Three takeaways from the DP's investigation into Wharton group's alleged 'missing' charity donation

Wharton's graduate student government allegedly failed to complete a $90,000 donation it promised to the Boys & Girls Clubs of Philadelphia's Literacy Initiative, prompting student resignations in protest and an ongoing dispute over what happened to the money.   

A recent investigation by The Daily Pennsylvanian uncovered evidence of allegedly unfulfilled promises about the donation from the Wharton Graduate Association to both Penn Fight Night and the Clubs. Of the approximately $165,000 raised from Fight Night's 2023 event, only $75,000 has been donated to the Clubs — despite Fight Night leadership telling the Clubs that they would receive $160,000, some sources said.   

Here are three main takeaways from the investigation.

1. The WGA — which controls funds raised from Fight Night — suggested that the donation would be made in full, sources said

The Wharton Graduate Association, the Wharton graduate program’s student government organization, has hosted Penn Fight Night — an annual ticketed fundraising event where graduate students compete against one another in boxing matches — for nearly two decades.   

Its most recent event in April 2023 raised approximately $165,000 for the Clubs, and an email from a Fight Night co-chair to the Clubs obtained by the DP indicated that a donation of $160,000 would be finalized the following day.   

Fight Night is marketed as a fundraiser for the Clubs' Literacy Initiative. The DP spoke with multiple fighters, Fight Night and WGA leaders, and event sponsors who shared their belief that all of Fight Night's profits would benefit the initiative. Multiple Penn Fight Night leaders told the DP that the WGA manages all of the funds raised by Fight Night. 

For months after the event, Fight Night leadership was in regular contact with the WGA regarding the status of the funding, Fight Night leaders told the DP. The WGA repeatedly said that "the money is coming," according to the leaders.   

Although two donations of $50,000 and $25,000 were sent to the Boys and Girls Clubs in November 2023 and January 2024, respectively, the remaining $90,000 has not been donated.   

2. In September 2023, the WGA underwent a financial restructuring — though sources were allegedly told it would not impact the promised donation

In September, the WGA reported widespread financial issues in the funding for the organizations under its leadership — forcing all clubs to reset their balance as part of a broader reset. WGA Chief Financial Officer and Wharton MBA candidate Loyd Bradley told the DP at the time that the WGA had found a discrepancy between what organizations perceived to be their funding and the amount that was actually in their accounts.   

In response to a request for comment for the investigation, Bradley directed the DP to his prior remarks and a letter regarding the WGA's response to the financial issues, which was sent to all club leaders and detailed a number of action steps.

However, multiple individuals directly familiar with the situation contended that Penn Fight Night was told that the WGA's financial issues would not impact its donation to the Clubs — and that until January 2024, the WGA continued to suggest the donation would be made in full.   

3. The remaining $90,000 is still 'missing,' according to sources, prompting ongoing concerns

Around the time that the second donation — consisting of $25,000 — was sent to the Clubs in early 2024, WGA leadership communicated that the Clubs would not receive any further funds, multiple sources told the DP.   

Of the sources that the DP spoke with for this article, none were familiar with where the $90,000 intended for the Clubs currently is.   

One Fight Night leader recalled a meeting with Wharton administration in response to the decision not to complete the donation in full, describing the administrators as "deeply dismissive, condescending, [and] patronizing."   

"The energy I got was a deep sense of surprise that I would give a shit," the leader said.   

Around this time, the majority of the Penn Carey Law students on the Fight Night Committee resigned from their positions in protest, according to multiple sources. They wrote in their resignation letter that they felt “compelled to direct our [their] energy towards initiatives that uphold their values and are committed to making a positive difference in the community.”   

Multiple sources also spoke of the importance of Penn Fight Night’s approximately $160,000 donation to the Clubs, as the Clubs made "critically necessary" budgeting decisions based on the expectation of receiving it.   

“From their position, they're a nonprofit, just trying to do good for children in the community, [and] their ultimate concern is getting funding for the kids," one source said.

Read the full investigation here.