Teaching Notes: Springfield Downtown, Inc.: Woman Over-Board

This case deals with a purported fraud perpetrated on a nonprofit organization, Springfield Downtown, Inc., by its Executive Director, Donna Anderson. During Anderson’s seven-year leadership period in the early 2000s, the downtown area of Springfield, California, was completely revitalized. The gentrification project had included turning old warehouses into the upscale Riverwalk Center, lofts, and offices. Anderson encouraged the city to contribute river trails, a new dam, and millions of dollars for the renovation of streets and sidewalks in the downtown area. After Anderson submitted her resignation, the Interim Executive Director began to uncover a practice followed by Anderson of converting checks addressed to Springfield Downtown, Inc. to her private bank account.