The Department of Justice is investigating the Black Lives Matter Foundation
The Department of Justice announced it is investigating Black Lives Matter leaders for possible financial fraud
The Department of Justice is investigating leaders of the Black Lives Matter Foundation for possible donor fraud after the foundation experienced a surge in donations during the 2020 protests following the death of George Floyd, according to CBS News.
In recent weeks, federal investigators have issued subpoenas and executed at least one search warrant to investigate the Global Black Lives Matter Foundation, the umbrella organization for the movement BLM, and other left-wing groups involved in the 2020 racial debate, The Associated Press also reported.
The investigation by the Donald Trump administration comes after years of scrutiny of BLM leaders for alleged illicit enrichment and misappropriation of donor funds.
Black Lives Matter's income plummeted in recent years, while co-founder Patrisse Cullors enriched herself, along with her associates, with the organization's substantial funds.
The investigation is targeting the group's leadership following the influx of donations during the nationwide protests for racial justice in 2020, according to a source familiar with the investigation who spoke to CBS News.
It is not yet known when this investigation, led by US Attorney Bill Essaylid of the Central District of California, began.
The independent entity, which emerged from the Black Lives Matter protest movement, It raised more than $90 million since its founding and had more than $18 million in assets as of June 2024, according to financial reports. The group received heavy criticism when it used more than $6 million to buy a house in Los Angeles, a purchase the organization defended in a 2022 report as a space for “Black people to share their gifts with the world and hone their crafts as they see fit.” The Associated Press was the first to report on the investigation into the nonprofit foundation. In a statement, Black Lives Matter affirmed that it “is not the subject of any federal criminal investigation.” “We remain committed to full transparency, accountability, and responsible stewardship of resources intended to build a better future for Black communities,"The group continued."