SAN FRANCISCO—From 2019 to 2023, 71-year-old Gwendolyn Westbrook, former Chief Executive Officer of San Francisco nonprofit, United Council of Human Services (UCHS), misappropriated $1.2 million through authorized self-payments, improper cash withdrawals and fraudulent reimbursements practices while exercising “near-exclusive control” over UCHS, according to prosecutors.
In 2023, Westbrook was fired from UCHS after almost two decades after improper actions with finances, as well as a lawsuit indicating that she doubled her own salary.
On Friday, February 20, 2026, Westbrook was booked into San Francisco County Jail. She has been released from jail after posting bail.
On Monday, February 23, 2026, the San Francisco District Attorney’s Office announced nine felony charges against Westbrook, which include one count of misappropriation of public funds, three counts of grand theft, including direct theft of $91,000, one count of presenting a false invoice for payment, four counts of filing false California tax returns from 2020 to 2023.
According to prosecutors, she misappropriated the funds for a lavish lifestyle such as luxury cars, jewelry and high-end shopping for places like Louis Vuitton and Neiman Marcus. On Tuesday, February 24, 2026, Westbrook is scheduled to be arraigned at San Francisco’s Hall of Justice.
