A Black Lives Matter leader and her husband are now facing a range of fraud and conspiracy charges. The two are accused of fraudulently appropriating approximately $185,000 in donations from their non-profit organization for their personal use.
Monica Cannon-Grant, founder of Violence in Boston (VIB), and her partner, Clark Grant, have each been charged with one count of conspiracy, two counts of wire fraud conspiracy, thirteen counts of wire fraud, and another count of giving false statements to a mortgage lending company.
The BLM leader was additionally hit with another charge of mail fraud.
With the help of her husband, Cannon-Grant founded the nonprofit VIB in 2017, reportedly to improve the quality of life for the underprivileged as well as address issues of violence. According to the organization’s website, it has assisted hundreds of needy people in Boston.
According to a statement from the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Massachusetts, the couple allegedly used the funds from their nonprofit to pay for shopping trips, rent, auto repairs, meal deliveries, car rentals, and vacations.
Cannon-Grant, a vocal Black Lives Matters activist, was previously recognized for her charity work and was named “Best Social Advocate” by Boston Magazine.
Her non-profit has received many donations from prominent BLM supporters, including a $3,000 assistance intended for a children’s feeding program. According to court documents obtained by the New York Post, the couple allegedly transferred the donation to the bank account of one of their family members.
According to the media, Cannon-Grant and her husband are said to have withdrawn cash or by transferring it to their investment accounts.
The pair are further accused of using money issued by the office of the County District Attorney to go on a personal trip to Columbia in 2019. The $6,000 grant was meant to take ten young men to Philadelphia for a violence-prevention retreat.
The following year, the organization received donations worth $50,000 every month. Canon-Grant was also apparently paid a weekly salary of $2,788 per week by the nonprofit for training on diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Moreover, the couple allegedly used some of the organization’s assets to secure a mortgage for the purchase of a home in the suburbs of Boston.
The duo is additionally said to have collected approximately $100,000 in pandemic-related unemployment benefits.
Monica allegedly texted her husband in March of 2021, telling him she had been caught in regards to the fraudulent unemployment benefits claims. Her husband advised her to ask a team member from their nonprofit to write a letter suggesting that the organization’s headquarters had temporarily been closed.
Grant was arrested by federal agents and charged the following October for illegally accepting unemployment benefits and lying on a mortgage statement.
On March 15 of this year, Cannon-Grant was arrested by the police but released the same day without bail. She will be allowed to continue working at the organization at least two days a week but will not be permitted to handle any financial matters.
Robert Goldstein, Cannon-Grant’s attorney, accused the prosecution of “rushing the judgment.”
“We are extremely disappointed the government rushed to judgment here,” the attorney representing the activist said. “VIB and Monica have been fully cooperating, and their production of records remains ongoing. Drawing conclusions from an incomplete factual record does not represent the fair and fully informed process a citizen deserves from its government, especially someone like Monica who has worked tirelessly on behalf of her community.”
“We remain fully confident Monica will be vindicated when a complete factual record emerges,” Goldstein added.
