The U.S. Department of Justice has launched a criminal investigation into leaders of the Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation, examining allegations that they misappropriated tens of millions of dollars in donations raised during the nationwide protests following George Floyd’s death in 2020.
According to federal sources, prosecutors with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Los Angeles have issued subpoenas and executed at least one search warrant in recent weeks. The inquiry reportedly focuses on whether the foundation’s executives diverted funds for personal use—including luxury purchases—rather than community programs and activism.
The organization, which collected more than $90 million at the height of the 2020 protests, has faced scrutiny before. Questions about transparency first emerged in 2022 after reports revealed that the foundation purchased a $6 million Los Angeles mansion, allegedly for use as a content-creation space. Although the group has long maintained that its spending complied with nonprofit regulations, watchdogs and state officials have accused its leadership of failing to properly account for donations.
Many leftwing activists have been accused of scamming for years.
A California court dismissed one civil fraud lawsuit in 2023 for lack of evidence, but the controversy has persisted. In a separate 2024 case, a BLM-affiliated activist was sentenced to prison for wire fraud and money laundering—charges unrelated to the foundation’s leadership but reinforcing doubts about financial oversight within the movement.
The current federal probe began under the Biden administration but has accelerated since President Donald Trump returned to office in January. That shift has fueled fierce debate online: supporters of the investigation call it long-overdue accountability, while critics denounce it as a politically motivated attack on racial justice organizations.
The Associated Press first reported the investigation, citing unnamed sources familiar with the matter. The BLM foundation has not yet issued a public response, though in past statements it has emphasized a “commitment to transparency” and compliance with all financial laws.
Legal experts note that if prosecutors find evidence of embezzlement or misrepresentation, those involved could face charges under federal wire fraud and money laundering statutes. The case also underscores broader Justice Department efforts to root out corruption within nonprofit and activist groups—some of which have been accused of exploiting political causes for profit.
For now, no indictments have been announced, and the DOJ has declined to comment. But the investigation marks a pivotal moment for one of America’s most visible social movements, testing whether its leadership lived up to the ideals that inspired millions—or betrayed the trust of those who gave in its name.
[Read More: Another Scandal For Gavin Newsom’s California]
