Ex-NAACP prez Mondesire in hot water again
Former fellow board members of his nonprofit want him held in contempt of court for eluding a judge's order.
ATTORNEYS for former NAACP chapter president J. Whyatt Mondesire are keeping mum on allegations that he is defying a court order and ought to be held in contempt of court.
In a court filing late last week, Mondesire's former fellow board members claim that he hasn't complied with a judge's order to hand over all pertinent financial documents relating to his now-defunct nonprofit, Next Generation Community Development Corp.
Plaintiffs in the civil case against Mondesire include local businessman Sid Booker, the Rev. Elijah Morris and community leader Donald "Ducky" Birts. They have filed a contempt-of-court petition against Mondesire, claiming he ignored a judge's order six months ago to hand over a complete inventory of his bank records and financial documents related to Next Generation.
On Dec. 3, Philadelphia Common Pleas Judge Gary Glazer gave Mondesire 10 days to fulfill that decree, after he allegedly submitted insufficient or incomplete documents over the summer and fall. According to Gerard Egan, who represents the three board members, the clock has run out and contempt of court is in order.
"He's a crook," Egan said. "That's the simple explanation for it."
Egan referred to Philadelphia County real-estate records that show that Mondesire transferred a property given to Next Generation by the Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority to his for-profit business for only $1. Egan said that the real-estate records list the fair-market value of the property at $77,100, and that this was a move to squander the assets of Next Generation just two weeks after the court order.
"Taxpayers paid for this property to go into his nonprofit, and now, two weeks after he's ordered to disclose the financial records, he sells it for $1 to one of his for-profit companies," Egan said.
"We say in our petition for contempt that that's theft and he's a crook."
Reached by phone yesterday, Judge Glazer declined to comment on any ruling, citing matters that can only be discussed in open court. Defense lawyer Ryan Paddick, who represented Mondesire during the hearing earlier this month, did not returns calls seeking comment.