Atlanta

Invest Atlanta to review $40k check for ex-mayor Reed's So. Africa trip

Mayor Kasim Reed says he is not involved in bribery investigation.

ATLANTA — After an hour behind closed doors in an executive session, the Invest Atlanta board voted unanimously to create an ad hoc committee to perform an independent review of a $40,000 transaction between the city and its nonprofit fundraising arm, Partners For Prosperity.

Channel 2 Action News and The Atlanta Journal-Constitution previously reported that Atlanta City Council in December approved $40,000 of unclaimed salary from former Mayor Kasim Reed being donated to Partners for Prosperity, which had less than $1,000 in its bank account and had never contributed money to Invest Atlanta or any of its projects.

But on March 5, the non-profit wrote a check for $40,000 back to the city. The money was used to cover a portion of an expensive and controversial trip Reed and several members of his staff took to South Africa in Spring 2017.

The transaction was named in a federal subpoena delivered to the city earlier this month in relation to the U.S. Attorney’s Office widening corruption investigation at Atlanta City Hall.

Channel 2 Investigative Reporter Belcher spoke with Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms today after the meeting, as well as Invest Atlanta's CEO who is named in the subpoenas.