In April 2008, the Corporation for National and Community Service asked its then-Inspector General Gerald Walpin to investigate reports that former NBA star and President Obama supporter Kevin Johnson had misappropriated portions of an AmeriCorps grant to the St. HOPE Academy for personal and political use.

After completing his investigation, Walpin concluded the following month that Johnson used federal tax dollars intended for tutoring elementary and high school students to instead recruit students for personal and political activities, including “driving him to personal appointments, washing his car, and running personal errands.” In April 2009, St. HOPE Academy reached a $423,836 agreement with the federal government to settle the charges. Johnson agreed to pay $72,836 of that total from his personal resources.