Goodman Community Center Embezzlement Case: What Happened?
The Goodman Community Center embezzlement case concerns allegations that a former senior finance employee misused substantial funds belonging to the Madison, Wisconsin nonprofit between April 2021 and June 2024.
In January 2025, prosecutors charged former vice president of finance and business services Dewayne L. Powell with nine felonies involving alleged theft and forgery. News reports described more than $640,000 in suspected unauthorized spending and checks. Powell entered a not-guilty plea in June 2025.
Goodman Community Center is the organization identified as the alleged victim of financial misconduct. It is not accurate to say the center itself was convicted of embezzlement, or to describe the allegations against its former employee as proven facts.
Timeline of the Goodman Community Center Investigation
The following timeline separates the alleged conduct, the organization’s response and the documented legal proceedings.
| Date | Reported Development |
|---|---|
| April 2021–June 2024 | Prosecutors later alleged that unauthorized transactions and other financial misconduct occurred during this period. |
| June 2024 | Goodman leadership discovered financial irregularities. News reporting described concerns involving checks and organizational accounts. The center reported the matter to police. |
| 2024 investigation | Goodman cooperated with law enforcement, commissioned forensic accounting work and reviewed financial controls. |
| January 29–30, 2025 | Prosecutors brought nine felony charges against former finance executive Dewayne L. Powell. Wisconsin news outlets publicly reported the criminal complaint. |
| February 27, 2025 | Contemporary reporting identified this as a scheduled initial court appearance. |
| June 18, 2025 | A not-guilty plea was entered on Powell’s behalf at an arraignment in Dane County Circuit Court. |
| October 20, 2026 | No later final court disposition was established through the reporting and public sources reviewed for this guide. |
Sources: Wisconsin Public Radio, January 30, 2025; WMTV 15 News, June 18, 2025; and Goodman’s official statement.
Who Was Charged, and What Were the Allegations?
The criminal case named Dewayne L. Powell, a former Goodman Community Center vice president responsible for finance and business services.
According to January 2025 reporting on the criminal complaint, Powell faced:
- Five felony theft counts involving amounts described as greater than $10,000 but not more than $100,000.
- Two felony theft counts involving amounts greater than $100,000.
- Two felony counts of uttering a forgery.
The complaint alleged misuse of organization-issued credit cards and fraudulent checks. Reported transactions involved personal expenses and various payments rather than authorized nonprofit operations.
Some published examples included casino-related spending, hotels, food purchases, transfers and other private expenses. Those descriptions reflect the prosecution’s allegations as reported in January 2025 and are not independent findings of guilt.
How Much Money Was Allegedly Involved?
Wisconsin Public Radio reported allegations exceeding $640,000. Other news organizations used the rounded description of more than $600,000.
Those figures do not necessarily refer to exactly the same subset of transactions. For example, WMTV reported that investigators calculated more than $602,000 in alleged credit-card-related fraud, while broader news accounts also described suspected check transactions.
Amount described in WMTV’s reporting on the credit-card spending investigation.
Broader alleged total reported by Wisconsin Public Radio in its January 30, 2025 account.
These are reported allegations, not a verified amount recovered, a court-ordered restitution figure or an independently audited final loss.
Anyone researching the exact alleged loss should consult the criminal complaint and subsequent court filings instead of treating a headline’s rounded amount as a final accounting conclusion.
What Did Goodman Community Center Say?
Goodman Community Center publicly described discovering financial inconsistencies and taking steps to address the matter.
Its leadership said the organization:
- Removed the employee involved from their position after discovering serious irregularities.
- Reported the matter to the Madison Police Department.
- Cooperated with the criminal investigation.
- Hired a forensic accounting firm for further review.
- Worked with its finance and audit committee to strengthen policies and procedures.
- Intended to protect the continuity of its community programs.
In its official communication, Executive Director Letesha Nelson characterized the allegations as an isolated matter involving one individual and emphasized the center’s ongoing public-service mission.
Separate January 2025 reporting also described Goodman’s position that restricted donor or grant funds had not been used to cover the alleged transactions. That was the organization’s statement; it should not be misrepresented as an independently verified court finding.
Were Community Programs Affected?
Goodman said at the time of the criminal-charge announcement that its regular programming and support for community members would continue.
The center’s current official website continues to advertise:
Fritz Food Pantry
Grocery assistance through scheduled shopping hours and a choice-based pantry model.
Childcare & Youth Programs
Preschool, 4K, after-school enrichment, teen programming and seasonal youth activities.
Older Adult Services
Programs for adults aged 50 and older, including community activities and meals.
Lussier Fitness Center
Exercise facilities and fitness activities, subject to current membership and scheduling policies.
Room & Event Rentals
Meeting rooms and event spaces for gatherings, celebrations and approved activities.
Community Activities
Exercise classes, community gatherings, arts, outreach and neighborhood programs.
The continued listing of programs does not establish that every service was unaffected on every date, but it supports the distinction between the reported financial investigation and the center’s broader ongoing operations.
Current Goodman Community ServicesCan Donors Still Support Goodman Community Center?
Goodman continues to identify itself as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and offers public information about supporting its programs through donations and volunteering.
People considering a contribution following reports of financial misconduct may reasonably want to understand the organization’s current oversight and financial practices.
Questions a Donor Can Ask
- Are recent financial statements or audited reports available for review?
- What changes were made to credit-card authorization, expense approvals and reconciliation?
- Does the organization require independent review of significant transactions?
- How are restricted donations recorded and monitored?
- What oversight responsibilities belong to the finance and audit committee?
- Can donors request information about how a particular program is funded?
Use the organization’s official website for donating, volunteering or requesting financial accountability information. Avoid payment requests sent through unfamiliar third-party pages.
Official Donations & Volunteering InformationGoodman Community Center Address, Buildings & Hours
Goodman Community Center operates on a two-building campus in Madison’s Atwood neighborhood.
Ironworks Building
149 Waubesa Street
Madison, WI 53704
Contains various community services and spaces. The center’s food pantry and many public activities are associated with Ironworks.
Brassworks Building
214 Waubesa Street
Madison, WI 53704
This is the organization’s published mailing address. The building also includes rooms used for community activities and events.
Published Campus Hours
| Day | Campus Hours |
|---|---|
| Monday | 7:00 AM–9:00 PM |
| Tuesday | 7:00 AM–9:00 PM |
| Wednesday | 7:00 AM–9:00 PM |
| Thursday | 7:00 AM–9:00 PM |
| Friday | 7:00 AM–8:00 PM |
| Saturday | 8:30 AM–6:00 PM |
| Sunday | 8:30 AM–6:00 PM |
Phone: 608-241-1574
Email: info@goodmancenter.org
Center-wide holiday closures: Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving and the following Friday, and December 24 through January 1.
Fritz Food Pantry: Getting Grocery Assistance
Goodman’s Fritz Food Pantry operates in the Ironworks building and is a central part of its neighborhood support services.
The center advertises pantry shopping on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. The activity calendar shows recurring sessions including Tuesday mornings, Wednesday evenings and Thursday afternoons.
| Typical Published Session | Time |
|---|---|
| Tuesday food pantry | 9:00 AM–12:00 PM |
| Wednesday food pantry | 5:30 PM–8:00 PM |
| Thursday food pantry | 12:00 PM–3:00 PM |
Goodman’s 2025–26 program reports describe investments in the pantry, including dedicated waiting space and a quicker grocery-pickup option with prepared bags.
Before Your First Pantry Visit
- Check the official Fritz Food Pantry page for current shopper guidance.
- Confirm the day and hours, especially around holidays.
- Ask what identification, household information or registration is needed.
- Find out whether personal shopping or rapid pantry pickup is available.
- Go to the Ironworks building and follow the pantry team’s instructions.
Goodman Room Rentals & Community Events
The center continues to list reservable event spaces suitable for meetings, weddings, celebrations, performances and other approved gatherings.
Examples from the current official rental directory include:
| Space | Published Guest Capacity |
|---|---|
| Bea & Lau Christensen Rooms | Approximately 180–216 guests |
| Lau Christensen Room | 120 guests |
| Bea Christensen Room | 96 guests |
| Evjue + Merrill Lynch Rooms | Approximately 120–144 guests |
| Bolz Rooms A + B | Approximately 84–125 guests, depending on setup |
| Bolz Room A | 60 guests |
| Bolz Room B | 24 guests |
| Jack Hicks Room | 49 guests |
Final occupancy depends on room configuration and event requirements. Rates vary by room, day and time, so an exact quote is necessary.
How to Book a Room
Use the official room directory to compare guest capacity and features.
Include the event itself plus setup and cleanup time.
Goodman requires reservations to begin through the linked room request process.
Confirm rates, rules, security deposit, equipment, catering and cancellation terms.
The rental FAQ says full payment is due within two weeks after receiving a contract, including the applicable deposit.
How to Visit Goodman Community Center
Use the published address corresponding to your activity or appointment.
Food pantry, fitness, older-adult activities, childcare, volunteering and private events can use different entrances or rooms.
Building hours do not guarantee that a specific program is operating when you arrive.
Ironworks is at 149 Waubesa Street; Brassworks is at 214 Waubesa Street.
Some activities have admission, membership, reservation or advance-registration requirements.
The center posts inclement-weather changes through its official website and phone system.
Map to Goodman Community Center
For parking, accessibility, transit, food pantry check-in or event loading instructions, consult the center’s official contact page.
Official Visitor Directions & ParkingHow to Check the Latest Court Status
News articles from January and June 2025 document specific events, but they cannot establish every subsequent court development.
To verify the latest legal disposition:
- Open Wisconsin’s official circuit court case-search website at Wisconsin Circuit Court Access.
- Read the site’s terms and search instructions.
- Search for the defendant’s name, Dewayne L. Powell, and use Dane County as the relevant jurisdiction.
- Check that any matching record concerns the Goodman Community Center case rather than another person with a similar name.
- Review the most recent docket activity for any verified plea, verdict, dismissal, sentencing or restitution order.
- For clarification, contact the appropriate court clerk or consult qualified legal counsel.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What happened in the Goodman Community Center embezzlement case?
In January 2025, a former Goodman Community Center finance executive was charged with nine felonies related to alleged theft and forgery. Reports described suspected misuse of nonprofit funds between April 2021 and June 2024.
2. Who was accused of embezzling Goodman Community Center funds?
Prosecutors charged Dewayne L. Powell, a former vice president of finance and business services at the Madison nonprofit. He entered a not-guilty plea in June 2025.
3. How much money was allegedly embezzled?
Wisconsin Public Radio reported allegations involving more than $640,000. Other outlets referred to more than $600,000, including a reported credit-card-related amount exceeding $602,000. These are alleged amounts, not final restitution findings.
4. Was anyone convicted in the Goodman Community Center case?
A conviction or other final disposition could not be independently verified from the sources reviewed through October 20, 2026. The confirmed June 18, 2025 milestone was a not-guilty plea. Check the official Dane County court record for later updates.
5. How did Goodman Community Center respond?
Goodman said it reported financial irregularities to police, cooperated with investigators, hired forensic accountants and reviewed its financial controls with its finance and audit committee.
6. Did the allegations cause Goodman Community Center to close?
Goodman said its programming would continue. Its official website continues to list community programs, childcare, food pantry services, fitness opportunities and event rentals.
7. Where is Goodman Community Center located?
The Ironworks building is at 149 Waubesa Street, Madison, WI 53704. The Brassworks building and mailing address are at 214 Waubesa Street, Madison, WI 53704.
8. What are Goodman Community Center opening hours?
Published campus hours are Monday–Thursday 7 AM–9 PM, Friday 7 AM–8 PM, and Saturday–Sunday 8:30 AM–6 PM. Programs and holiday schedules can differ.
9. Does Goodman Community Center still operate a food pantry?
Yes. The Fritz Food Pantry operates through the center, with shopping sessions advertised on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. Check the official pantry information for current shopper requirements and hours.
10. Can I rent event rooms at Goodman Community Center?
Yes. Goodman offers meeting rooms and event spaces for gatherings, celebrations and other approved activities. Reservations begin through its official room-request process, with charges depending on the space, date and rental duration.
Sources, Reporting & Official Records
- Wisconsin Public Radio — January 30, 2025 Criminal Charges Report
- WMTV 15 News — Allegations and Criminal Complaint Coverage
- WMTV 15 News — June 18, 2025 Not-Guilty Plea
- Goodman Community Center — Official Financial Investigation Statement
- Wisconsin Circuit Court Access — Court Record Search
- Goodman Community Center — Hours, Campus and Contact
- Goodman Community Center — Programs and Services
- Goodman Community Center — Event Space and Rentals
Independent informational article. Descriptions of the criminal complaint are allegations unless otherwise established by court proceedings. This guide does not claim to provide a verified final disposition of the case as of October 20, 2026. Visitor and program information is subject to change.