The Criminal Case Against Jonathan Vernick

March 13, 2017

Dear Readers:

 

The legal case against Jonathan Vernick started on August 10, 2015 with me, Harry Petersen, filing fraud charges against Jonathan Vernick and the San Francisco Rent Board. See: Jonathan Vernick: Wrongful Eviction Charge.  

 

It continued to June 15, 2016 to when the Baker Board of Directors agreed to merge with Positive Resource Center. See:   Baker Places Board of Director’s Meeting on June 15, 2016: Reporter’s Notes.

 

Note that according to press releases, both from Baker Places and Positive Resource Center, Jonathan Vernick was to be replaced as the Executive Director of Baker Places and Brett Andrews was to be the new CEO of the both organization by October 31, 2016. See: Baker Places: Residential Treatment Centers press release and the press release by Positive Resource Center: Welcome.

See the following statement in the press release: "After October 31, BP’s executive director, Jonathan Vernick, who worked with the organization for 33 years, will transition from his current role to become a special advisor to the new PRC."


What has happened since October 31, 2016? According to Baker Places site, Jonathan Vernick remains the Executive Director. Thus, I assume the removal of Jonathan Vernick will not happen and thus will renew my public campaign against him. I start by reviewing the criminal case against him.

 

Brief Criminal Case Against Jonathan Vernick:

 

The problem with Baker Places is the lack of oversight of how it has spent the taxpayers’ money over the past 10 years. I have documented that according to IRS 990s, Baker Places has lost $3.4 million over the past 10 years: See Financial Documents and Information Prepared for Tom Mesa, a Representative of the Department of Public Health  post on May 7, 2016 for additional information.

 

The last time Baker Places was audited by the City and County of San Francisco was 2008. Because Baker Places is the largest recipient of taxpayers’ money as a nonprofit ($12 million annually), it should be audited every year. Please note that the 2008 audit found many problems with Baker Places adhering to commonly accepted accounting principles; See San Francisco Board of Supervisors: Defund Baker Places—Now!  for additional information.

 

Areas of concern:

 * Baker Places gets property donated by the Mayor’s Office of Housing and Development free of charge and then proceeds to sale the same said building in a few years. This is what happened to the building which housed about 10 clients at 54-56 Francis Street; Jonathan Vernick sold this building to pay back taxes to the IRS of over $800,000. This constitutes theft of public funds.

* There has been ongoing concerns about how the money from the Ryan White Act has been spent. Several reports have indicated that Baker Places has unlawfully used these funds. 

* One private investigator has looked at Jonathan Vernick’s dealings with Baker Places and has estimated that Jonathan Vernick has stolen $100 million from the taxpayers of San Francisco over the past 33 years while he has been associated with this group. 

* The funds which Baker Places is allotted by the taxpayers is comingled with Jonathan Vernick's private corporation. See : Jonathan Vernick Et Al v. Mynette Boykin :: Superior Court of ...for background info on Jonathan Vernick's private holding corporation. 

Baker Places lost $825,000 according to the IRS 990, 2013 form. Please see www.citizenaudit.org and type in Baker Places, Inc. to retrieve copies of the originals. In addition, I have used www.guidestar.org as a resource.  Note that these sites may now be for pay and thus may have limited access. On the average Baker Places loses $340,000 per year.

WHAT YOU CAN DO?

* Please contact your member of the Board of Supervisors at www.sfbos.org and tell him or her that Jonathan Vernick needs to be removed from Baker Places.

* Please contact anyone in the media who can help. In my view, this is a possible scandal which could involve public officials as well as many of Jonathan Vernick's enablers.

* Please contact Barbara Garcia, Director of Public Health at barbara.garcia@sfdph.org and let her know that Jonathan Vernick has not left Baker Places as was agreed. You might mention to her that there has been reports that Baker Places/Positive Resource Center has recently acquired property on Dolores Street via the Mayor's Office on Housing and Development. Why do they need another property when Baker Places has mismanaged the donated properties it already has received from the City?

Thank you for your help. Readers are invited to contact the district attorney's office and the FBI. See the following additional resources and insights: Historic Jonathan Vernick Post: Resources for Action! .

Sincerely Yours,

Harry Petersen

email: Safeway7354@gmail.com