{"id":2090440,"date":"2023-11-04T19:09:01","date_gmt":"2023-11-04T23:09:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/black-lives-matter-organizer-convicted-of-fraud-thousands-used-for-expensive-personal-items-and-services\/"},"modified":"2023-11-04T19:10:17","modified_gmt":"2023-11-04T23:10:17","slug":"black-lives-matter-organizer-convicted-of-fraud-thousands-used-for-expensive-personal-items-and-services","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/black-lives-matter-organizer-convicted-of-fraud-thousands-used-for-expensive-personal-items-and-services\/","title":{"rendered":"BLM Organizer Found Guilty of Fraud &#8211; Funds Misused for Personal Luxuries"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">24<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fblack-lives-matter-organizer-convicted-of-fraud-thousands-used-for-expensive-personal-items-and-services%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2090440&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><h2>Black Lives Matter Organizer Convicted of Fraud &#8211; Thousands Used for Expensive Personal\u2064 Items and Services<\/h2>\n<p>A Black Lives Matter activist in\u2062 the United Kingdom has been found guilty\u200c of fraud after \u200cmisusing nearly $40,000 in charitable donations for personal expenses such as hair appointments,\u200b take-out food, and more.<\/p>\n<p>Xahra \u200bSaleem, 23, formerly \u2064known as Yvonne Maina, has been sentenced \u200dto 2 1\/2 years in prison, according to the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bbc.co.uk\/news\/uk-england-bristol-67272603\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">BBC<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Saleem played a role in establishing\u200c a GoFundMe page to raise funds for Changing\u2064 Your Mindset, a charity aimed at \u200b<a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/black-lives-matter-organizer-convicted-of-fraud-thousands-used-for-expensive-personal-items-and-services\/\" title=\"BLM Organizer Found Guilty of Fraud - Funds Misused for Personal Luxuries\">helping disadvantaged youth<\/a>, as reported by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/uk-news\/2023\/oct\/31\/edward-colston-statue-protest-bristol-xahra-saleem-fundraiser\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">The Guardian<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>The intention was\u200c to \u200buse the funds for \u200cweekly support sessions and an educational trip to Africa, \u200daccording to\u200b the report.<\/p>\n<p>In addition to\u2063 being a \u200cdirector of the\u2064 charity, Saleem was involved in organizing a Black Lives Matter protest in \u2063Bristol, England, in June 2020, which <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/infographic-key-revelations-of-the-twitter-files\/\" title=\"INFOGRAPHIC: Key Revelations of the \"Twitter Files\"\">gained significant attention<\/a> when\u2062 the\u200c statue of 17th-century slave trader Edward Colston was toppled and\u200c thrown into Bristol Harbour in solidarity with the death of\u200d George Floyd in the \u200bUnited States.<\/p>\n<p>Prior to the protest, Saleem set\u2062 up a \u200cfundraising page to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/how-biden-is-trying-to-turn-election-offices-into-partisan-get-out-the-vote-operations\/\" title=\"How Biden Is Trying To Turn Election Offices Into Partisan Get Out The Vote Operations\">purchase personal protective equipment<\/a> (PPE) for\u2063 the march, \u200cwhich took place\u200d during the\u200c Covid-19 pandemic, as stated by \u2064the BBC.<\/p>\n<p>Following the global media\u200c coverage of the statue&#8217;s removal, over 500 donations poured in. However, instead \u200cof\u2062 using the money for its intended purpose, Saleem succumbed to temptation and diverted the funds into her personal bank accounts.<\/p>\n<p>She used\u200b the money\u200c for various \u2062personal expenses, including \u200brent, an iPhone, an iMac, Amazon purchases, take-out food, hair\u2062 appointments, and over $7,000 on Uber rides.<\/p>\n<p>The \u2063BBC reported that \u200bSaleem discussed the fraud with \u200ba friend over WhatsApp, admitting to her wrongdoing \u200dand drafting apology messages.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">Xahra Saleem helped organise the toppling of Edward Colston\u2019s statue in Bristol. \u200bShe went\u2063 on \u200cto defraud the public of \u00a330,000 in donations for her BLM cause.<\/p>\n<p>She spent \u200cthe money on \u200brent, ubers, hair &#038; beauty appointments.<\/p>\n<p>Bristol Crown\u200b Court jailed for two-and-a-half years. <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/5rJl6DPxSH\">pic.twitter.com\/5rJl6DPxSH<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 David Atherton (@DaveAtherton20) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/DaveAtherton20\/status\/1719438818988736854?\">October \u206231, 2023<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>At one point, \u2064Saleem claimed\u2063 that \u2064Black Lives Matter had advised her not to transfer the money to the charity, as reported by The\u2062 Guardian. However, she eventually admitted that the money \u200bwas gone.<\/p>\n<p>Saleem cited suffering from psychosis,\u2062 which impaired her rational thinking, according to the BBC.<\/p>\n<p>Judge Michael Longman stated that Saleem not only \u2064betrayed the donors and her fellow charity\u200b workers but also deprived the young people who \u2063would have benefited \u200dfrom Black Lives Matter&#8217;s work.<\/p>\n<p>In a victim impact statement, \u200cRebecca Scott, an associate who assisted\u200c Saleem in organizing the BLM\u200d protest in Bristol, expressed the hurt and disappointment felt by herself and others involved, as reported by The Guardian.<\/p>\n<p>Scott mentioned that the amount raised was overwhelming and represented an opportunity to make a\u2062 real impact. \u2063However,\u2063 the\u2062 incident made the directors \u200dfeel complicit, leading to the \u200cdecision to close Changing Your Mindset.<\/p>\n<p>Tragically, one of the young \u200cpeople the charity had been assisting\u2064 passed away, causing another director to speculate on the potential of saving that individual&#8217;s life.<\/p>\n<h3>A Note from \u2064Our Founder:<\/h3>\n<p><i><b>Silicon Valley and the \u200cBig Tech tyrants have done everything they\u200c can to \u200bput The Western Journal out of business. Our<\/b><\/i><i><b><a class=\"c-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/join-monthly\/?utm_source=site&#038;utm_medium=westernjournalism&#038;utm_campaign=authorpitch\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">  faithful subscribers<\/a><\/b><\/i><i><b>  \u200d have \u2062kept us going.<\/b><\/i><\/p>\n<p><i><b>If you\u2019ve never chosen\u200d to subscribe, let me be honest:<\/b><\/i><i><b><a class=\"c-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/join-monthly\/?utm_source=site&#038;utm_medium=westernjournalism&#038;utm_campaign=authorpitch\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">  \u2063 We need\u2063 your help today<\/a><\/b><\/i><i><b>.<\/b><\/i><\/p>\n<p><i><b>I also\u200b want to send you an autographed copy of \u201cCounterpunch,\u201d which \u2062will give you a plan \u200dto fight back for our beloved country.<\/b><\/i><\/p>\n<p><i><b><a class=\"c-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/join-monthly\/?utm_source=site&#038;utm_medium=westernjournalism&#038;utm_campaign=authorpitch\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Subscribe\u2062 right \u2064now<\/a><\/b><\/i><i><b>  \u2013 The Western Journal\u2062 stands for truth in this difficult time.<\/b><\/i><\/p>\n<p><i><b>Please stand with us by subscribing today.<\/b><\/i><\/p>\n<p><i><b>Floyd G. Brown<\/b><\/i><br \/>\n<i><b>Founder \u2064of The Western Journal<\/b><\/i><\/p>\n<p>The post \u200b <a rel=\"nofollow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/black-lives-matter-organizer-convicted-fraud-thousands-used-expensive-personal-items-services\/\">Black Lives Matter Organizer Convicted of Fraud &#8211; \u200cThousands Used for Expensive \u2064Personal Items and Services<\/a> appeared first on \u2064 <a rel=\"nofollow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\">The Western Journal<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p> <\/p>\n<h2> What measures should \u2064activist groups implement to vet individuals claiming to \u200dbe\u2062 organizers\u200d or leaders within a movement to prevent incidents like Xahra Saleem&#8217;s fraud in the future<\/h2>\n<p><span>  Betrayed and undermined their \u200defforts to create positive change. Scott emphasized \u200cthe importance of trust and transparency in charitable \u200borganizations,\u2064 and\u2063 how Saleem&#8217;s \u200cactions have damaged the reputation\u2063 of \u200bthe Black\u200c Lives Matter movement.<\/p>\n<p>The case \u2064of Xahra \u200dSaleem\u2062 highlights the need for accountability and ethical practices \u200bwithin activist movements.\u2063 While \u200bit is \u2062important to fight for social justice and \u200bequality, \u200dit should\u200b not come at\u2064 the expense of integrity and trustworthiness. Saleem&#8217;s actions not only harm the individuals who donated to \u2062the cause but also tarnish the reputation of legitimate activists who are working tirelessly to bring about meaningful change.<\/p>\n<p>This incident serves as a reminder to donors that research\u2063 and \u200cdue diligence are crucial \u200cwhen\u2063 deciding \u2063where to allocate\u200d their funds. It is\u200d essential to ensure that donations go to \u2063reputable organizations\u2063 with a clear \u2064mission statement \u200cand transparent financial practices. Online platforms such as GoFundMe \u200dcan be powerful tools for grassroots activism, but \u2064they also provide\u200b opportunities for\u2063 fraudsters to take \u2062advantage\u200d of\u2064 the generosity of others.<\/p>\n<p>Furthermore, this\u2062 case raises questions about the \u2062process of vetting individuals \u2062who claim to be organizers \u200cor \u2062leaders within a movement. Activist groups\u2064 need to establish mechanisms to verify the credentials and integrity of those \u200cwho represent them, to avoid incidents like this in the \u200cfuture.\u200c Transparent \u2064structures and \u200daccountability measures can help \u2062ensure \u200bthat the focus remains on the cause and the individuals it\u2064 aims to support.<\/p>\n<p>It \u2064is also crucial for the wider public \u200dto\u200b understand that the actions\u200b of one individual do not \u2062represent an entire movement. Black\u200c Lives Matter, like any other social justice movement, is comprised of diverse individuals working towards a\u200b common goal. The actions of\u2063 Xahra Saleem should not undermine the significance and importance \u2062of the movement itself.<\/p>\n<p>In conclusion, the conviction of Xahra Saleem for fraud \u200cserves as a sobering \u200creminder of the\u200d risks associated with charitable donations and the\u2062 need for accountability within activist movements. It \u2062is\u200d essential for donors to conduct \u200dthorough research and exercise caution\u2062 when contributing \u2064to causes, while\u200b organizations \u200cmust implement \u200brobust systems to vet individuals who claim to represent\u200b them. The impact of this incident goes beyond the\u200b financial losses; it damages\u200b the trust and credibility of those working\u2063 towards positive\u200c change.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A UK Black Lives Matter activist, Xahra Saleem, has been found guilty of fraud for misusing $40,000 of donated funds. The 23-year-old, previously known as Yvonne Maina, spent the money on personal expenses like hair appointments and take-out food. Saleem has been sentenced to 2 1\/2 years in prison, according to the BBC.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2022,"featured_media":2090441,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[548],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2090440","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-conservative-news-daily"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2090440","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2022"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2090440"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2090440\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2090441"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2090440"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2090440"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2090440"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}