LIFT3 Support Group Inc.
Outcome
Claudia Humphrey, Executive Director of LIFT3 Support Group Inc., a Fairfield, California nonprofit serving domestic violence and sexual assault victims, was sentenced to six months in prison and ordered to repay more than $70,000 for transferring over $270,000 in DOJ Office on Violence Against Women grant funds to accounts she controlled, spending $70,000+ on personal travel, shopping, and family payments — and then obstructing a federal audit.
Details
LIFT3 Support Group Inc. (Fairfield, California) — Executive Director OVW Grant Fraud (2011–2015)
Outcome: Claudia Humphrey, Executive Director of LIFT3 Support Group Inc. in Fairfield, California, was sentenced in April 2019 to six months in federal prison and ordered to repay more than $70,000 for transferring over $270,000 in DOJ Office on Violence Against Women grant funds to bank accounts she controlled and spending over $70,000 on personal travel, shopping, and payments to family members — then obstructing a federal OVW audit.
LIFT3 Support Group Inc. offered transitional shelter assistance and other services to victims of sexual assault, domestic violence, and dating violence, primarily serving Solano County residents. Through LIFT3, Humphrey applied for and received federal grants from the DOJ Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) in 2011 and 2012.
Humphrey transferred more than $270,000 in OVW grant funds that were restricted for victim services into bank accounts she controlled. She used more than $70,000 of those funds on personal expenses: trips to Las Vegas, handbags, gasoline, groceries, clothing, and payments to family members who held positions in the organization. A DOJ OIG audit identified the misuse.
Between October 2014 and August 2015, Humphrey obstructed the OVW audit of LIFT3 — altering records to thwart the federal investigation. U.S. District Judge Troy Nunley sentenced her to six months in prison and ordered repayment of more than $70,000.
Primary Source: Former Executive Director of Non-profit Sentenced for Embezzling Funds Intended for Domestic Violence Victims
How Crucible Prevents This
Humphrey staffed her own organization with family members who received grant-funded payments — a nepotism red flag that Crucible's family-member employment disclosure hook would have surfaced immediately. A grant fund segregation control prohibits transfers of restricted grant funds out of grant-specific accounts without documented service delivery. The obstruction of the OVW audit underscores the value of Crucible's immutable audit record — records that cannot be altered after creation to conceal prior unauthorized transfers.
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