Legislator Calls for Suffolk Community College Trustees to Resign Over Alleged Urban League Improprieties

Following an audit of the Urban League of Long Island that uncovered potential financial improprieties involving Suffolk Community College Trustee Theresa Sanders, Suffolk Legislator Trish Bergin has called for the resignation of Sanders and her attorney, E. Christopher Murray, who chairs the trustee board.
“They have failed to uphold their oath, failed the college and most importantly the students they swore to shepherd and support and taxpayers they have an obligation to protect,” Bergin charged last week. “If they don’t step down, Bergin said she will call on SUNY Chancellor John King to “step in and take immediate action to restore the public’s confidence in this College Board.”
The Urban League requested the forensic audit of Sanders, who serves as the organization’s CEO and president, and then moved to oust her after she called a meeting to seek the removal of the league’s interim chair, Su Chen, who raised red flags over her financial practices. Chen took it to court, where a state Supreme Court Judge ruled that Sanders had no authority to call the meeting and had to go. The North Babylon resident is fighting back with counter charges now pending in Nassau County, where the non-profit is based.
Upon joining the board in April, Chen said in the lawsuit that she “became troubled by the financial practices of ULLI, particularly with respect to a pervasive lack of accountability, oversight and checks and balances.” She reported her concerns to the organization’s national board, which put the Long Island chapter on probation and ordered the audit from the Syracuse accounting firm, FustCharles. While the review was pending, Sanders made her move to get Chen off the board, an action that was overruled by Judge Christopher G. Quinn.
According to Bergin, a Suffolk Community alumnus who serves as a member of the legislature’s Education and Labor Committee, Sanders is currently under investigation by the Nassau District Attorney for alleged financial malfeasance. “Murray is admittedly Sanders' personal attorney,” she said, noting an audit item showing $21,000 in legal fees from the Urban Leagues’ bank account.
“Murray, as chair of the board of trustees at the college, has presided over an ethical morass in which the board has not followed its own rules and violated its own ethics code,” Bergin said. “Clearly, the interests of the community college and the interests of two board members now embroiled in an ethical and alleged financial scandal should not be overseeing the community college, be able to inf luence and approve college spending or be anywhere near the finances of a taxpayer- funded institution. The recent audit uncovered nearly $200,000 in
improperly documented expenses, including a $43,046 check to the Internal Revenue Service to have a tax lien removed from Sanders’ home.”
“The statements by Legislator Bergin are demonstrably false,” Murray said. “Asking us to resign is ridiculous, utterly ridiculous. I may sue her for slander.” The attorney said there are many documents related to the case and “we’re going to duke it out in court because we don't feel that the allegations are correct.” According to Murray, his prior firm had represented the Urban League in negotiating a previous license agreement and lease, “but that was two or three years ago; I’m not representing the Urban League right now,” Murray said. “And so, since they're not related, there's nothing that prohibits me from representing h or her individually, and she pays me individually. She's not using Urban League funds by any means,” he said, adding, “We also counter because we believe the Urban League owes her some money.”
Bergin also criticized the trustees for extending the contract of College President Edward Bonahue by three years and giving him a raise outside of the amount budgeted by the legislature. James Mazzarella, chairman of the Education Committee, sent a letter to Murray asking the trustees to table the measures until their “partners in Suffolk County government” could review it. Murray responded by saying it is up to the college board to decide on the president’s contract and that he would support the extension and the raise. The move hiked Bonahue’s pay from $265,000 to $290,000 and increased his housing allowance by $12,000 to $48,000. “I’m just appalled at what is happening here,” Bergin commented.
An August 3 letter from the National Urban League to Chen recommended the local affiliate take immediate disciplinary action against Sanders, and that Chen be named interim director of a transitional board of directors to oversee a reorganization. If the Long Island chapter does not comply, the letter stressed, it could lose its status as an Urban League affiliate. In addition, the letter said the organization would contact Senator Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and the U.S. Department of Labor about transferring to the national organization a $1.1 million federal grant ULLI received in 2022.
The FustCharles auditors added: "Due to the previous general findings identified and the forthcoming targeted expense findings identified, there is a risk that the proceeds of an Economic Injury Disaster Loan from the U.S. Small Business Administration amounting to $100,500 were misapplied.”
Leading ULLI for 30 years and its lone employee, Sanders reportedly managed volunteers and occasionally used consultants in pursuing its mission of providing academic, college preparatory, youth employment and training, and
community service programs. The nonprofit had $512,424 in revenue and $300,290 in expenses, according to the group’s 2021 taxes, published reports said. As the conf lict boiled up, ULLI trustees Marian Conway, Michelle Cannon, Wayne Thompson, and Kelli Gore resigned.
Judge Quinn’s requiring Sanders to vacate her position with the Urban League did not address the allegations of financial improprieties raised in the lawsuit. "It appears that despite the long history of ULLI and the good work that it performs, a caustic environment festered among the board members and including the president," Quinn wrote. "It also appears that complacency permitted a culture of fiscal irresponsibility to develop, all of the above seriously detracting from the mission of ULLI."
“What you hear, it doesn't look good; there may be some collusion there,” said Suffolk Legislator Nick Caracappa. “It’s up to the DA to get the facts. I don’t like throwing stones, casting aspersions, but on the surface, it doesn’t look good.”
“The story about alleged financial improprieties by members of the Urban League is troubling and clearly shows the need for an investigation into their actions and how it may have extended into dealings with Suffolk County Community College,” said Brookhaven Supervisor Edward Romaine, a candidate for county executive. “I know the importance of our community college, which should not have to operate under a cloud of allegations of corruption. The board members involved should resign immediately while these actions are being investigated.” Romaine called on the Suffolk District Attorney, the state Attorney General, and the county and state Comptrollers to join the investigation.
In a published interview, Sanders said she was "disappointed" with Judge Quinn’s decision. "But I will do what needs to be done to continue to make sure that the work that Urban League does is able to go forward,” she was quoted as saying. "We've served a lot of children and families over the years, so any transition that will be made, I'm happy to make it. And it doesn't mean that it's all over because there are still some allegations that I feel are unjustly waged against me. And I will continue to try to vindicate my name. And so that will continue. That's not going to go away."
As trustee chair, Murray leads a 10-member board made up of unsalaried representatives who oversee a $60 million budget. They are appointed by both the county legislature and the governor, with an annual member appointed by the student body. Two of the gubernatorial appointments have had their terms expire and function as holdovers. There is one vacancy created by the expiration of Trustee James Morgo’s term, who decided not to carry on as a holdover. If Murray and Sanders were to leave their posts, the legislature’s Republican majority would have three seats to fill, the first
time they have had that opportunity since before the appointment of Sanders in 2010. The current members are:
• E. Christopher Murray, chair, appointed October 5, 2016 by the legislature; term expires June 30, 2025
• Shirley E. Coverdale, 1st vice chair, appointed October 19, 2017 by the governor; term expires June 30, 2024
• Gordon D. Canary, 2nd Vice Chair, appointed February 12, 2014 by the governor; term expires June 30, 2020
• Gemma deLeon-Lopresti, secretary, appointed September 7, 2016 by the legislature; term expires June 30, 2026
• Theresa Sanders, appointed June 30, 2010 by the legislature; term expires June 30, 2025
• Kevin M. O'Connor, appointed August 3, 2018 by the governor; term expires June 30, 2024
• Priscilla Zarate, appointed December 17, 2019 by the legislature; term expires June 30, 2028
• Belinda Pagdanganan, appointed May 14, 2018 by the governor; term expires June 30, 2022
• Samantha Portillo, student trustee, elected July 1, 2023; term expires June 30, 2024
Potential financial improprieties identified in the FustCharles audit include:
• A certified check drawn from the League’s Bank of America checking account in the amount of $43,046.58 paid to the Internal Revenue Service that was associated with IRS correspondence addressed to the President/CEO and included the President/CEO's social security number and home address. IRS correspondence indicates the tax issue is related to a civil penalty and appears to have been made to have a lien against the President/CEO's personal residence removed.
• 150 transactions for Out-of-Town Travel totalling $28,302.17 for airfare, train fare, hotels, Airbnb, dining, car rentals, fuel, taxi, Uber, grocery store, attractions, souvenir, and an ATM withdrawal for travel to the Dominican Republic, Houston, Miami, Austin, Los Angeles/San Bernardino, Atlantic City, Las Vegas, Washington, DC, Nashville, New Orleans, and Albany.
• 211 transactions for Local Dining totalling $23,959.50, with 25 of the purchases totaling $2,553.78 made on weekends.
• 87 transactions for Local Grocery, Convenience, and Drug Store purchases totalling $4,458, with 22 purchases totaling $1,002.11 made on weekends.
• 140 transactions for vehicle expenses totaling $12,604.54 for car rentals, fuel, DMV fees, vehicle insurance, vehicle impounding fees, and vehicle repairs, with 24 purchases totaling $1,347.61 made on weekends. “We noted that ULLI owns a 2001 Dodge van that was
apparently impounded by the Town of Babylon in April 2023 for not being registered and insured. The Town of Babylon charged and ULLI paid $1,600.00 in towing and storage fees in order for ULLI to recover the van,” according to the audit.
• 35 transactions for Contributions/ Charitable Events totaling $11,200.04. “We did note two contributions made to Bridgehampton Child Care & Recreational Center where a Board member is employed,” the audit stated.
• 253 transactions for Amazon totaling $3,407.63. “During a virtual meeting with the President/CEO,” the audit reported, “the President/ CEO indicated that the Amazon account being used to make the purchaseswasherdaughter'saccount and the ULLI debit card was included on her daughter's account as a payment option along with other payment options.”
• 57 transactions for Local Uber Services totaling $746.06, with 11 of the purchases totalling $144.45 made on weekends, including one purchase through Uber Eats delivered to the President/CEO's home. “Many of the purchases were for transportation to and from train stations; however, certain purchases were for transportation to a car rental business, car dealer, movie theater and two Broadway theaters,” the audit notes.
• 69 transactions for Other Local Transportation Costs totalling $14,583.45 for taxi, train, and chauffeured service companies, with 11 of the purchases totaling $1,193.05 made on weekends.
• 12 ATM cash withdrawals totaling $4,457.08, with one withdrawal of $503.00 made on a Saturday.
• 14 expense transactions made to Family Members totalling $1,491.31, with six of the payments totaling $490.00 made on weekends. “The President/CEO indicated that the Board of Directors was aware of the payments; however, Board of Director meeting minutes provided did not include any discussion regarding these payments,” the audit said.
• 35 Miscellaneous Expenses totalling $16,931.84. “Support was provided for a small portion of the total population of transactions selected; however, the support was, in most cases, not sufficient enough to make a determination as to whether these purchases were a business expense or personal expense,” according to the audit. Under Miscellaneous, 19 transactions totalling $1,330.87 were purchases made from various retail businesses including home improvement, liquor stores, and others. Eight of these totalling $580.32 were made on weekends. Other transactions were for junk removal service totaling $1,306.50 performed at the President/ CEO's personal residence and $358.75 for heating oil.