The Justice Department is digging into whether the Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation, Inc., mishandled millions in donations from the 2020 racial justice wave.
Breitbart reported that the investigation, centered in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California in Los Angeles, is examining potential fraud tied to the massive funds raised after George Floyd’s tragic death in Minneapolis sparked nationwide unrest.
Let’s rewind to 2013, when the Black Lives Matter slogan first emerged after George Zimmerman’s acquittal in the shooting of Trayvon Martin in Florida, a case tied to “stand your ground” laws.
Fast forward to 2014, the rallying cry grew louder after Michael Brown was fatally shot while charging an officer in Ferguson, Missouri, cementing BLM as a global call for progressive social change.
By May 2020, the movement exploded following Floyd’s death, captured in a viral video showing him struggling under a Minneapolis officer’s knee—a white officer later convicted of murder.
The aftermath saw protests sweep U.S. cities, some spiraling into chaos with rioting, looting, fires, deaths, and widespread property damage, amplifying both support and scrutiny for BLM.
Amid this fervor, the BLM foundation reported raising over $90 million in donations, a staggering sum that now sits under a federal microscope for how it was spent.
Critics have long pointed fingers at the foundation’s murky financial transparency, a concern that’s only grown with the Justice Department’s subpoenas and a search warrant in this probe.
The investigation, which started under the Biden administration, has gained fresh momentum under the Trump administration, raising eyebrows about political motivations among civil rights groups wary of targeting progressive causes.
Things got spicier in 2022 when reports surfaced that some funds bought a $6 million Los Angeles mansion—complete with six bedrooms, six baths, a pool, and all the trimmings.
Co-founder Patrisse Cullors admitted to hosting personal parties at the property before stepping down in 2023, a move that didn’t exactly scream fiscal responsibility to skeptical observers.
While no prior probes into the nonprofit’s books found wrongdoing, the latest federal filing shows $28 million in assets as of the fiscal year ending June 2024—plenty to keep investigators curious.
The foundation has pushed back, with a spokesperson declaring, “We remain committed to full transparency,” as told to the Associated Press, emphasizing their dedication to responsible resource management for Black communities.
They also insisted they are “not a target of any federal criminal investigation,” per the Associated Press, though one has to wonder if that’s more wishful thinking than ironclad assurance given the subpoenas flying around.
While the Justice Department stayed mum on the report published Thursday, the specter of political bias looms large, with civil rights groups fearing the Trump administration might zero in on left-leaning critics like BLM affiliates or transgender rights advocates.
