Black Lives Matter halts fundraising after liberal states threaten legal action over missing financial records



The liberal states of California and Washington have ordered the Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation to halt all fundraising operations over a lack of financial transparency, according to a new report.

"We take these matters seriously and have taken immediate action," an unidentified spokesperson for the BLMGNF told the Washington Examiner. "We have immediately engaged compliance counsel to address any issues related to state fundraising compliance. In the interim, we have shut down online fundraising as we work quickly to ensure we are meeting all compliance requirements."

The outlet reported that the Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation shut down all online fundraising on Wednesday night and noted that the "donation button that used to be featured prominently on BLM's website was nowhere to be found as of Wednesday evening."

After the foundation reportedly failed to submit an annual report for the 2020 tax year that is required of charitable trusts, California and Washington state officials prohibited the BLM organization from soliciting donations.

California Attorney General Rob Bonta (D) sent a formal delinquency notice to BLM on Monday, according to the New York Post. The order gives the group 60 days to file tax and charity documents for 2020; otherwise, BLM could lose its tax-exempt status and be subject to late fees.

“The organization BLACK LIVES MATTER GLOBAL NETWORK FOUNDATION, INC. is delinquent with The Registry of Charitable Trusts for failing to submit required annual report(s)," the letter said.

"Accordingly, directors, trustees, officers and return preparers responsible for failure to timely file the above-described report(s) are personally liable for payment of all penalties, interest and other costs incurred to restore exempt status," the notice stated.

While the organization is delinquent, it is prohibited from any "solicitation or disbursing of charitable funds."

On Jan. 5, the Washington secretary of state corporations and charities division reportedly sent a notice to BLM to "immediately cease" fundraising in the state because of the group's lack of financial transparency.

"Please note that a violation of the Act is also a violation of the consumer Protection Act ... and could result in the imposition of injunctions and civil penalties of up to $2,000 per violation,” the official letter to BLM said, according to the Examiner. "Any organization that solicits and/or collects contributions in violation of the Act and CPA will be reported to the Office of the Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division for further action.”

The outlet also reported, "BLM's charity registration is also out of compliance in Connecticut, Maine, Maryland, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, and Virginia."

When asked about the Black Lives Matter organization, Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita (R) told the Examiner, "It appears that the house of cards may be falling, and this happens eventually with nearly every scam, scheme, or illegal enterprise. I see patterns that scams kind of universally take: failure to provide board members, failure to provide even executive directors, failure to make your filings available. It all leads to suspicion."

Rokita did not confirm or deny whether his office is investigating BLM.

Last week, a report questioned who controls the Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation's $60 million war chest. The Examiner noted that the BLMGNF hasn't had an executive director since Patrisse Cullors resigned in May after weeks of criticism surrounding her purchase of high-end real estate properties.

Another report from last week alleged that the foundation helped fund the purchase of a mansion that was formerly the headquarters of the Communist Party of Canada.

In February 2021, BLMGNF released its disclosure – which stated the organization "raised just over $90 million" in 2020.

Report: Black Lives Matter sent millions to charity that bought mansion that was formerly Communist Party of Canada headquarters. Questions surface about who controls BLM's $60M war chest.



There are questions surfacing about who controls the Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation's $60 million war chest. At the same time, there is a report that the BLM organization funded the purchase of a mansion that was formerly the headquarters of the Communist Party of Canada.

"M4BJ, a Toronto-based non-profit set up by Janaya Khan and other Canadian activists, snagged the 10,000 square foot historic property for the equivalent of $6.3 million in cash in July 2021," the New York Post reported, noting that it had reviewed Toronto property records. The outlet reported that Black Lives Matter "transferred millions" to the M4BJ charity.

Black Lives Matter sent millions to Canada charity to buy mansion https://trib.al/LAqHdk1\u00a0pic.twitter.com/bWwHgAmbus
— New York Post (@New York Post) 1643488190

Coincidentally, Khan is the wife of Patrisse Khan-Cullors – a co-founder of the Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation. Cullors – a self-described "trained Marxist" –resigned from the Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation in May after weeks of criticism surrounding the purchase of high-end real estate properties.

The Washington Examiner reported, "The U.S. charity that serves as the face of the BLM movement provided the bulk of the funding for the purchase of the 10,000-square-foot property in July."

The purchase of the property – which was formerly the headquarters of the Communist Party of Canada and is known as the Wildseed Centre for Art and Activism – was criticized by two former senior members of the Black Lives Matter Toronto chapter – who resigned earlier this month over the organization's lack of transparency.

Canadian BLM activists Sarah Jama and Sahra Soudi said in a statement, "For BLM Canada to take money from BLM Global Network [Foundation] for a building without consulting the community was unethical. For BLM Canada to refuse to answer questions from young Black organizers goes against the spirit of movement-building."

"In other words, the NDA was designed as a constant threat of legal action against us, even though we were volunteering our time to a cause we believed in," the activists added.

Here is our statement on why we left BLMTO, @bolshevikbaddie "After over a year of struggling within @BLM_TO to improve internal processes, we left the group when, like many other people, we found out about @blmcanada_ $8 million dollar purchase of the @WildseedCentre_ "pic.twitter.com/p6ayoSztLY
— Sarah (slamma bamma) Jama (@Sarah (slamma bamma) Jama) 1642612592

The criticism of the high-priced property arrives at a time when there are growing questions about Black Lives Matter's finances.

After Cullors suddenly resigned from her role as executive director of the Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation last year, the organization announced that activists – Makani Themba and Monifa Bandele – would step into the role. However, they never actually assumed the position.

“We never actually started in the position, so we never received any detailed information,” Themba told the Washington Examiner.

"Although a media advisory was released indicating that we were tapped to play the role of Senior Co-Executives at BLMGNF, we were not able to come to an agreement with the acting Leadership Council about the scope of our work and authority," reads a statement from Bandele and Themba.

"As a result, we did not have the opportunity to serve in this capacity. We wanted to be sure to inform our community of this fact as we move on to serve our movement in other ways," the statement says.

Thanks to everyone for your support.pic.twitter.com/E268EUpVo4
— Makani Themba (@Makani Themba) 1630681161

There doesn't seem to be any BLM leadership overseeing the $60 million in its coffers.

BLM released its disclosure in February 2021 – which stated the organization "raised just over $90 million" in 2020.

"After our expenses and grant disbursements, we are left with an approximate balance of $60 million," BLM revealed.

The Washington Examiner noted, "While a charity's finances are ultimately the responsibility of its board of directors, BLM's bylaws explicitly state that its executive director 'shall have charge of all funds and securities of the Corporation.'"

When the outlet attempted to request BLM's 2020 Form 990 in person at the organization's office in Los Angeles, they were informed by a security guard that there has never been a Black Lives Matter office at the location.

An unidentified BLM spokesperson told the Washington Examiner that the Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation does not currently maintain a "permanent office."