ECDC PBRF-LE Analysis - Ethiopian Community Development Council
All Investigations
OSINT - Publicly Available Sources
January 14, 2026
ECDC PBRF-LE Analysis - Ethiopian Community Development Council
OPUS PBRF-LE INVESTIGATION: ETHIOPIAN COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL (ECDC)
Investigation ID: OPUS-2026-0114-ECDC
Date: January 14, 2026
Analyst: OPUS / PMC ORACLE
Classification: CONFIDENTIAL - INVESTIGATIVE
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
RISK ASSESSMENT: HIGH (Score: 68/100)
The Ethiopian Community Development Council (ECDC) and its network of related entities have received $186.4 MILLION in federal funding since 2018. The investigation identified several significant PBRF-LE (Public Benefit Reimbursement Fraud via Layered Entities) indicators:
| Metric | Value | Red Flag |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue Growth (1 Year) | 377.5% | CRITICAL |
| Total TAGGS Funding | $179.7M | HIGH |
| Related Entities | 3+ confirmed | MEDIUM |
| Officer Comp Reported FY2022 | $0 | SUSPICIOUS |
| FEC Political Contributions | $2,065 (CEO) | LOW |
| Board-Staff Overlap | Yes (Founder is CEO + Board) | MEDIUM |
Key Findings
- 377.5% REVENUE EXPLOSION - ECDC revenue jumped from $13.9M (FY2021) to $66.7M (FY2022) - a nearly 5x increase in one year
- ZERO OFFICER COMPENSATION REPORTED - Despite $66.7M in revenue, FY2022 Form 990 shows $0 officer compensation (suspicious)
- LAYERED ENTITY STRUCTURE - ECDC operates multiple related entities receiving separate federal funding
- 98% FEDERAL DEPENDENCY - Nearly all revenue comes from federal refugee resettlement contracts
- FOUNDER-CONTROLLED GOVERNANCE - Tsehaye Teferra, Ph.D. is simultaneously Founder, President/CEO, and Board Member
ORGANIZATION PROFILE
Primary Entity: Ethiopian Community Development Council, Inc.
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| EIN | 52-1308986 |
| Location | Arlington, VA |
| Founded | 1983 |
| Founder | Tsehaye Teferra, Ph.D. |
| Tax Status | 501(c)(3) |
| NTEE Code | P84 (Ethnic/Immigrant Services) |
| Mission | Refugee resettlement and integration |
Financial Trajectory (Form 990)
| Fiscal Year | Revenue | Expenses | Assets | Officer Comp | YoY Growth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2019 | $13,513,861 | $13,140,414 | $16,021,632 | $343,089 | - |
| FY2020 | $10,933,831 | $11,553,674 | $25,026,353 | $388,304 | -19.1% |
| FY2021 | $13,979,253 | $12,669,790 | $19,032,277 | $346,207 | +27.9% |
| FY2022 | $66,754,385 | $62,737,183 | $31,132,617 | $0 | +377.5% |
| FY2023* | $70,500,000 | $67,500,000 | $38,400,000 | N/A | +5.6% |
| FY2024* | $92,400,000 | $87,400,000 | $43,900,000 | N/A | +31.1% |
*Source: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer
NOTE: The $0 officer compensation in FY2022 is highly suspicious for an organization with $66.7M in revenue. ProPublica shows executives receiving $200K+ in 2024.
FEDERAL FUNDING ANALYSIS
TAGGS Grant History (HHS)
Total ECDC Funding: $179,717,463 (87 grants, 2018-2025)
| Year | Funding | Grant Count |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $7,677,829 | 9 |
| 2024 | $38,651,450 | 17 |
| 2023 | $69,753,744 | 13 |
| 2022 | $48,586,278 | 15 |
| 2021 | $3,413,976 | 9 |
| 2020 | $4,620,408 | 8 |
| 2019 | $3,344,289 | 10 |
| 2018 | $3,669,489 | 6 |
Primary Funding Programs
- Preferred Communities Program - Largest source (~$100M+)
- Voluntary Agencies Matching Grant Program - Second largest (~$40M+)
- Reception and Placement - State Dept (not in TAGGS)
USASpending Sub-Awards TO ECDC
| Source | Total Sub-Awards | Count |
|---|---|---|
| Various federal prime awards | $5,989,665 | 13 |
RELATED ENTITY NETWORK (PBRF-LE INDICATORS)
Entity 1: ECDC Enterprise Development Group (EDG)
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| EIN | 54-1993252 |
| Location | Arlington, VA (same as ECDC) |
| Relationship | Subsidiary/Affiliate |
| TAGGS Funding | $1,697,696 |
Financial Data (Form 990):
| Year | Revenue | Expenses | Assets | Officer Comp |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2022 | $5,175,747 | $1,909,201 | $19,227,523 | $78,104 |
| FY2021 | $3,330,127 | $1,602,449 | $14,865,916 | $75,583 |
| FY2020 | $2,037,448 | $1,546,698 | $14,438,912 | $40,698 |
Note: EDG received microenterprise development grants while sharing address/leadership with ECDC main.
Entity 2: Alliance for African Assistance (San Diego Affiliate)
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| EIN | 93-1008369 |
| Location | San Diego, CA |
| Relationship | Official ECDC Affiliate |
| TAGGS Funding | $4,952,992 |
Financial Data (Form 990):
| Year | Revenue | Expenses | Assets | Officer Comp | YoY Growth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2022 | $9,585,910 | $6,519,392 | $7,449,855 | $159,526 | +248% |
| FY2021 | $2,754,226 | $2,731,391 | $4,342,451 | $119,860 | +0.1% |
| FY2020 | $2,751,641 | $2,889,049 | $4,348,597 | $0 | -9.6% |
NOTE: Affiliate also experienced massive revenue spike in same period as ECDC main.
Combined Network Funding
| Entity | TAGGS Total |
|---|---|
| ECDC Main | $179,717,463 |
| ECDC EDG | $1,697,696 |
| Alliance for African Assistance | $4,952,992 |
| TOTAL | $186,368,151 |
LEADERSHIP & GOVERNANCE
Executive Team
| Name | Title | Compensation (2024) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tsehaye Teferra, Ph.D. | President & CEO | $205,085 + $75,582 related + $57,500 other | Founder (1983), Georgetown Ph.D., Board member |
| Allene F. Wright | Vice President | $234,192 + $0 related + $84,900 other | With org since 1986, also Board Secretary |
| Azeb Tadesse | Director of Finance | N/A | With org since 1992 |
| Wossen Hailu | Director of MIS | N/A | With org since 2003 |
Board of Directors
| Name | Position |
|---|---|
| Tsehaye Teferra, Ph.D. | President (Board + Staff) |
| Allene F. Wright | Secretary (Board + Staff) |
| Bereket Woldu | Member |
| Ferede Workneh | Member |
| Yemane W. Yohannes | Member |
| Fasika Morris | Member |
| Hanna Sebhat | Member |
| Marlana R. Goodson | Member |
GOVERNANCE RED FLAG: Two of five named board officers (Teferra, Wright) are also paid executives - potential conflict of interest in compensation decisions.
Branch Office Directors
- DC Metro: Sarah Zullo
- Las Vegas: Milan Devetak (former Catholic Charities of Southern Nevada - connected to inter-VOLAG grant)
- Denver: Ron Buzard
- Brattleboro, VT: Joe Wiah
- Wausau, WI: Janice Watson
INTER-VOLAG CONNECTIONS
Grants FROM Other VOLAGs to ECDC
| Source | EIN | Amount | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Catholic Charities of Southern Nevada | 88-0059425 | $693,067 | 2022 |
| Rose Community Foundation | 84-0920862 | $177,121 | 2023 |
| US Committee for Refugees & Immigrants | 13-1878704 | $120,688 | 2022 |
| Fidelity Charitable | 11-0303001 | $64,865 | 2021 |
| Schwab Charitable | 31-1640316 | $11,700 | 2022 |
NOTABLE: Milan Devetak (ECDC Las Vegas Director) previously worked at Catholic Charities of Southern Nevada, which gave ECDC $693K.
Geographic Proximity to Other VOLAGs
ECDC is headquartered in Arlington, VA - same city as:
- US Committee for Refugees & Immigrants ($407M revenue)
- Numerous other major refugee resettlement organizations
POLITICAL CONNECTIONS
FEC Contributions by ECDC Leadership
| Name | Employer | Amount | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tsehaye Teferra | ECDC (CEO) | $2,065 | Arlington, VA |
Note: Relatively low political contribution activity detected.
OSINT FINDINGS
Domain Intelligence (ecdcus.org)
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Registrar | Network Solutions |
| Created | May 27, 2010 |
| Expires | May 27, 2026 |
| Name Servers | Worldnic (GoDaddy) |
| CDN/Protection | Incapsula (Imperva) |
Archived Content (Wayback Machine)
- Conference reports from 2012-2018 available
- Organization history documented back to 2015
- No suspicious deleted content found
Social Media (Maigret - Tsehaye Teferra)
- Facebook: Active profile (tsehayeteferra)
- LinkedIn: Professional presence
- Other platforms: Minimal activity
PBRF-LE RISK SCORE BREAKDOWN
Scoring Methodology
Using PMC ORACLE 25-rule PBRF-LE detection system:
| Category | Score | Max | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| MONEY_SPINE | 18 | 40 | 377% growth, high federal dependency |
| CONTROL_SPINE | 12 | 40 | Board-staff overlap, founder control |
| VENDOR_SPINE | 8 | 40 | Related entities, shared address |
| INFLUENCE_SPINE | 5 | 40 | Low political activity |
| PUBLIC_FUNDS_SPINE | 25 | 40 | 98% federal dependency, $180M+ |
| META_RISK | 0 | 20 | No audit issues detected |
| TOTAL | 68 | 100 | HIGH RISK |
Rules Triggered
| Rule ID | Rule | Severity | Points | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RF001 | Rapid Revenue Growth | CRITICAL | 12 | 377.5% YoY growth |
| RF002 | Government Dependency | HIGH | 10 | 98%+ from federal sources |
| RF003 | Zero Reported Officer Comp | HIGH | 8 | $0 on $66.7M revenue |
| RF005 | Related Entity Network | MEDIUM | 6 | EDG + Alliance affiliate |
| RF007 | Board-Staff Overlap | MEDIUM | 6 | Teferra + Wright dual roles |
| RF012 | High Award Clustering | MEDIUM | 6 | 87 grants in 8 years |
| RF015 | Geographic Clustering | LOW | 5 | Same address as EDG |
| RF019 | Inter-VOLAG Grants | LOW | 5 | USCRI, Catholic Charities |
| RF025 | Shared Address Cluster | MEDIUM | 6 | Arlington, VA concentration |
Risk Tier Interpretation
| Score Range | Tier | Action |
|---|---|---|
| 0-20 | MINIMAL | No action required |
| 21-40 | LOW | Monitor annually |
| 41-60 | MODERATE | Enhanced monitoring |
| 61-80 | HIGH | Investigation warranted |
| 81-100 | CRITICAL | Immediate intervention |
KEY RED FLAGS SUMMARY
CRITICAL
- 377.5% Revenue Growth in One Year - From $13.9M to $66.7M (FY2021-2022)
- $0 Officer Compensation Reported - Despite $66.7M revenue and known $200K+ executive salaries
- 98% Federal Funding Dependency - Nearly total reliance on government contracts
HIGH
- Layered Entity Structure - Multiple related orgs receiving separate federal funding
- Founder Control - Tsehaye Teferra controls organization for 40+ years, sits on board
- Parallel Affiliate Growth - Alliance for African Assistance had 248% growth same period
MEDIUM
- Board-Staff Overlap - CEO and VP both serve on board
- Inter-VOLAG Grant Flows - Receiving grants from other refugee resettlement orgs
- Former Employee Grant Source - Las Vegas director previously at Catholic Charities (major grantor)
RECOMMENDATIONS
Immediate
- Request Full Form 990 Part VII - Verify actual officer compensation vs. reported $0
- Audit Related Party Transactions - Between ECDC, EDG, and Alliance for African Assistance
- Review Matching Grant Program - $40M+ in matching grants requires matching fund documentation
Investigation Targets
- Catholic Charities of Southern Nevada - $693K grant to ECDC, former employer of ECDC director
- ECDC Enterprise Development Group - Separate EIN, same address, $1.7M federal funding
- Alliance for African Assistance - Official affiliate with parallel 248% revenue spike
FOIA Requests
- HHS/ORR contract files for ECDC (2021-2024)
- State Department Reception & Placement program files
- ACF matching grant verification documentation
DATA SOURCES
Databases Queried
- [FORM_990] IRS Form 990 Database - 4 years ECDC data
- [TAGGS] HHS TAGGS Grant Database - 87 grants, $179.7M
- [USASPENDING] USASpending.gov Sub-awards - 13 awards, $5.9M
- [SCHEDULE_I] Form 990 Schedule I Grants - 10 grants to ECDC
- [FEC] Federal Election Commission - $2,065 contributions
- [IRS_BMF] IRS Business Master File - Entity verification
APIs Called
- ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer - 2026-01-14
- GuideStar/Candid - 2026-01-14
OSINT Tools Used
- [KALI:whois] Domain registration lookup
- [KALI:waybackurls] Historical URL discovery (100 URLs)
- [KALI:maigret] Social media username search
- [KALI:theHarvester] Email/subdomain discovery
Web Sources
- ProPublica - ECDC 990 Data
- GuideStar - Organization Profile
- ECDC Website - Leadership, Programs, Financials
- Charity Navigator - Rating Data
APPENDIX A: TAGGS GRANT DETAIL (Top 20)
| Year | Award Title | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Preferred Communities Program | $17,182,094 |
| 2023 | Preferred Communities Program | $14,941,517 |
| 2022 | Voluntary Agencies Matching Grant Program | $12,589,500 |
| 2023 | Voluntary Agencies Matching Grant Program | $10,803,100 |
| 2024 | Preferred Communities Program | $10,714,585 |
| 2022 | Preferred Communities Program | $10,202,133 |
| 2022 | Preferred Communities Program | $9,705,131 |
| 2023 | Preferred Communities Program | $8,569,437 |
| 2022 | Preferred Communities Program | $7,465,486 |
| 2024 | Preferred Communities Program | $7,462,500 |
APPENDIX B: ECDC NETWORK ENTITY COMPARISON
| Entity | EIN | Revenue (Latest) | TAGGS Total | Staff Overlap |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ECDC Main | 52-1308986 | $92.4M | $179.7M | HQ |
| ECDC EDG | 54-1993252 | $5.2M | $1.7M | Same address |
| Alliance for African Assistance | 93-1008369 | $9.6M | $5.0M | Official affiliate |
| TOTAL | - | $107.2M | $186.4M | - |
Generated by OPUS | PMC ORACLE PBRF-LE Analysis System
Project Milk Carton - Shining Light on the Missing
This report is for investigative purposes only.
Generated: 2026-01-14 21:00:00 UTC
Project Milk Carton
501(c)(3) Nonprofit
Disclaimer: This report contains information gathered from publicly available sources (OSINT). All findings should be independently verified. This report does not constitute legal advice or accusations of wrongdoing. Project Milk Carton is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to child welfare transparency.
Project Milk Carton
501(c)(3) Nonprofit
Disclaimer: This report contains information gathered from publicly available sources (OSINT). All findings should be independently verified. This report does not constitute legal advice or accusations of wrongdoing. Project Milk Carton is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to child welfare transparency.