“Twenty-six BLM chapters sue its leaders for defrauding them” of $10 million

YIKES!

Here’s an article from the Guardian (UK) and below it a video from FOX News.

The complaint was filed on Thursday by BLM Grassroots, an entity made up of 26 BLM chapters in the US, UK and Canada. The local organizers allege that the foundation, which has been a clearinghouse for donations to support BLM over the years, has fundraised off the work of the chapters, but mismanaged the funds and had shut local chapters out of decision making.

“The assets that we built, the financial resources, the social media platforms and the name ‘Black Lives Matter’ have been taken from us and are under the control of consultants,” said Dr Melina Abdullah, the director of BLM Grassroots and a co-founder of the BLM Los Angeles chapter. She spoke at a press conference alongside activists including Dr Yusef Salaam, one of the exonerated “Central Park Five”, and families of people killed by police, including Stephon Clark, Grechario Mack, and Mely Corado.

The suit, filed in Los Angeles superior court, seeks damages and restitution as well as a temporary restraining order to block the foundation from using the BLM accounts and website. The complaint names the foundation and Shalomyah Bowers, a consultant whose firm was paid $2m by the foundation in fiscal year 2020. A current foundation board member, he has also served as board secretary and principal officer, and the suit accuses him of “unjust enrichment”.

The BLM foundation responded to the lawsuit with a lengthy statement on Thursday afternoon, calling the allegations “harmful, divisive, and false”.