Whistleblower alleges cocaine-fueled gift-card scheme and abuse at Philadelphia Health Department

Ervin Malik Simmons, a former Community Engagement and Marketing Coordinator in the Division of HIV Health at the Philadelphia Department of Public Health, alleges that the agency fostered a toxic workplace marked by drug trafficking, racism and sexual misconduct. In a six-page open letter, he recounts that a colleague, Antonio “Toni” McFadden, allegedly used $50 gift cards meant for research participants to pay for cocaine and claimed sexual relations with participants.

Simmons says his warnings to director Kathleen Brady and HR were dismissed, and after he sought ADA accommodation for ongoing abuse, he was fired in October 2026. The letter also criticizes the department’s diversity efforts, noting marketing campaigns for Black, brown and LGBTQ+ communities were led by predominantly cisgender white women. Simmons urges the city’s mayor, Cerrelle Parker, to revoke Dr. Brady’s medical license and demand her resignation. The accusations add to broader criticism of Parker’s administration over DEI policies and city-wide management issues.