Key Takeaways
- Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison filed a civil lawsuit against the nonprofit We Push for Peace and its former leaders, Trahern Pollard and Jaclyn McGuigan, alleging misuse of $6.5 million in charitable funds.
- Pollard is accused of diverting more than $6 million to personal luxuries—Las Vegas trips, high‑end vehicles, Harley‑Davidson purchases, spa visits—and to cover personal obligations such as child‑support payments, IRS tax bills, and funding his private businesses, including a used‑car lot and a liquor store.
- McGuigan, the organization’s treasurer, allegedly moved $1,000 weekly from the nonprofit into her own account and siphoned additional grant money labeled as “administrative” expenses.
- When the City of Minneapolis called on the group for support during a major Homeland Security operation, the charity was reportedly unable to respond, highlighting the extent of its operational collapse.
- To conceal the theft, Pollard reportedly created a sham for‑profit arm of the charity and later launched a separate company, “Change Makers,” to siphon remaining revenue and redirect lucrative contracts (including a Whole Foods liaison deal) to his private enterprises.
- The case is part of a broader pattern of fraud uncovered in Minnesota, where fake offices, phony firms, and misused government funds have jeopardized state and federal funding streams.
The Minnesota Attorney General’s Office announced on Friday that it has filed a civil complaint against the nonprofit organization We Push for Peace, its former executive director Trahern Pollard, and former treasurer Jaclyn McGuigan. According to the filing, the charity—which had secured multimillion‑dollar contracts for community outreach and violence‑prevention programs—was systematically drained of $6.5 million in funds meant to serve vulnerable neighborhoods in Minneapolis and surrounding areas.
Ellison’s lawsuit details a series of alleged self‑dealing transactions that turned the charity’s bank accounts into personal piggy banks for its leaders. Pollard, who served as the organization’s chief executive, is accused of diverting more than $6 million of the nonprofit’s money. The complaint lists extravagant expenditures that include multiple trips to Las Vegas, the purchase of luxury automobiles, high‑end shopping sprees at Harley‑Davidson showrooms, and visits to upscale spas. Beyond personal indulgences, Pollard allegedly used charity funds to satisfy his own child‑support obligations, to settle a personal tax liability with the Internal Revenue Service, and to subsidize his private, for‑profit ventures—a used‑car dealership and a liquor store that he operated alongside the nonprofit.
McGuigan, who held the treasurer position, is said to have transferred a recurring $1,000 each week from the nonprofit’s accounts into her own personal bank account. In addition, prosecutors claim she misrepresented thousands of dollars in government grant money as “administrative” expenses, effectively siphoning those funds for personal gain. The attorney general’s statement emphasized that the money, which should have funded violence‑interruption efforts, job‑training programs, and community‑building initiatives, instead financed the leaders’ lavish lifestyles and private businesses.
The lawsuit also highlights the operational fallout of the alleged fraud. When the City of Minneapolis requested We Push for Peace’s assistance during Operation Metro Surge—a sizable Homeland Security enforcement initiative—the organization reportedly proved “utterly incapable” of providing the promised support. Investigators contend that the charity’s incapacity stemmed from the diversion of its resources and the erosion of its staff capacity, leaving the community without the violence‑prevention services it had been contracted to deliver.
In an attempt to conceal the missing funds, prosecutors allege that Pollard quickly fabricated a for‑profit arm of the charity shortly after the Attorney General’s Office began inquiring about the organization’s finances. He then established a separate entity called “Change Makers,” which allegedly siphoned the nonprofit’s remaining revenue and redirected lucrative community‑liaison contracts—including a deal with Whole Foods—into his private businesses. Court documents describe these maneuvers as deliberate attempts to create a veneer of legitimacy while continuing to divert charitable dollars.
Attorney General Keith Ellison framed the case as a blatant breach of public trust, stating, “Instead of helping the community, they helped themselves to millions of dollars that should have gone into the community.” He warned that such abuse not only deprives residents of essential services but also undermines confidence in nonprofit institutions that are meant to address pressing social challenges.
The We Push for Peace case fits within a larger pattern of fraud that has surfaced in Minnesota over recent months. State investigators have uncovered numerous schemes involving fake offices, phony companies, and the misappropriation of government funds, ranging from Medicaid fraud to illicit childcare operations. These scandals have put significant state and federal funding at risk and prompted calls for stronger oversight and accountability mechanisms for charitable organizations receiving public money.
As the civil litigation proceeds, the outcome could set a precedent for how Minnesota handles nonprofit malfeasance, potentially leading to tighter reporting requirements, more rigorous audits, and stricter penalties for those who exploit charitable missions for personal enrichment. The collapse of We Push for Peace serves as a stark reminder that the integrity of nonprofit sectors is essential to the wellbeing of the communities they aim to serve.