A former executive director of a youth boxing charity in Oakland, California, diverted a $50,000 donation presented during Stephen Curry and Ayesha Curry‘s appearance on The Ellen DeGeneres Show into his personal bank account. Howard Solomon, also known as Solomon Howard, was sentenced to 27 months in federal prison in September 2025 after pleading guilty to mail fraud and tax evasion. The donation was made to the East Oakland Boxing Association (EOBA) by a television studio in connection with a December 2019 episode featuring the Currys on Ellen’s Greatest Night of Giveaways. Prosecutors said Solomon embezzled at least $549,000 from the organisation between 2017 and 2021, using charitable funds for personal expenses. He was also ordered to repay the charity and the Internal Revenue Service.
How the $50,000 donation was diverted
According to the US Department of Justice, EOBA received the $50,000 donation in October 2019. The contribution was connected to the Currys’ appearance on The Ellen DeGeneres Show in December that year, during a segment called Ellen’s Greatest Night of Giveaways.During the segment, Stephen and Ayesha Curry delivered various gifts to the organisation, including a $50,000 cheque from the show. Solomon deposited the donation into a personal bank account without informing the charity’s board members or staff.The donation came from the television studio, not necessarily from the Currys personally. The Justice Department identified the studio as the donor and linked the gift to the couple’s appearance on the programme.
Who is Howard Solomon?
Solomon served as executive director of the East Oakland Boxing Association from approximately late 2016 until 2021. His responsibilities included overseeing the organisation’s daily operations, fundraising, programmes, staff and finances.He was an authorised signatory on the charity’s Wells Fargo bank accounts. Prosecutors said he used this access to transfer organisational funds into accounts he controlled at other financial institutions. He also deposited charitable contributions into personal and business accounts without the organisation’s authorisation.
He embezzled at least $549,000 from the charity
The $50,000 donation was only one part of a wider embezzlement scheme. Solomon admitted to taking at least $549,000 from EOBA over several years.Prosecutors said he used the money for personal expenses unrelated to his role at the organisation. These included a Ford Explorer, a vacation rental and purchases made through Amazon.The Justice Department said Solomon used his position of trust to divert money intended for an organisation serving children and families in East Oakland. The funds were meant to support the charity’s youth programmes rather than his personal spending.
The charity provides boxing lessons and educational support
The East Oakland Boxing Association is a non-profit organisation that serves children and families in East Oakland, California. Its programmes include after-school and summer activities, boxing lessons, coaching, tutoring, literacy support and internship opportunities for teenagers.Federal prosecutors said the embezzlement deprived young people, particularly those from low-income families, of resources intended to support their development. The case raised concerns about the impact of financial misconduct on community organisations that rely on donations to provide services.
Solomon also evaded federal taxes
The case involved tax evasion in addition to the embezzlement. Solomon admitted that he failed to report the money he took from EOBA as income on his tax returns. He also misstated expenses associated with two businesses that he claimed had incurred losses.According to the Justice Department, his actions resulted in an estimated $287,185 in unpaid federal taxes. The tax offence formed a separate part of the case, and the court ordered restitution to the Internal Revenue Service as well as to the charity.
He was sentenced to 27 months in federal prison
Solomon pleaded guilty to one count of mail fraud and one count of tax evasion on April 23, 2025. On September 24, 2025, US District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers sentenced him to 27 months in federal prison.He was also ordered to pay $549,132.74 in restitution to the East Oakland Boxing Association and $287,185 to the Internal Revenue Service. The court imposed an additional three years of supervised release and ordered him to begin serving his prison sentence on October 30, 2025.