The U.S. Department of Justice has launched an investigation into allegations that leaders of the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement misused tens of millions of dollars in donations raised during the 2020 George Floyd protests.
According to the Associated Press, federal prosecutors have issued subpoenas and executed at least one search warrant in connection with the Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation, Inc. and several affiliated groups that helped organize nationwide demonstrations against racial inj¥stice and police br¥tality.
The probe is reportedly being handled by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California, led by Bill Essayli, a former Republican assemblyman known for his past crit+cism of BLM. Sources indicated that while the investigation began under the Biden administration, it has accelerated since President Trump took office.
The Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation stated that it is not the target of any federal cr+minal inquiry and emphasized its commitment to transparency and accountability in managing donations.
The organization collected over $90 million in 2020 but has faced ongoing scrutiny over how the funds were used. In 2022, reports revealed that BLM leaders purchased a $6 million property in Los Angeles with donor money, sparking public backlash. Co-founder Patrisse Kahn-Cullors resigned shortly after the revelations amid criticism of her real estate purchases.
Despite the controversy, BLM leaders have consistently denied wrongdoing. Their most recent tax filings show $28 million in assets as of June 2024.
Earlier in 2022, Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita sued the organization for failing to comply with a state investigation into its finances, though the case was later dismissed after BLM provided the requested documents. So far, no cr=minal charges have been filed against the group or its leaders.
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