Washington, D.C., has officially cut ties with one of its violence‑intervention partners, and it comes with a price tag. A D.C. Superior Court judge has entered a default judgment ordering the nonprofit Women in H.E.E.L.S. to repay $60,502.48 to the District, while its founder, Ikeia Hardy, has been ordered to return $57,302.48. The ruling also permanently bars Hardy from serving as an officer or director of any nonprofit in the District, following a lawsuit from the Office of the Attorney General that accused the group of misusing Cure the Streets grant money.
Judgment Spells Out Repayment And Ban
According to WJLA, court filings show the Superior Court granted a default judgment in favor of the District and set the exact repayment figures. The outlet reports that Women in H.E.E.L.S. must pay back $60,502.48, while Hardy is personally on the hook for $57,302.48. WJLA also notes that the judgment permanently bars Hardy from holding any leadership role in a D.C. nonprofit.
What The Government’s Complaint Alleges
Documents filed in the case spell out the Office of the Attorney General’s allegations in more detail. According to a complaint filed by the Office of the Attorney General, Women in H.E.E.L.S. was awarded up to $814,000 in each of fiscal years 2022 and 2023 to operate a Cure the Streets violence‑intervention site. The complaint alleges that between June 2022 and March 2023, Hardy transferred $57,302.48 in grant funds into her personal checking account and that the nonprofit failed to return more than $200,000 in unspent funds after the grant was terminated. The filing lists the disputed transfers and documents the agency’s demands for repayment…