The latest saga of grift and corruption in the orbit of RPA-related nonprofits in Richmond is now unfolding, with Randy Joseph as the center of attention. For the last few years, Randy Joseph
has played a prominent role in the RPA efforts to destroy Richmond, serving on the discredited Community Police Review Commission, Reimagine Richmond, and the Reimaging Richmond Public Safety Community Task Force. On Facebook, he includes as his friends John
Gioia, Eduardo Martinez, Tamisha Torres-Walker, Melvin Willis, Jamin Purcell. Claudia Jimenez, Tania Pulido, Floy Andrews, Sue Wilson and Jovanka Beckles.
One of the darlings of the RPA plan for Richmond is Richmond Land, a community land trust that is intended to use grants and donations to acquire residential property and rent it out at affordable
rates to low-income residents, a lofty objective, indeed. What it has become instead is a cash cow for RPA-affiliated individuals to enrich themselves. Richmond Land was founded in 2020 with Tania Pulido, Eli Moore Regina Celestin Williams and Princess Robinson
as officers and board members. Eli Moore is the husband (or ex-husband) of Claudia Jimenez and is affiliated with the
Othering & Belonging Institute, another nonprofit that works closely with the RPA to siphon public funds out of Richmond.
On July 25, 2024, the Secretary of State filing showed Randy Joseph as Chief Financial Officer and Sasha M. Graham as Chief Executive Officer of Richmond Land. On September 25, 2024, the Secretary
of State filing showed Lesie Lindo as Chief Financial Officer and Sasha M. Graham as Chief Executive Officer. As of today, Princess Robinson, who also listed as a cofounder and project manager of
Cooperation Richmond, is shown as the Agent for Richmond land. Richmond Land was previously suspended by the Franchise Tax Board. Cooperation Richmond is currently suspended by the Franchise Tax Board, and
its February 12, 2025, Statement of Information shows Briana S. Sidney as CEO and Julia Chen as CFO. It appears that Cooperation Richmond’s main accomplishment has been to enrich it officers and directors.
The 2023 Form 990 for Richmond land indicates that the main thing Richmond Land does is provide income for its officers and board members. In 2023, “Salaries, other compensation and employee
benefits” were $304,856.
Randy Joseph $95,460
Elissa Roy $22,000
Sasha Graham $18,000
Alex Acuna $18,000
Leslie Lindo $16,500
In 2023, according to its Form 990, Richmond Land paid out $282,894 in investment management fees, $35,833 for conferences, and $78,973 for “fraudulent charges.” It noted, “In 2023, a board member
(Randy Joseph) embezzled $78,972 from Richmond Land. They were removed, repayment was demanded (still pending, and the incident was reported to police. Fraud prevention policies are now in place.”
On Linked in, Randy Joseph lists his current employment as “Husing Justice Program manager at RYSE Center.”
The Reimagine Richmond website (https://www.reimaginerichmond.org/en/team) lists Randy Joseph as one of its two Team members.
The City of Richmond lists Randy Joseph as one of the members of the
Reimagining Public Safety Community Task Force, terming out June 30, 2024. He was “point person” for the Community based Solutions Working Group.
Until September 2023, Randy Joseph served on the Community Police Review Commission
On May 30, 2025, Princess Robinson posted the following:
From: Richmond LAND Administrative Staff
Public Notice of Fraudulent Activity in 2023-2024
It is with a deep sense of responsibility and transparency that I address an unfortunate situation Richmond LAND faced between 2023-2024. As the new
Executive Director, I believe it is essential to acknowledge this matter and reaffirm our commitment to integrity, accountability, and long-term sustainability of our organization.
Since assuming this role in late June 2024, I have worked diligently to restore Richmond LAND’s good standing with relevant regulatory bodies. Through
this process, I have come to understand the significant operational challenges the organization previously faced, including the absence of sustainable systems for collective decision-making and difficulties in navigating internal conflicts. As staffing decreased,
members of the Board of Directors were required to assume day-to-day operational responsibilities without the necessary training, oversight, or infrastructure further exacerbating these challenges.
Upon reviewing Richmond LAND’s financial records, It came to my attention on September 5th 2024, that the Board President, Randy Joseph, had written,
signed and cashed multiple unapproved and unexplained checks from Richmond LAND’s checking account at Mechanics Bank between January, 2023 and September, 2024. We believe that the total amount of unapproved withdrawals related to these checks total $204,960
(“Unauthorized Funds”). Immediately upon discovery, I requested Mr. Joseph’s resignation and attempted to recover any losses. A police report was filed and the incident was reported to all required regulatory bodies.
The timing of this public disclosure was carefully considered to ensure that the organization could take appropriate action before making this information
widely available. While this has been a difficult chapter for Richmond LAND, my focus remains on ensuring accountability, learning from past challenges, and strengthening our organizational foundation.
Under my leadership, Richmond LAND has assembled a new team dedicated to analyzing and improving our internal systems. We have implemented a comprehensive new financial policy with updated processes and safeguards to prevent future financial misconduct. These
measures will ensure greater transparency, accountability, and fiscal responsibility within our organization.
I recognize the impact this situation may have on Richmond LAND’s reputation. However, as a homegrown Richmond resident and as someone who is deeply
committed to building alternative models in Richmond, our organization is rebuilding its infrastructure to prevent such incidents from occurring again. We remain steadfast in our mission, and we deeply appreciate the continued trust and support of our community
as we move forward together.
Princess Robinson
Executive Director
princess@richmondland.org
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