Attorney General Ellison sues nonprofits and their president for violations of Minnesota law arising out of a pattern of ongoing disruptive and deceptive conduct
State files lawsuit against five nonprofits and their president, David Singleton, for using names, verbiage and images to create the false appearance of government affiliation and for failing to meet basic nonprofit charitable requirements
January 30, 2025 (SAINT PAUL) — Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison announced today he has filed a lawsuit against David Singleton, five Minnesota nonprofits for which Singleton serves as president, and a for-profit legal consulting business owned by Singleton, seeking to end Singleton’s longstanding fraudulent and deceptive behavior.
The Attorney General’s lawsuit, filed in Ramsey County, alleges Mr. Singleton has engaged in a deceptive pattern of either founding or taking over nonprofits with governmental sounding names to sow confusion for his own gain. For example, the five nonprofits named in the lawsuit include: Minnesota Civilian Public Safety Commission Inc., League of Minnesota Human Rights Commissions, DWI Prevention Services Inc., Minnesota Police Reserve Officers Association (MPROA), and United Criminal Justice Reform Commission – none of which have any governmental affiliations.
Not only has Mr. Singleton wrongfully created the appearance that he is affiliated with government agencies, but he has held himself out as able to provide services for which he is neither licensed nor authorized. For example, Singleton allegedly used his nonprofit to direct Minnesotans to his for-profit legal services business, although he does not have a license to practice law in Minnesota or any other state.
“It is appalling that the defendant founded and used nonprofits not to help Minnesotans, but to defraud them and leave chaos and confusion in his wake,” Attorney General Ellison said. “My office launched this investigation and filed this lawsuit because we will not allow nonprofits to be used to deceive and cheat Minnesotans and we cannot allow nonprofits to serve as a guise for their leadership to enrich themselves. I’m grateful to the Minnesota Department of Human Rights and the Nicollet County Attorney’s Office for sharing their concerns about Mr. Singleton’s conduct with my office, as well as to the everyday Minnesotans who filed complaints about Singleton and his fraudulent charities. Reports like these are instrumental in catching bad actors and holding them accountable.”
After receiving complaints from government agencies, including the Minnesota Department of Human Rights, and a constituent regarding Mr. Singleton, his nonprofit organizations, and his for-profit legal services business, the Charities Division of the Minnesota Attorney General’s Office investigated under Minnesota’s civil nonprofit corporation, charitable solicitation, and consumer fraud acts. The resulting lawsuit includes the following claims:
- Violations of the Minnesota Nonprofit Corporation Act for failure to perform any activities that meet the organizations’ nonprofit purpose, lack of board of directors, no annual board meetings, failure to maintain financial records, and breaches of an officer’s fiduciary duties;
- Deceptive solicitation of donations by using names, verbiage and images to create confusion of a government affiliation;
- Violations of the Consumer Fraud Act, Deceptive Trade Practices Act and unauthorized practice of law by engaging in false and deceptive conduct to mislead Minnesota residents that Midwest Arbitration and Singleton could provide legal services, although Singleton is not a licensed attorney.
In Minnesota, the Attorney General, through the Charities Division, has civil enforcement authority over the state’s nonprofit corporation and charitable solicitation laws. The Attorney General also has statutory authority to enforce consumer protection laws and seek an injunction to enjoin the unauthorized practice of law. The Charities Division does not enforce criminal laws. Under state law, nonprofit executives owe fiduciary duties to act in the best interest of the charities that they serve, including putting the interests of the nonprofit above any personal financial interests. The Attorney General’s Office provides additional information about these fiduciary duties, as well as other resources to help nonprofit leaders properly serve their organizations, on its website at http://www.ag.state.mn.us/Charity/InfoNonProfits.asp.
The public may submit complaints to the Attorney General about nonprofit directors and officers putting their own interests before the charity’s interests. Complaints may be submitted by using a form on the Attorney General’s website. The Attorney General’s Office can also be contacted by phone at (651) 296-3353 (Metro area), (800) 657-3787 (Greater Minnesota), or (800) 627-3529 (Minnesota Relay).
