{"id":2508274,"date":"2025-11-08T10:29:01","date_gmt":"2025-11-08T15:29:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/black-lives-matter-faces-leadership-chnage-amid-doj-investigation\/"},"modified":"2025-11-08T10:33:33","modified_gmt":"2025-11-08T15:33:33","slug":"black-lives-matter-faces-leadership-chnage-amid-doj-investigation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/black-lives-matter-faces-leadership-chnage-amid-doj-investigation\/","title":{"rendered":"Black Lives Matter faces leadership chnage amid DOJ investigation"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">18<\/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-faces-leadership-chnage-amid-doj-investigation%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=2508274&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--><p>The Department of Justice (DOJ) has intensified its investigation into the Black Lives Matter Global Network foundation (BLMGNF) over allegations of potential misuse and fraud involving tens of millions of dollars raised during the 2020 racial justice protests. Amid the probe, BLMGNF recently announced the departure of Shalomyah Bowers, a longtime strategist and board member whose <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >consulting firm received notable payments<\/a> from the foundation. The organization framed this change as part of a leadership transition and a renewed commitment too transparency and accountability.<\/p>\n<p>The investigation, reportedly led by the U.S. Attorney&#8217;s Office in Los Angeles, centers on whether donations were diverted improperly, although no charges have been filed and BLMGNF maintains it is not a target. Past controversies include the foundation&#8217;s purchase of a multi-million-dollar property described as a &#8220;creative hub&#8221; but also used for private events, raising concerns about conflicts of interest and governance, especially given the minimal oversight and limited board membership in prior years.<\/p>\n<p>Legal experts highlight red flags such as large payments to entities connected to BLM leaders and governance weaknesses, suggesting the DOJ will scrutinize tax filings, potential conspiracy, and fundraising fraud. The foundation plans to implement reforms including expanding its board and conducting external audits, while former leaders dismiss the investigation as politically motivated. The ongoing inquiry has rekindled debates over transparency, donor trust, and accountability in one of the nation&#8217;s most prominent civil rights organizations.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">DOJ probe into Black Lives Matter finances deepens as <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/state-dept-backed-group-cuts-ties-with-group-that-blacklists-conservative-news-sites\/\" title=\"State Dept-Backed ... Cuts Ties With ... That Blacklists Conservative News Sites\">group cuts ties<\/a> with top board member<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div id=\"Brid_2386797\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p><em>In Focus delivers deeper coverage of the political, cultural, and ideological issues shaping America. Published daily by senior writers and experts, these in-depth pieces go beyond the headlines to give readers the full picture. You can find our full list of In Focus pieces&nbsp;<a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/section\/in_focus\/\">here<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n<p>One week after national outlets reported that the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/department-of-justice\/\">Justice Department<\/a> had opened a fraud investigation into the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/black-lives-matter\/\">Black Lives Matter<\/a> Global Network Foundation, the organization announced Friday that it had severed ties with longtime strategist and board member&nbsp;Shalomyah Bowers, citing a &ldquo;leadership transition.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<div class=\"recommended-stories\">\n<h2>Recommended Stories<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/in_focus\/3879936\/for-conservatives-time-for-choosing\/\">For conservatives, it&#8217;s a time for choosing<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/premium\/3877743\/zohran-mamdani-moment-new-york-mayor-election\/\">Mamdani&#8217;s moment: There could be one election win Democrats come to regret<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/in_focus\/3877985\/cheney-pelosi-mamdani-american-saga-continues\/\">Cheney, Pelosi, and Mamdani &mdash; the American saga continues<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p>The move sharpened scrutiny of the organization&rsquo;s finances and governance just as <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/montana-gop-officials-are-third-state-lawmakers-to-receive-letters-with-mystery-white-powder\/\" title=\"Montana GOP officials join list of lawmakers receiving letters with unknown &#039;white powder&#039;.\">federal authorities examine<\/a> whether tens of millions of dollars raised in 2020 were misused, according to legal experts and nonprofit researchers who have tracked the organization&rsquo;s scandals.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A woman holds a Black Lives Matter flag as community members march, Sunday, June 6, 2021, in Minneapolis, for Winston Boogie Smith Jr., who was fatally shot by members of a U.S. Marshals task force several days earlier. (AP Photo\/Christian Monterrosa)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>In a Nov. 7 <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/blacklivesmatter.com\/black-lives-matter-foundation-announces-leadership-transition-reaffirms-commitment-to-transparency-and-community-investment\/\">letter to supporters<\/a>, BLMGNF said Bowers&rsquo;s &ldquo;time on the board has come to an end&rdquo; and that his <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/judge-juan-merchan-hit-with-lawsuit-over-alleged-democratic-links\/\" title=\"Judge Juan Merchan Hit with Lawsuit Over Alleged Democratic Links\">consulting firm&#038;rsquo<\/a>;s work with the group had ceased. The message framed the shake-up as part of a renewed commitment to &ldquo;transparency, integrity, and faithful stewardship.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>The announcement <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/justice\/3870220\/doj-investigation-black-lives-matter-fraud-donors\/\">followed reports<\/a> from the <em>Associated Press<\/em> and CBS News that the Justice Department is investigating whether donations to the national BLM entity were diverted by its leadership after the 2020 racial-justice protests. The investigation, reportedly led out of the U.S. Attorney&rsquo;s Office in Los Angeles, focuses on possible donor fraud. No charges have been filed, and the foundation says it is not a target of the investigation.<\/p>\n<p>The U.S. Attorney&rsquo;s Office for the Central District of California declined to comment.<\/p>\n<p>Federal scrutiny comes amid years of controversy surrounding the foundation&rsquo;s finances. In 2022, Sean Campbell <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/nymag.com\/intelligencer\/2022\/04\/black-lives-matter-6-million-dollar-house.html\">reported<\/a> in&nbsp;<em>New York&nbsp;Magazine<\/em> that BLMGNF used nearly $6 million of donated funds to purchase a 6,500-square-foot Los Angeles property through an LLC connected to the law firm Perkins Coie.<\/p>\n<p>The house was initially described as a creative hub, but records showed it had also been used for private events and personal filming projects. Nonprofit group experts said the arrangement blurred boundaries between charitable and private benefit, raising questions about oversight and disclosure.<\/p>\n<p>That same year, the foundation&rsquo;s first public Form 990 showed it had <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/nymag.com\/intelligencer\/2022\/05\/black-lives-matter-national-organization-finances.html\">received roughly $77 million in donations<\/a> during the height of the 2020 protests and ended the fiscal year with $42 million in assets. The filing also disclosed payments of more than $2.1 million to a consulting firm run by Bowers, nearly $970,000 to a company founded by the father of co-founder Patrisse Cullors&rsquo;s child, and more than $840,000 to a security firm operated by her brother. Experts said the transactions, while not necessarily illegal, illustrated weak internal controls and potential conflicts of interest for an organization of such size and prominence.<\/p>\n<p>BLMGNF&rsquo;s governance structure also drew criticism. During the 2020&ndash;2021 fiscal year, Cullors served as the foundation&rsquo;s sole voting board member, and its filings listed only two employees. Nonprofit attorneys called that lack of independent oversight a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wh-physician-for-obama-trump-biden-hiding-from-public-a-major-red-flag-somethings-not-right\/\" title=\"WH Physician For Obama, Trump: Biden \u2018Hiding\u2019 From Public A \u2018Major Red Flag,\u2019 \u2018Something\u2019s Not Right\u2019\">major red flag<\/a> for the IRS. Cullors stepped down as executive director in 2021, later admitting she had stayed at the Los Angeles property for several days and hosted two private parties there. She <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/government-and-politics-race-ethnicity-philanthropy-black-lives-matter-5bc4772e029da522036f8ad2a02990aa?utm_source=chatgpt.com\">reimbursed the foundation $390<\/a> for one event and later conceded that using the house for personal gatherings <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/mynews4.com\/news\/nation-world\/blm-co-founder-admits-she-held-parties-at-mansion-bought-with-donor-funds-black-lives-matter-patrisse-cullors-malibu-florida-global-network-foundation-blmgnf\">&ldquo;probably wasn&rsquo;t the best idea.&rdquo;<\/a><\/p>\n<p>The separation with Bowers marks another turning point. <\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">D&rsquo;Zhane Parker, left, Cicley Gay, center, and Shalomyah Bowers of Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation Inc. pose for a portrait on May 13, 2022, in Atlanta. (AP Photo\/Brynn Anderson, File)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>His firm&rsquo;s multimillion-dollar contracts were among the most scrutinized in the foundation&rsquo;s 990 filings. In 2022, a separate entity known as Black Lives Matter Grassroots <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/thehill.com\/regulation\/court-battles\/3629589-black-lives-matter-exec-accused-of-stealing-10m-in-lawsuit\/\">sued Bowers and the foundation<\/a> in Los Angeles County Superior Court, accusing him of diverting about $10 million in donations for personal use and turning the nonprofit into a &ldquo;personal piggy bank.&rdquo; Bowers denied any wrongdoing, and in June 2023, a judge dismissed the case under California&rsquo;s anti-SLAPP statute, finding the plaintiffs lacked standing and failed to substantiate their claims.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Parker Thayer, an investigative researcher at the Capital Research Center, told the <em>Washington Examiner<\/em> that Bowers&rsquo;s ouster should be viewed as a warning sign.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;It&rsquo;s a massive red flag,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s something we haven&rsquo;t seen at any nonprofit in America in recent history. That&rsquo;s like a five-alarm fire.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Thayer added that the Justice Department has been increasingly aggressive in policing nonprofit abuses and said BLMGNF&rsquo;s issues are so extensive that &ldquo;there aren&rsquo;t too many things that a nonprofit could do wrong that BLM hasn&rsquo;t already done.&rdquo; He said the group&rsquo;s repeated controversies around financial disclosures and leadership self-dealing create &ldquo;a strong likelihood that an investigation will find something that actually goes the distance.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Thayer also pointed to BLMGNF founder Cullors&rsquo;s previous admission that she found preparing IRS filings <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/2022\/04\/13\/blm-co-founder-financial-disclosures-triggering-and-unsafe\/\">&ldquo;triggering,&rdquo;<\/a> and argued that her reaction betrayed an awareness of deeper problems. &ldquo;You don&rsquo;t get scared by paperwork unless it reflects reality,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;I think there is a good chance that something more than clerical errors is found.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Legal analysts say that any criminal investigation would likely hinge on patterns of wire fraud, tax violations, or false filings with the charity.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>John Shu, a constitutional lawyer who served in both Bush administrations, told the <em>Washington Examiner<\/em> the Justice Department would almost certainly begin by examining &ldquo;whether they filled out the correct tax forms and whether they lied on them.&rdquo; <\/p>\n<p>He added that prosecutors would also look at possible conspiracy and fundraising-fraud angles. &ldquo;Was there a conspiracy among two or more of the leaders to misappropriate funds and to lie on their tax forms?&rdquo; Shu said. &ldquo;And did they mislead donors about how their money would be used?&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Shu said the inquiry could also test how far the department is willing to stretch its resources to pursue a case. <\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;It&rsquo;s not clear to me that it would stay just in California,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;Because of the scale of the foundation and the national network of donations, this could easily be run out of Main Justice rather than a local U.S. attorney&rsquo;s office.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>He also suggested the statute-of-limitations clock could still allow prosecutors to act. &ldquo;People were still donating into 2021, so those transactions are well within the window,&rdquo; Shu said, noting that a standard five-year federal limit would likely govern probable wire-fraud or tax-related charges. &ldquo;The first thing they have to do is get a grand jury together, because only the grand jury can issue subpoenas &mdash; not only for testimony, but for documents, hard drives, and emails.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>BLMGNF has insisted it is not a target of the investigation. The group plans to expand its board, tighten conflict-of-interest policies, and conduct an external audit as part of broader transparency reforms. Cullors and other former leaders have described the controversy as exaggerated and politically motivated.<\/p>\n<p><strong><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/justice\/3870220\/doj-investigation-black-lives-matter-fraud-donors\/\">DOJ INVESTIGATING ALLEGATIONS BLACK LIVES MATTER DEFRAUDED DONORS<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>BLMGNF did not respond to a request for comment from the <em>Washington Examiner<\/em>.<\/p>\n<p>While it remains unclear whether the Justice Department will ultimately pursue a civil lawsuit or consider criminal charges, the reported investigation into one of the country&rsquo;s most visible civil-rights organizations has reopened questions about accountability, transparency, and public trust in the movement&rsquo;s finances, and whether the government will ultimately test those questions in court.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>DOJ probe into BLM finances grows as group parts with board member<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2633,"featured_media":2508275,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/black-lives-matter.webp?w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651],"tags":[14436,35905,45347,43229,36625],"class_list":["post-2508274","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","tag-activism","tag-black-lives-matter","tag-doj-investigation","tag-leadership-change","tag-social-justice"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/black-lives-matter.webp?w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2508274","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\/2633"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2508274"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2508274\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2508278,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2508274\/revisions\/2508278"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2508275"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2508274"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2508274"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2508274"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}