No Halo News · Sourced development
Federal complaint alleges Big Blue Umbrella CEO misrepresented services to obtain a county-funded grant
A federal complaint alleges that CEO and executive director Donye Mitchell misrepresented The Big Blue Umbrella’s homelessness-services experience while seeking more than $9 million from Epidaurus, which operates as Amity Foundation. The organization was awarded more than $1.2 million and received about $315,000 before the contract was terminated. Prosecutors allege Mitchell used grant money for personal expenses, including excess salary, credit-card debt, family transfers, bail costs and video-game charges.
Status matters. This page records a sourced development, not a completed No Halo investigation. An allegation is not a finding. Dismissals, settlements, judgments, corrections and final outcomes remain distinct.
Donor relevance
Why this matters
The complaint raises donor- and funder-relevant questions about representations made during grant applications, oversight of executive spending and the verification performed before public money was released.
Attribution
Who reported or established this
The claims were made by federal prosecutors in a criminal complaint announced by the U.S. Department of Justice.
Evidence limits
What remains unverified
The allegations have not been proven in court. No Halo has not established the nonprofit’s actual service capacity, total misspent amount, current operations or possible recovery of grant funds.
Right of reply
Organization response
No response from The Big Blue Umbrella or Mitchell was located in the consulted material.
Classification
How No Halo records this event
Event type: Complaint. Current state: Open. No Halo preserves the current procedural state rather than treating every mention as a finding.
Published September 16, 2026 · Last verified September 19, 2026. See an error or a later outcome? Submit a correction or right of reply.