Defy Ventures, a nonprofit that works in prisons to help convicts become entrepreneurs, is usually in the headlines for all the right reasons. But a Daily Beast investigation finds allegations of sexual harassment against founder Catherine Hoke, plus possible fraud in terms of what she tells donors about success rates.
Why it matters: Defy is beloved in Silicon Valley, having taken numerous groups of tech execs and VCs into prison for what they later call transformative experiences. The board — which fired a top exec who blew the whistle (allegedly for also sharing his concerns with partners and donors) — says it has hired an outside law firm to investigate.
