Prince George’s County Council Chair Krystal Oriadha is trying to claw back $7.6 million in taxpayer funds she directed to a personal friend’s charity, following mounting public backlash.
Ms. Oriadha directed funds from the council’s administrative account to Community on the Frontline, headed by her friend Janna Parker. The charity operates as a project of the California-based Edward Charles Foundation and has no publicly traceable financial records in Maryland.
This week, Ms. Oriadha and County Executive Aisha Braveboy asked the foundation in a joint letter to return the money so they could administer it from a county fund with more transparency.
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The Democratic officials said this should quell recent complaints that the money has vanished while an investigation determines how to make county grants more transparent.
“This decision is solely about putting the needs of our residents before any type of controversy surrounding these funds,” Ms. Oriadha said at Tuesday’s council meeting, referring to the letter.
Her letter with Ms. Braveboy was sent one day after council members Sydney Harrison and Jolene Ivey called for public audits of Community on the Frontline and Joan’s House, a separate charity run by a friend of council member Edward Burroughs.
Mr. Burroughs, Ms. Parker and Ms. Oriadha did not respond Thursday to emails seeking comment.
A spokesperson for the Edward Charles Foundation said it received the county’s letter and was working with the county’s finance officials to return the grant money.
“Edward Charles Foundation is cooperating fully with the County and with any review of its administration of these funds,” the spokesperson said in a statement. “Because related matters remain pending, we will not be commenting further at this time.”
The Washington Times first reported in July about Community on the Frontline’s lack of public financial records.
NBC4 conducted a public records request and reported this month that the county distributed nearly $8.6 million to the Edward Charles Foundation in two grants this year, $925,000 in January and $7,635,000 in June.
Ms. Oriadha says the grants fund childcare, food distribution and youth mental health programs for struggling residents in District 7, which she represents. The district includes Suitland, Morningside, District Heights, Capitol Heights, Seat Pleasant, Hillcrest Heights and Marlowe Heights.
“Prince George’s County taxpayers have a right to know that their tax dollars are being used to serve communities, families, and those who are deserving,” Ms. Braveboy said Tuesday.
A statement posted Tuesday on Community on the Frontline’s website pledged support for returning the money.
“We want residents to see for themselves that every dollar is accounted for and have a clear picture of how funds have been spent, what remains available, and where those resources are going,” the statement reads.
The county faces a massive budget deficit following decreased revenue projections tied to federal layoffs and the loss of major attractions such as the former Six Flags America in Bowie. The county warned in a May 28 statement that Ms. Braveboy and Ms. Oriadha inherited “a nearly $155 million structural deficit” from previous leaders.
According to NBC4, the $7.6 million came from fiscal 2026 and was not part of money rerouted from public parks in Prince George’s County’s disputed $6 billion budget for fiscal 2027, which began July 1. However, the outlet traced the funds to legislation moving park-commission money.
The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission, which oversees recreational programs in Montgomery and Prince George’s counties, has sued the county for plundering $39 million of parks funding to sustain pet projects.
The biggest project is the $4.3 million that Ms. Oriadha set aside for Community on the Frontline in fiscal 2027.
A Maryland circuit court has temporarily blocked the council from spending this money on 64 charitable projects while the lawsuit unfolds. A hearing is scheduled for Nov. 16-17.
Reached Thursday for comment, some conservative state officials criticized the county’s reluctance to account for its spending.
“What concerns me is that the public should not have to rely on investigative reporting to determine where millions of taxpayer dollars have gone,” said Wicomico County Executive Julie Giordano, a Republican. “There should be a documented financial trail, clear reporting requirements, and enforceable deadlines.”
Maryland state Delegate LaToya Nkongolo, a Republican representing part of neighboring Anne Arundel County, called Ms. Braveboy’s letter “reactionary rather than proactive.”
“Is this about genuine accountability, or is the county executive trying to save face after the controversy became public?” added Ms. Nkongolo, an analyst at the conservative National Center for Public Policy Research’s Project 21.
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