The former CEO of a Perrysburg charity was in court for a bond hearing and was told to have no contact, directly or indirectly, with the charity or move out of her residence.
Linda Green, 73, appeared Dec. 12 in the courtroom of Wood County Common Pleas Judge Joel Kuhlman.
Greene had taken in a mother and daughter to live with her at her residence, called the Lighthouse, had enrolled the child in school and was listed as an emergency contact, said Wood County Chief Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Pamela Gross
IMPACT with Hope owns the Lighthouse, which is what the main office of the charity is called. The charity’s board members were aware of the arrangements Greene had made with the family, and that contact had violated her bond, Gross said.
She asked for Greene’s bond be revoked as she had not adhered to provisions that she have no contact with the charity.
“Contact is contact. She is having contact with board members. She’s furthering the purpose of the charitable organization. She’s continuing to take children in who need medical care,” Gross said.
Greene has been indicted for stealing from the charity and misleading donors.
IMPACT provides medical care to children affected by famine, wars, and disasters. The child and mother are from Africa.
“There is no doubt she is continuing contact with this charity,” Gross said.
She asked the judge to revoke bond and send Greene to jail, or if that is not appropriate, increase the $50,000 bond already posted.
Greene also should be required to leave her residence at the Lighthouse, Gross said.
“She can’t be trusted anymore and should be required to find other suitable housing for herself,” Gross said.
“This motion should be summarily denied,” said defense attorney Jeffrey Collins.
He said as a resident of the Lighthouse, Greene does not have the authority to choose who resides there. The IMPACT board approved the mother and daughter move into the home.
“It was a sound humanitarian decision,” he said.
“I cannot believe that the purpose of your bond order would be to punish Mrs. Green. …” he said. “It’s just heartless.”
Kuhlman said the issue is that Greene was ordered to have no contact with the charity with the exception she continues to live at the Lighthouse and use a company car.
The problem is, if the charity is going to function within the house by helping these folks, she will have contact with the charity, he said.
“She may continue to act altruistically, which is fabulous, she just can’t do it with IMPACT,” he said.
He gave Greene until Dec. 19 to cut all ties with the charity or find alternate housing.
On Dec. 13, Greene’s defense team filed an emergency request to modify bond. They stated that IMPACT’s board of directors assured that Greene would not participate in charitable activities and alternative housing would be found for the mother and daughter. They needed 30 days to find housing and asked that the bond order be modified to start Jan. 19.
Kuhlman denied that motion on Dec. 15.
On Dec. 19, defense again asked for an amendment to the bond conditions requiring Greene move out of the Lighthouse. The board for IMPACT on Dec. 17 had decided to relocate its offices from the Lighthouse to the warehouse in Waterville, and on Dec. 18, the mother and child had moved to a local hotel.
On Dec. 19, Kuhlman approved the motion to allow Greene to remain in residence at the Lighthouse so long as she has no contact, directly or indirectly with IMPACT with Hope agents, employees, or operations.
Greene, who was indicted in February 2021, served as president and chief executive officer of Impact with Hope, formerly known as ISOH Impact, in Waterville.
From Jan. 1, 2011. to Nov. 28, 2018, she is accused of soliciting contributions and misleading donors that the money would be used for charitable purposes when in fact they were used for personal use. According to court papers, the victims were elderly persons or disabled adults and the amount received was $37,000 or more from each.
Greene also has been accused of stealing more than $150,000 from the charity in money, services and reimbursements between Sept. 16, 2014, and Sept. 30, 2018.
Between June 8, 2012, and Nov. 29, 2018, she is accused of using telecommunication services to defraud an unnamed victim of $7,500 or more but less than $150,000.
During that same time, Greene allegedly falsified or destroyed accounting records, reimbursement/receipt records and other financial records to conceal the loss of $150,000 from Impact with Hope Ministries.
Impact with Hope collects items, such as water and baby formula, during disasters.
In May, Greene had again rejected the plea offer to amend the charge of prohibited acts and practices for charities to a third-degree felony from a second-degree felony.
The remaining three charges, which included telecommunication fraud, tampering with records and aggravated theft, all third-degree felonies, would remain unchanged.
The state would recommend a sentence of community control with jail time if Greene pleaded guilty to those charges and cooperated with dissolving the charity and move out of the Lighthouse. She also would be ordered to pay restitution as determined by the Ohio Attorney General’s Office.
At that hearing, when asked by Kuhlman if she understood she must not interact with volunteers or board members, go to the warehouse nor raise money for charity the conditions, she said, “I’m thinking about it,” and then slumped against her defense attorney’s shoulder.
EMS was called but she declined medical treatment.
A jury trial has been scheduled for May 15-19.
