Ruby Corado, founder of LGBTQ+ nonprofit Casa Ruby, pleads guilty to wire fraud

The founder of an LGBTQ+ nonprofit in the nation’s capital has resolved a legal issue she’s been facing since her abrupt departure from the organization in 2022. Ruby Corado, once seen as a defender and protector of Washington, D.C.’s homeless LGBTQ+ youth, pleaded guilty in federal court on Wednesday to wire fraud.

Corado, 53, confessed to a federal judge in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia that she diverted over $150,000 in pandemic relief funds to her personal bank accounts in El Salvador. These funds, from the Paycheck Protection Program and the Economic Injury Disaster Loan program, were meant to support Casa Ruby’s mission. Instead, they fueled Corado’s endeavors, hidden from authorities, and thrust the organization into financial ruin.

Related: Federal judge grants Casa Ruby founder Ruby Corado pre-trial release from D.C. jail

Earlier this year, authorities arrested Corado in Maryland. Corado, who is transgender, had vanished to South America after her legal troubles came into focus in 2022. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia accused her of misappropriating pandemic relief funds, transferring them to personal accounts overseas, and hiding the transactions from the Internal Revenue Service.

D.C.’s attorney general had previously launched a civil investigation and got Casa Ruby’s bank accounts frozen. Staff and vendors had reported unpaid wages, and the organization struggled to keep its services running. Corado’s abrupt departure to El Salvador in 2022 raised further suspicions about her intentions and Casa Ruby’s financial health, significantly disrupting the organization’s operations.

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Related: Founder of D.C. LGBTQ+ nonprofit Casa Ruby arrested in Maryland after fleeing to El Salvador

Casa Ruby, more than a nonprofit, was a lifeline for many LGBTQ+ youth in D.C., providing essential services like housing and mental health support.

In court documents, Corado acknowledged her role in the fraud scheme, admitting to her actions and their impact on the organization. Her admission of guilt in the wire fraud charge, which could lead to a prison sentence of up to 30 years, marks the case’s conclusion. Her sentencing is set for January 10.

Watch Ruby Corado’s lecture about Casa Ruby as part of the TEDx series of talks below.

Creating Casa Ruby -- a safe haven for DC's LGBTQ+ youth | Ruby Jade Corado | TEDxFoggyBottomwww.youtube.com