ALAMEDA — The former finance manager of Girls Inc. of the Island City has been charged with allegedly embezzling more than $460,000 from the organization during his five-year tenure, according to authorities and court documents.
Safiullah Manzoor, 43, of Walnut Creek, who was arrested March 11, is charged with a felony count of embezzlement over time. He pleaded not guilty March 13 and was released on his own recognizance. He is scheduled to have a pre-trial hearing on May 14.
He began working at the organization as finance manager in July 2020 and resigned in July 2025 after being placed on leave a few months earlier, records say.
Girls Inc. of the Island City is a non-profit organization that was founded in 1964 and has served thousands of girls in elementary through high school over the years. It offers a leadership program that, according to its website, works to “equip girls to reach their full potential while advocating with and for them to end inequity and discrimination.”
It also offers afterschool programs for children of all genders at five Alameda elementary schools. It was the fees charged to parents of children in the afterschool programs that were embezzled, authorities said.
The organization has a yearly budget of almost $3 million and is funded by grants, school district funds, donations and fees charged to parents for the afterschool programs.
An internal investigation started after organization officials learned there were inconsistencies with bookkeeping and invoicing that amounted to missing funds, the court records say. The organization declined to say what specifically alerted them.
Alameda police began an investigation in October. It showed that while working there, Manzoor allegedly created multiple unauthorized invoicing accounts that he tied to an unauthorized bank account, the records say. Organization officials said Manzoor was the person with control and responsibility for the invoicing and bookkeeping functions.
It was determined at least $467,000 went missing during Manzoor’s tenure and likely more, as an audit is still being conducted, the records say. Police obtained a search warrant for Manzoor’s bank accounts; in statements from his final three months of employment, 149 transactions were found that showed $139,463.40 in monies meant for Girls Inc. were deposited into Manzoor’s personal checking account.
Authorities have not said what they believe the funds were spent on.
After his arrest, Manzoor told police about his time spent at the organization but would not provide an explanation for how the funds came to be in his account, the records say.
His attorney, Martin Caraves, said Friday: “I am starting my investigation into the allegations and am not at liberty to provide a more detailed statement at this time. As you know, statements made in court documents are not evidence, they are simply allegations.”
Jennifer Pigza, Chief Executive Officer of Girls Inc. of the Island City, said the loss of the funds has not had an impact on the afterschool programs because of the organization’s reserves.
Since the discovery, Girls Inc. of the Island City said it hired an external financial consulting firm to conduct a comprehensive review of its financial and accounting processes. Based on that review, the organization implemented strengthened controls, including clearer accountability for financial responsibilities and segregation of duties, a more rigorous month-end close and review process, increased leadership oversight and additional monitoring, and more consistent board and committee reporting.
“We understand that news like this can raise concerns for families, supporters, and the broader community,” Pigza said. “We are committed to transparency and strong stewardship of the resources entrusted to us. At the same time, our mission of serving girls and ensuring they continue to receive the programs, support, and opportunities they deserve every day remains unchanged.”
The organization said it plans to take steps to recover the stolen funds, including through the courts if necessary.