Sheryl Davis, the former head of San Francisco’s Human Rights Commission, is currently incarcerated on 17 counts of misuse of funds. Despite her vocal advocacy for human rights, she reportedly squandered millions of taxpayer dollars on extravagant trips, tickets to sporting events, her son’s college education, and efforts to promote her own image.
Davis and her longtime partner, James Spingola, are facing serious legal repercussions for allegedly misappropriating city funds that were intended to uplift the Black community in San Francisco.
“This serves as a stark reminder that we need solid checks and balances in place to prevent such incidents,” District Attorney Brooke Jenkins addressed the issue on Monday.
According to Jenkins, the duo transferred $4.5 million from city resources to Spingola’s nonprofit, Collective Impact, which highlights a troubling pattern of self-dealing.
Documents reveal that Davis spent staggering amounts on lavish events—like $2.1 million on catering, ice rink rentals, DJs, and other entertainment for a Philadelphia party, as well as $267,000 on gala tickets and sponsorships, and $60,000 for an event at the Golden State Warriors’ arena.
The audit further uncovered that she sold 1,500 copies of a children’s book titled “Free to Sing” and allocated $75,000 to promote it, among other personal projects.
City Commissioner Greg Wagner described her expenditures as “frivolous, unethical and unwarranted,” emphasizing the need for rebuilding trust in the department now overshadowed by this scandal.
Davis held dual roles as director of both the Human Rights Commission and the Dream Keeper Initiative, which was established in 2021 by former Mayor London Breed to direct $120 million towards the Black community after the police killing of George Floyd. In fact, there were initial discussions about pulling law enforcement funding from this initiative, largely financed through the city’s general fund.
Investigations revealed that while some Dream Keeper funds were allocated to legitimate programs, there were glaring issues with oversight and questionable spending. Significant portions of the $40 million designated annually for the initiative were funneled into community organizations that perplexed city officials with their spending behaviors, as reported by the San Francisco Standard.
For example, the J&J Community Resource Center lost eligibility to work with the city due to fraudulent activities, inflating costs for services like motorcycle rentals and cigars.
Another organization, Both Sides of the Conversation, attempted to cover lavish meals and travel expenses. During a sponsored community bowling event, there was even a boast of a “prize” pot of $20,000, accompanied by a flashy promotional video showing cash rewards to participants.
Davis reportedly split expenses into smaller amounts to evade close scrutiny from city auditors, violating spending limits in the process.
In 2023, for instance, the Human Rights Commission allocated $8,000 to an organization for a “Queen’s Weekend Retreat,” aiming to support certain unidentified individuals in their community services.
Moreover, the department reportedly spent $685,123 on tickets to games, facility rentals, and travel, alongside $353,113 for restaurant rentals and catering. Davis even sought reimbursement for about $79,950 in rent and expenses related to her Martha’s Vineyard residence.
She also requested that the city cover the costs for her friend Antione Phillips, allowing him to stay several weeks at the upscale InterContinental Hotel under the claim that he was temporarily unemployed.
Davis’s attorney has defended her actions, asserting that she was selected for her expertise and connections aimed at benefiting San Francisco’s Black community, and that she is cooperating with the ongoing investigation. The attorney suggested that Davis received little guidance on navigating governmental procedures while being expected to create effective support systems for those in need.
