Cabbagetown nonprofit says former official stole $78K

By Marcus K. Garner and Kristi E. Swartz

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

The treasurer of a Cabbagetown nonprofit has been accused of bilking the organization of some $78,000.

Robert Wood, 42, turned himself in to the Fulton County jail on theft by taking charges, according to jail records.

Over the summer, board members of the Cabbagetown Initiative Community Development Corp. said they noticed that some of the money was missing.

"The new president, Michael McPherson, discovered some discrepancies when he took over," Bryan Brunson, a Cabbagetown resident and attorney who is involved in the case  on behalf of the Cabbagetown Initiative, told the AJC.

Board members notified police in July, and a warrant was issued for Wood's arrest. The case is currently under review in the Fulton County District Attorney's office, Brunson said.

Wood, whose address on his booking record is in Columbus, Ga., turned himself in on Oct. 26 and was released from jail a day later on a $100,000 signature bond.

He could not be reached for comment Thursday evening.

Brunson said Wood has served on the Cabbagetown Initiative Board since 2005 -- and has served as either treasurer or as president -- since 2007.

The annual Cabbagetown Chomp-and-Stomp, held last weekend, provides the bulk of the money to the neighborhood’s nonprofit corporation.

The money helped build Cabbagetown Park, for example.

"We're hurt and disappointed that a neighbor we trusted would do something like this, and we will prosecute this," said Celine Bufkin, president of the Cabbagetown Neighborhood Improvement Association, for which the Cabbagetown Initiative is a non-profit wing.

Brunson said the organization was able to recoup $25,000 from insurance.

"We are going to do everything in our power to reclaim all of our money," he said.