DETROIT – We keep learning more and more about the scandal that has rocked Detroit’s civic, business, and political scene.
There is no question the Detroit Riverfront has become a gleaming jewel. According to a USA Today poll, it is now the nation’s very best riverwalk. If you’re among the many who take advantage of its beauty, you already know it’s a stunner.
If you haven’t given it a try yet, you are missing out. But all of that is why we are focused this morning on another stunner. The allegations that William Smith, the chief financial officer, of the Detroit Riverfront Conservancy embezzled up to the impossible to grasp amount of $40 million.
This isn’t exactly skimming a few bucks out of the petty cash account. The mess has already cost the conservancy its beloved CEO Mark Wallace. And while several foundations have worked so hard to pledge their continuing support, the questions are fair and critical -- how did this happen given the massive profile and budget of the conservancy and its who’s who board of directors?
How was it missed by the auditors? And what is the net effect on the nonprofit world in Detroit? So many questions and we are going to dig into it on this edition of Flashpoint.
We’re also going to dig into another development that broke on Mackinac Island and that is the Wayne Oakland Macomb Partnership on automation alley’s project diamond. Nowadays, 3D printers seem capable of printing out just about anything from a widget to a house. What does a massive network of connected 3D printers hold in store? The future perhaps.
You can watch the June 16, 2024, episode of Flashpoint in the video player above.