“We are pleased to see Will Smith begin to be held accountable for his disgraceful actions,” Chief Executive Ryan Sullivan said.
Smith, 52, was arrested in June. Investigators said the chief financial officer routinely used money from the Riverfront Conservancy for travel, hotels, limousines, household goods, clothing and jewelry. He had side gigs in real estate, a nightclub and amateur basketball.
Smith pleaded guilty to wire fraud and money laundering during an appearance in Detroit federal court, acknowledging that the group’s loss was at least $44 million. He could face more than 15 years in prison when he returns to court in March.
The Riverfront Conservancy recently said that the theft is forcing it to delay portions of a riverwalk project. The group’s board of directors is composed of prominent people in Michigan business and government.
“Mr. Smith’s deceitful actions, which spanned for more than a decade, not only broke the trust of his employer but the entire community,” said Cheyvoryea Gibson, who leads the FBI in Detroit.
