(WHAM) – More than $57,000 worth of state and taxpayer money misused by the former program director of the Rochester Area Community Foundation Initiatives (RACFI) has been recovered by the New York Attorney General’s Office.

Adam McFadden, a former Rochester City Councilman and leader of multiple non-profit organizations in Rochester, pleaded guilty last spring to defrauding the Rochester Housing Authority of thousands of dollars to use personally or spend elsewhere. McFadden was one of the past executive directors of the Quad A for Kids program.

Multiple superseding indictments would later accuse McFadden and at least two others of misappropriating tens of thousands more from other non-profit organizations set up to serve some of the poorest and impoverished children in the city of Rochester.

According to Attorney General Letitia James, an internal investigation by RACFI found McFadden diverted $57,598 and used the vast majority of it for personal spending. Some of that money included Advantage After School Program grant funds, which were provided by the state.

“Adam McFadden abused the public trust and the office he held by misusing state and taxpayer funds intended for children’s after-school enrichment programs,” Attorney General James said. “Any organization that accepts taxpayer dollars has a responsibility to account for those funds and ensure they serve the public good, not allow one individual to personally benefit from those funds.”

The money recovered by the AG’s office will be returned to the Office of Children and Family Services, which initially handed out the grants.

RACFI fired McFadden. His conviction subsequently led to his removal from public office.

— 13wham