BLM Grassroots claims that Shalomyah Bowers, the leader of BLM Global Network Foundation, defrauded local chapters for “unjust enrichment” and used their funds as a “personal piggy bank”, according to a lawsuit filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court.
Melina Abdullah said that the assets she built for Black Lives Matter Grass Roots are now under the control of consultants. Financial resources and others including social media and even the name of the organization.
The board of directors of the Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation denied the allegations in a statement posted to their website Thursday.
Bowers and his group scolded those who are suing him, saying they would rather use the criminal legal system to solve movement disputes.
“They would rather take the same steps of our white oppressors and utilize the criminal legal system which is propped up by white supremacy (the same system they say they want to dismantle) to solve movement disputes,” he said.
Bowers is a close associate of BLM co-founder Patrisse Cullors, whose foundation received backlash after buying a Los Angeles compound for millions that were raised to ‘help the black community’.
For More on this story, please consider these sources:
- Black Lives Matter exec accused of stealing $10M in lawsuit The Hill
- Black Lives Matter executive accused of ‘syphoning’ $10M from BLM donors, suit says CNN
- Black Lives Matter leader accused of stealing $10M from organization: ‘Unjust enrichment’ Fox News
- What this Black Lives Matter lawsuit will cost the movement Los Angeles Times
- BLM executive accused of ‘syphoning’ $10M from donors CNN