Ex-Detroit Riverfront Conservancy Chief Financial Officer William Smith lost his appeal of his 19-year prison sentence for embezzling more than $44 million from the nonprofit responsible for transforming the city’s popular Riverwalk.
Smith appealed his sentence in November 2025 with his lawyer Gerald Evelyn writing in a brief that a federal District Court judge seemed to consider a history of corruption in Detroit in Smith’s case which, Evelyn argued, should have played no role in his client’s sentencing. In a June 17 order, a three-judge panel for the U.S. Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals dismissed Smith’s appeal, finding that the plea agreement Smith entered into included waiving his right to appeal a sentence less than 19½ years.
Federal prosecutors brought criminal charges against Smith in June 2024 in a stunning complaint alleging Smith stole from the Riverfront Conservancy for more than a decade to support his lavish lifestyle. Smith pleaded guilty to wire fraud and money laundering, and he was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Susan DeClercq in April 2025 to 19 years in prison and ordered to pay $48.1 million in restitution.
Evelyn declined to comment on Smith’s recent court loss.
In a statement, Detroit Riverfront Conservancy Chief Executive Officer Ryan Sullivan expressed support for the dismissal of Smith’s appeal.
“While we cannot comment on the ongoing state of our legal proceedings, we continue to do everything we can to reclaim assets stolen from the Conservancy and the broad community of people who enjoy Detroit’s beautiful riverfront,” he said.
Smith is currently serving out his sentence at low-security federal prison in Milan.
His conviction led to changes at the Detroit Riverfront Conservancy, including overhauling its auditing practices, restructuring its board and creating a formal whistleblower policy.
In October, the nonprofit unveiled the latest addition to the riverfront — the Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Centennial Park, which drew thousands of visitors for its opening weekend.
Free Press Intern Natalie Davies contributed to this report
Contact Clara Hendrickson at chendrickson@freepress.com or 313-296-5743.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Ex-Detroit Riverfront Conservancy CFO loses appeal of prison sentence
Reporting by Clara Hendrickson, Detroit Free Press / Detroit Free Press
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By Clara Hendrickson, Detroit Free Press | USA TODAY Network
