(Luis Cornelio, Headline USA) The Black Lives Matter organization is reportedly under federal investigation over allegations its leaders defrauded donors out of $90 million, most of which came after George Floyd died in 2020.
The group, formally known as the Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation Inc., or BLMGNF, has faced mounting scrutiny for years, particularly after it spent $6 million to buy a mansion in Los Angeles
In a statement, the group claimed it is “not a target of any federal criminal investigation,” adding it is “committed to full transparency, accountability, and the responsible stewardship of resources dedicated to building a future for Black communities.”
Despite this claim, the Associated Press reported that the DOJ “issued subpoenas and at least one search warrant as part of an investigation into the Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation, Inc. and other Black-led organizations.”
The criminal investigation, which began during the Biden administration, comes after several individuals tied to the BLM network and movement have landed themselves under federal scrutiny.
Tyree Conyers-Page, the founder of the Black Lives Matter of Greater Atlanta—also known as Sir Maejor Page—was sentenced to 42 months in federal prison after he defrauded donors of more than $450,000 for personal expenses.
In 2022, BLM Grassroots founder Melina Abdullah sued BLMGNF and co-founder Shalomyah Bowers for allegedly enriching themselves by billing Bowers’s consulting company for millions of dollars.
The scathing $10 million lawsuit accused the national group of rampant fraud, but a Los Angeles judge tossed it after Abdullah failed to prove the claims.
Monica Cannon-Grant, the founder of the BLM-aligned Violence in Boston, pleaded guilty to federal charges of filing false tax returns and failing to file others.
She was accused of defrauding the City of Boston out of COVID-19 relief funds and rental assistance money for her own benefit.
