Catalina Island Conservancy Executive Reportedly under AG Scrutiny

In Allegations Made Against Catalina Conservancy Exec, the Los Angeles Times reports that the California state attorney general’s office is investigating whether AnnMuscat, the executive director of the Santa Catalina Island Conservancy, has misappropriatedthe organization’s funds.  The storyclaims that the AG has received complaints about the operations of the Conservancyfrom “former officers of the nonprofit that manages nine-tenths of SantaCatalina Island.”  According to theTimes, one complainant is Roy Rose, a major donor and former secretary of the boardof directors who resigned “out of unhappiness with Muscat’s stewardship” andnow claims that

Muscattold him she “silenced” Mel Dinkel, the conservancy’s treasurer andchief operating officer who resigned in May, with “hush money” in theform of a $100,000 “consulting agreement.”

“She went on to saythat she was working on securing such agreements for use in the future,acknowledging that there were other Judases in the organization….”

The press secretary for AttorneyGeneral Kamala D. Harris reportedly “would neither confirm nor deny that aninvestigation was underway.”

JRB