MIAMI-DADE – The CEO of a South Florida charity was placed in handcuffs for cheating donors out of their contributions to the organization.
Multiple leaders with the Jewish Community Watch said they noticed problems with their cash flow and began to ask questions in the middle of 2016.
Not long after questions were raised, CEO David Shapiro left his post. Their questions were answered Wednesday, when he was arrested.
The 38-year-old bonded out of jail, Wednesday night. Upon spotting a 7News crew, he declined to answer any questions and took off running.
Earlier that day, as he was walked in by police, 7News had also tried to speak with him, but he would not respond to questions.
The former CEO of the Jewish Community Watch was cuffed and covered his head with a hoodie as he walked out of the Miami-Dade State Attorney’s Office, headed for jail.
Shapiro was hired in 2015. His bio on the nonprofit’s website began with, “David has spent his life helping others, giving…”
Contrary to his bio, however, he now stands accused of helping himself to money that was supposed to be used to help young victims of sexual abuse within the Orthodox Jewish community.
Eli Nash is a survivor off sexual abuse and a JCW board member.
“I was extremely disappointed,” he said. “The organization is meant to protect those who are being taken advantage of, and as part of our efforts to bring our message to more people, and part of our efforts to expand the reach and the number of people that we were able to help, we brought Mr. Shapiro on, to find out that he was using the influence to take advantage of us, and as a result, the many who have reached out to us for help. It is extremely troubling.”
Shapiro allegedly took more than $31,000. According to the arrest warrant, Shapiro used a JCW debit card and transferred money from the organization to his personal account. He used that account to fund trips to theme parks, rent cars, hotel rooms and other personal uses.
“The damage he did can’t be rectified,” Nash said. “It can’t be undone.”
Shapiro is being charged with four felonies, including grand theft and fraud.
