Justice Department Scrutinizes Black Lives Matter Nonprofit Over Racial Justice Funding Allegations
The Justice Department has initiated an investigation into whether leaders within the Black Lives Matter movement defrauded donors who contributed tens of millions of dollars to racial justice causes in 2020, according to multiple sources familiar with the probe. The probe involves the Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation, a non-profit organization at the center of the nation's reckoning on systemic racism.
As part of this investigation, federal law enforcement officials have issued subpoenas and obtained a search warrant targeting the foundation and other black-led organizations that played key roles in promoting national protests against racial injustice. The sources, who spoke anonymously to confirm the probe but not to identify themselves, said that it is unclear whether an indictment would arise from this inquiry.
Criticism of how funds were allocated within the BLM movement intensified after the organization revealed it used donations to purchase a $6 million property in Los Angeles with six bedrooms and bathrooms. The leaders had denied any wrongdoing but claimed transparency through public financial reports and tax returns.
Leaders associated with the foundation, however, have faced scrutiny for their practices as part of an ongoing probe into non-profit finances. Despite previous statements indicating that they were not under investigation, recent actions may signal fresh concerns about the administration's potential targeting of progressive groups such as BLM.
This inquiry unfolds during a time when civil rights organizations and social justice advocates have expressed worries about being targeted by the Trump Administration due to their criticism of his policies and governance. Critics argue this investigation could be part of an attempt to discredit or suppress the Black Lives Matter movement, which has been at the forefront of national conversations on systemic racism.
The movement's emergence started in 2013 with George Zimmerman's acquittal over killing Trayvon Martin in Florida but gained momentum following the death of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri. BLM organizers pledged to build a decentralized structure governed by chapter consensus but eventually grew into a network of affiliated organizations that received significant funding during protests triggered by the murder of George Floyd.
The BLM foundation claimed it took $90 million from donors after Floyd's murder sparked widespread protests across the US and globally. Critics, however, accused leaders of not providing full transparency regarding their spending of donations. These allegations intensified after the organization revealed the purchase of a significant Los Angeles property using donated funds.
Leaders have denied wrongdoing but admit to increased transparency by releasing detailed financial reports. The latest report shows $28 million in assets for the fiscal year 2024.
This investigation is being led out of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California, and the probe's lead prosecutor faces scrutiny due to an earlier conflict of interest that has made them ineligible for some cases. It remains unclear whether this disqualification will affect the current BLM probe or if it may impact the ongoing case against other protesters who were prosecuted under a more aggressive immigration enforcement policy by Essayli.
Leaders associated with the foundation are not currently facing charges but claim they "remain committed to transparency, accountability, and the responsible stewardship of resources."
The Justice Department has initiated an investigation into whether leaders within the Black Lives Matter movement defrauded donors who contributed tens of millions of dollars to racial justice causes in 2020, according to multiple sources familiar with the probe. The probe involves the Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation, a non-profit organization at the center of the nation's reckoning on systemic racism.
As part of this investigation, federal law enforcement officials have issued subpoenas and obtained a search warrant targeting the foundation and other black-led organizations that played key roles in promoting national protests against racial injustice. The sources, who spoke anonymously to confirm the probe but not to identify themselves, said that it is unclear whether an indictment would arise from this inquiry.
Criticism of how funds were allocated within the BLM movement intensified after the organization revealed it used donations to purchase a $6 million property in Los Angeles with six bedrooms and bathrooms. The leaders had denied any wrongdoing but claimed transparency through public financial reports and tax returns.
Leaders associated with the foundation, however, have faced scrutiny for their practices as part of an ongoing probe into non-profit finances. Despite previous statements indicating that they were not under investigation, recent actions may signal fresh concerns about the administration's potential targeting of progressive groups such as BLM.
This inquiry unfolds during a time when civil rights organizations and social justice advocates have expressed worries about being targeted by the Trump Administration due to their criticism of his policies and governance. Critics argue this investigation could be part of an attempt to discredit or suppress the Black Lives Matter movement, which has been at the forefront of national conversations on systemic racism.
The movement's emergence started in 2013 with George Zimmerman's acquittal over killing Trayvon Martin in Florida but gained momentum following the death of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri. BLM organizers pledged to build a decentralized structure governed by chapter consensus but eventually grew into a network of affiliated organizations that received significant funding during protests triggered by the murder of George Floyd.
The BLM foundation claimed it took $90 million from donors after Floyd's murder sparked widespread protests across the US and globally. Critics, however, accused leaders of not providing full transparency regarding their spending of donations. These allegations intensified after the organization revealed the purchase of a significant Los Angeles property using donated funds.
Leaders have denied wrongdoing but admit to increased transparency by releasing detailed financial reports. The latest report shows $28 million in assets for the fiscal year 2024.
This investigation is being led out of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California, and the probe's lead prosecutor faces scrutiny due to an earlier conflict of interest that has made them ineligible for some cases. It remains unclear whether this disqualification will affect the current BLM probe or if it may impact the ongoing case against other protesters who were prosecuted under a more aggressive immigration enforcement policy by Essayli.
Leaders associated with the foundation are not currently facing charges but claim they "remain committed to transparency, accountability, and the responsible stewardship of resources."
i dont wanna believe that ppl in positions of power would try to discredit a movement thats trying to make a difference in our world we all know how important it is to fund racial justice causes especially after all the injustices we've seen in recent yrs i hope they get to the bottom of this investigation and not just use it to attack the BLM movement 
this is getting messy... I think the investigation is a good thing to ensure that non-profits like BLM are being transparent about their finances. But at the same time, it's not fair if they're being scrutinized solely because they received donations for a cause and some people might not agree with what they're doing. 
$6 million property in LA? That's a lot of money to be spent on one thing. I'm sure there are some good and bad apples in the non-profit world, just like anywhere else. 
But let's hope that the investigation stays focused on actual wrongdoing rather than trying to discredit the movement as a whole. That would be unfair to all the people who are working towards positive change. 
. And now they're saying they didn't do anything wrong, but still faced scrutiny 
. It just doesn't add up. And what really gets me is that this investigation comes during a time when it feels like the government is trying to target these organizations because of their progressive views 
. The BLM movement was all about fighting for racial justice and equality, you know? And now it seems like the Justice Department is scrutinizing them over allegations of misusing donations 
.
.
That's just not fair. I hope this doesn't affect the case or anyone else involved 
.
. The BLM movement was supposed to be about unity and love 
, not controversy and mistrust 
.
that's a pretty convenient narrative.
. transparency is important, and if someone's being shady about their finances... well, that's not okay. 
. The fact that the BLM foundation claimed they used $90 million from donors and then only shows $28 million in assets is some major red flag 
. I'm not saying leaders are definitely guilty or anything, but a transparency investigation seems like a good idea to me 
. I mean, yeah, $6 million property sounds pricey, but it's not like they're hiding any major financial misdeeds from public view 
. It's all about accountability, right? Can't we just have a calm and rational discussion about how non-profits handle their finances instead of jumping to conclusions? 
. It's almost as if the Trump Administration is trying to silence progressive voices through intimidation tactics. Furthermore, the fact that leaders are being scrutinized despite their claims of transparency and accountability raises questions about the efficacy of these measures 
.
. Either way, I'm keeping my eyes on this story and will be interested to see how it all plays out 
. Can't let the system get in the way of justice for those who need it most