Carla Wiley, president of One Door for Education, a Leesburg, Va. charity, pled guilty last Friday to conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Prosecutors say the charity took in approximately $800,000 over the span of four years, but that only about $1,200 was ever awarded in either scholarships or grants to needy children. According to Wiley’s plea agreement, she had help in both soliciting and spending the nonprofits funds. She named a public official designated only as Person A, and the public official’s chief of staff, designated only as Person B. She has agreed to continue cooperating with prosecutors as they build separate cases against Persons A and B.
According to Wiley, “Person A” solicited contributions to One Door for Education and convinced people and businesses to make donations based on false and fraudulent statements that the funds would be used for charitable purposes. Federal investigators say the money was instead diverted to Wiley and Person A for personal use.
A popular Florida official is believed to be Person A. Flyers and solicitation letters tie the Florida official to at least one fundraising event, but there could be other, similar, documents connecting other public officials to fundraising activities of the nonprofit.
