruption charity collapsed after leaders allegedly diverted $6.5M for luxury travel, cars, and a private liquor store.
A Minnesota nonprofit branded around violence prevention has become the center of a sweeping civil lawsuit after allegations that $6.5 million in charitable money was used to bankroll lavish personal perks.
Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison announced on Friday that a civil lawsuit has been filed against nonprofit We Push for Peace and two former directors. Trahern Pollard and Jaclyn McGuigan.. The organization. which reportedly held contracts tied to community outreach and violence prevention efforts. is accused of collapsing under what prosecutors describe as “rampant abuse” and direct self-dealing.
According to the complaint, Pollard allegedly pocketed more than $6 million of the diverted charitable funds.. Prosecutors say the money did not go toward the community-support work the nonprofit advertised. but instead funded a lifestyle of luxury. including trips to Las Vegas. the purchase of luxury vehicles. and extensive shopping connected to a Harley Davidson showroom and spa-related businesses.
The allegations also describe additional personal expenditures routed through the charity.. Pollard is accused of using nonprofit funds to pay off his child support. settle a personal tax bill with the IRS. and subsidize his private. for-profit ventures.. Prosecutors specifically point to businesses including a used car dealership and a liquor store.
McGuigan. identified in the lawsuit as the nonprofit’s treasurer. is accused of transferring money from the charity into her own personal account.. The complaint alleges a recurring $1. 000 per week transfer. along with further theft of thousands of dollars in government grant funds that she reportedly described as “administrative” expenses.
Ellison, in a statement, characterized the conduct as a betrayal of funds intended for community benefit. The claim, as laid out in the lawsuit, is that the people running the organization allegedly used millions that should have supported the mission instead to enrich themselves.
The case also centers on whether the nonprofit could perform the work it was contracted to do.. Prosecutors stated that when the City of Minneapolis sought help from the organization during Operation Metro Surge. a major Homeland Security enforcement effort in Minnesota. the nonprofit was “utterly incapable” of responding to the request.
As state investigators allegedly tightened scrutiny, the complaint contends that Pollard submitted false statements under penalty of perjury.. Prosecutors allege he claimed a child support payment was “nonprofit overhead. ” and he described a $35. 000 payout to personal friends as “Chicago payroll. ” in an effort to disguise the diversion of funds.
The lawsuit further alleges that Pollard moved quickly to create structures aimed at justifying missing money.. Prosecutors say he incorporated a fake “for-profit arm” just days after the Minnesota Attorney General’s Office began inquiries. using that setup as part of an alleged effort to explain away the disappearance of funds.
Court documents described in the complaint also point to additional steps to drain revenue.. Pollard is accused of forming another for-profit corporation called “Change Makers” and redirecting the nonprofit’s remaining income into the new entity.. Prosecutors also allege that lucrative community liaison contracts. including one with Whole Foods. were diverted from the charity and funneled directly into his private company.
Beyond the specific allegations. the case highlights how violence-prevention and community-outreach nonprofits can become especially vulnerable when leadership controls both the finances and the narrative of impact.. If the claims in the lawsuit are proven. it would suggest the mission-driven branding of the organization may have been used to sustain the flow of funds long enough for self-dealing to accelerate.
It also raises broader questions about oversight during periods when public agencies depend on outside organizations to respond to enforcement and community challenges.. When a nonprofit is described as unable to assist during a major operation. the ripple effects can extend beyond a single program. potentially undermining trust between local governments and the organizations they engage.
For communities seeking safety and prevention services. the allegations add urgency to how grant funding and contractual payments are monitored. audited. and verified.. The lawsuit’s claims—ranging from alleged misuse of charitable funds to alleged false statements—are likely to shape how regulators and partners reassess compliance and accountability going forward.
The civil case against We Push for Peace, Pollard, and McGuigan is now the focal point, with prosecutors arguing the organization’s collapse was driven by abuse rather than operational failure.
Minnesota nonprofit lawsuit We Push for Peace Keith Ellison charitable funds misuse violence interruption charity fraud allegations