Attorney General Chris Carr recently filed a complaint in Fulton County Superior Court against SDG Impact Fund, Inc. (SDGIF); SDGIF’s successor entity, SDG Global Impact Fund, Inc.; SDGIF’s executive director, Anthony Suber; and SDGIF’s former board member, Bryan Doreian.
What does SDG stand for and what is the complaint? SDG stands for “Sustainable Development Goals,” and SDGIF is a nonprofit designed to support the United Nations and its aid efforts.
The complaint alleges that the defendants illegally distributed charitable assets and misled donors, among other claims.
What is the background to this complaint? Headquartered in Georgia, the SDGIF purports to operate as a 501(c)(3) sponsoring organization for donor-advised funds.
The organization solicits contributions from individuals and entities throughout the United States and abroad, who may donate cash, cryptocurrency, bonds, or other assets.
They then promise to donate those funds to a charitable beneficiary selected by the contributor to facilitate the accomplishment of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. At one point, they claimed to have solicited over $10 billion in donations.
The SDGIF has recently moved its operations to SDG Global Impact Fund, Inc., which is also actively soliciting charitable contributions from donors across the globe.
What is specifically alleged in the complaint? As alleged in the complaint, the SDGIF has spent significant amounts of the solicited donations for non-charitable purposes.
Allegedly, the defendants used donations to fund personal expenses, including vacations, attorney’s fees and restitution in criminal cases, car loans and mortgages, private school tuition, and various other personal expenses, such as Amazon purchases, clothing, groceries, pet supplies, and sports equipment.
AG Carr is asking the Court to hold the defendants accountable and is seeking restitution for contributors.
What AG Chris Carr had to say:
- “When consumers are donating funds, they deserve to know they’re dealing with a legitimate organization — not a scam. Those who knowingly deceive Georgians to line their own pockets will face action by this office. We have strong laws in place to protect consumers, and we will ensure they’re enforced.”
