On Saturday, August 19, Lavoy Reed, as known as Zaki Baruti, stated to the audience present during the UAPO initiative, “UAPO can now ship the books to Ethopia, we have collected all of the money.” I (a former member of UAPO) was delighted and shared the accomplishment with Tesfaye, the owner of the Red Sea, who informed me that an additional $700 was required to ship the books.
I immediately told Tesfaye of how Lavoy (Zaki) and Brady Reed misused the transportation money for the books for their own personal expenditures at intervals during the fundraising process. Lavoy (Zaki) informed Emma Buttner (Akua) that he and Brady Reed spent a large sum of the money on their own personal expenses and asked me if I would help him replace the money back into the UAPO checking account so that the books could be shipped to Ethopia. After helping Lavoy Reed replace the money in May 2006, I discovered that he also used the money again to pay for personal expenses.
The question is: How could Brenda Reddick “Ziah,” the treasurer, allow this misappropriation of the transportation funds to occur since she is officially the treasurer of the UAPO? UAPO has not officially changed the name of the organization from Universal African-American Peoples Organization to Universal African Peoples Organization with the Secretary of State for Missouri. Reddick’s role to provide oversight of the financial integrity of the organization is in question.
Reddick is also responsible for allowing this money to be taken from the checking account for UAPO; I was also told by Lavoy Reed that Brenda Reddick, treasurer, also helped to replace the money back in the account.
On August 21, 2006, I gave Tesfaye $300 toward the remaining balance of the $700 required for the shipment cost to send the books to Ethopia. On a meeting held on August 24, 2006, Thursday, Lavoy Reed informed the Ethopian community that another $607 was required; Reddick was not present to represent the accounting practices of UAPO and she has allowed Lavoy Reed to have free withdrawal privileges of UAPO’s checking account.
Upon informing Tesfaye of the deficiencies in the money as mentioned above, Tesfaye informed Lavoy Reed on August 22, 2006, to bring all monies in the amount of $5,988.34 to the table in the form of a cashier check; Lavoy Reed issued money orders on August 24, 2006 in the amount above to Tesfaye, the owner of the Red Sea Restaurant.
I, (Akua) Emma Buttner, am writing this to inform the public concerning the irregularities in the Universal African-American Peoples Organization or UAPO financial accounting practices and for the public to be cautioned when donating money to any domestic or international project sponsored in part and solely by UAPO or the Universal African-American Peoples Organization. I pray that all of the editors of each of the black newspapers in the city of St. Louis will read this e-mail in earnest and understand the authenticity of this writing.