Black Lives Matter leaders doled out lucrative contracts to family and friends, new documents reveal



Leaders of the Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation doled out lucrative contracts to family members and friends, new documents show.

The Black Lives Matter organization reaped $80 million during the George Floyd riots of 2020. However, the figure plummeted to under $29 million by the end of the 2023 fiscal year, the group's tax form reveal.

Black Lives Matter co-founder Patrisse Cullors resigned from the organization in 2021. However, friends and family of Cullors have received massive contracts from the charity with a supposed mission to "eradicate white supremacy and build local power to intervene in violence inflicted on black communities by the state and vigilantes."

Paul Cullors – the brother of the BLM co-founder – received $200,000 in 2023 as Black Lives Matter's head of security. His company – Black Ties LLC – raked in an additional $1.6 million for allegedly providing professional security services for Black Lives Matter.

The Washington Free Beacon reported that Paul Cullors and his companies have accumulated more than $4.2 million for allegedly protecting Black Lives Matter since 2021.

Since 2020, Black Lives Matter has demanded a "national defunding of police." Last July, BLM celebrated a "Defund the Police Week."

Shalomyah Bowers – board member for BLMGNF and an associate of Patrisse Cullors – stated last year, "This week we are demonstrating that one of the main pillars of progress in our short 10 years as a modern-day civil rights movement is that we have made our demand, to defund the police, politically popular and achievable, and a mainstream demand.

Black Lives Matter paid Bowers' consulting firm $2.6 million for staffing and management services in the 2023 fiscal year, according to a tax return.

BLM also handed out money to Damon Turner – the father of the only child of Cullors. The Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation granted $778,000 to Turner's art firm, Trap Heals, for work done at a concert series in early 2022. Turner reportedly no longer works with the charity.

As Blaze News previously reported, BLM paid Turner's company $969,459 for "live production, design and media," according to group's 2021 fiscal year.

According to the organization's 2023 fiscal year tax return, a combined $1.1 million was doled out to former Black Lives Matter director of operations Raymond Howard and New Impact Partners – a consulting firm owned by Danielle Edwards, who is Raymond Howard's sister.

Blaze News also previously reported that Patrisse Cullors "secretly bought a $6 million house" in southern California in October 2020 using funds donated to the Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation.

In July 2021, BLM reportedly funded the purchase of a $6.3 million mansion in Canada that was formerly the headquarters of the Communist Party of Canada.

Charity Watch Executive Director Laurie Styron told the Daily Caller that Black Lives Matter "has no independent oversight."

"Whether a person loves this charity’s mission or hates it, they should be angry that significant amounts of charitable dollars are being channeled to interested parties without adequate oversight in place," Styron said. "Charities are expected to avoid both real and perceived conflicts of interest to maintain public trust. This charity is doing the opposite. The optics here are really, really bad."

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Black Lives Matter PAC Spent Most Of Its Money In 2023 Paying Its Own Treasurer For ‘Consulting’

Black Lives Matter PAC paid $90,000 to Bowers Consulting Firm

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BLM paid nearly $1 million to its co-founder's baby daddy, roughly five times more than to the Trayvon Martin Foundation



Black Lives Matter paid its co-founder’s baby daddy almost five times more than it gave to the Trayvon Martin Foundation – a nonprofit dedicated to the legacy of the 2012 death of Trayvon Martin, which kicked off the BLM movement.

Patrisse Cullors, the former executive director and co-founder of Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation, paid a company owned by Damon Turner $969,459 for “live production, design and media,” according to its latest IRS filings. The New York Post reported that Turner’s company, a for-profit organization, which is known for selling $145 sweatshirts and soliciting donations for abstract causes known as “the movement,” received the second-highest payout from Black Lives Matter in the fiscal year 2020.

Turner, a rapper and artist, is the father of Cullors’ son and manages a Los Angeles-based entertainment and clothing company called Trap Heals LLC. Turner is a frequent recipient of Cullors’ redirection of money raised for nonprofit causes. In 2019, Turner’s company received $63,500 from Reform LA Jails, a state-level political action committee controlled by Cullors that had the mission of working toward criminal justice reform.

While Cullors used money raised through charitable donations to pay the father of her child nearly $1 million, Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation paid the Florida-based Trayvon Martin Foundation just $200,000, according to IRS filings.

The Trayvon Martin Foundation was established by Martin’s parents to “provide emotional and financial support to families who have lost a child to gun violence,” according to its website. Trayvon Martin’s 2012 death led to the birth of the Black Lives Matter movement.

The IRS filings disclosing the questionable spending by Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation show that the company raked in $76,872,002 in charitable donations in fiscal year 2020 and paid out $25,997,945 in grants to other nonprofit organizations.

Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation’s largest payout was just over $2 million and went to Bowers Consulting Firm, which is owned by Shalomyah Bowers, a current board member of the foundation. According to IRS filings, the money was paid to Bowers for “administrative support, general consulting, strategy, design … and staff management under the direction of the executive director.”

The foundation also paid $840,993 to Cullors Protection LLC, a private security firm owned by Patrisse Cullors’ eldest brother. According to the IRS filings, the payments were for “professional security services." Cullors Protection LLC was established in July 2020 and currently provides security for the foundation’s $6 million Los Angeles headquarters.

BLM co-founder blames racism and sexism after bombshell report exposes the group 'secretly bought a $6 million house'



Black Lives Matter co-founder Patrisse Cullors claimed new allegations involving the purchase of a nearly $6 million mansion are rooted in racism and sexism.

What is the background?

New York magazine reported this week that BLM "secretly bought a $6 million house" in southern California in October 2020 using funds donated to the Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation.

According to the report, BLM leadership hoped to keep the luxury property's existence a secret.

In fact, documents reviewed by New York magazine suggested the "property’s purchase and day-to-day operation suggest that it has been handled in ways that blur, or cross, boundaries between the charity and private companies owned by some of its leaders."

Black Lives Matter revealed last year that it received more than $90 million in 2020.

How did Cullors respond?

In an Instagram post, Cullors claimed on Wednesday that "what’s happening to me and to our movement is both racist and sexist."

"This is bigger than me. It's about a long history of attacking black people and black women specifically, creating unsafe conditions for us and our families, scrutinizing our every move publicly and privately in ways that are unfair and unjust," she claimed. "It's dangerous, and we should all be trying to stop it, interrupt it, protest it."

In a lengthy statement, Cullors called the New York magazine story a "despicable abuse of a platform that’s intended to provide truthful information to the public."

Cullors claimed the reporter behind the story — Sean Campbell, who is black — has a "very public bias" against her and other "black leaders." She said the story is filled with "misinformation" and "innuendo and incendiary opinions." However, Cullors failed to provide concrete evidence confirming her claims.

For instance, Cullors said the home was purchased to be a space where BLM activists "could work, create content, host meetings and foster creativity."

However, Campbell noted in his story that after he contacted BLM last month for comment on his forthcoming story, leaders began discussing internally how to frame the purchase of the home. They discussed explaining its purpose as an "influencer house" or as a "safehouse."

The day after a BLMGNF board member responded to Campbell, the organization released a statement framing the house as a place "for recipients of the Black Joy Creators Fellowship." But, as Campbell observed, the a BLMGNF board member did not explain "why, if the house was primarily intended to be a creative space, relatively little content has been produced there over the course of 17 months."

Meanwhile, Cullors denied having "misappropriated funds" and repeatedly emphasized that she left BLMGNF last year. She claimed the truth about BLMGNF "will soon be made clear" upon the release of financial disclosure documents required of tax-exempt organizations. The organization has not disclosed finances pertaining to 2020 or 2021.

Finally calling the New York magazine story "hateful and erroneous content," Cullors claimed that she is "living under the constant threat of white supremacist terror and real threats on my life and those of people I love."

Key Biden adviser working on Supreme Court nomination sits on BLM board, promotes critical race theory



One of President Joe Biden's top advisers helping him work through the Supreme Court nomination process is an advocate of critical race theory and sits on the board of Black Lives Matter.

What are the details?

President Joe Biden announced on Feb. 3 that Minyon Moore would advise him on the Supreme Court nomination process.

A press release from the Biden administration explained that Moore “is a top public affairs strategist and organizer” who will “mobilize a nationwide engagement effort focused on confirmation.” The press release explained that Moore previously worked for the Clinton administration and served as CEO of the Democratic National Committee.

But the press release failed to disclose that Moore currently sits on the Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation’s board of directors, the Washington Examiner reported. It is not clear when Moore joined the board, although she was not listed as a board member last year.

Meanwhile, Moore is also a proponent of critical race theory.

According to the Examiner, Moore recently admitted that she speaks with Kimberlé Crenshaw — a prominent lawyer and leading scholar of CRT — each Monday.

In a recent discussion with Crenshaw and others, Moore asked Crenshaw how progressive activists can empower Americans to fight back against the agenda they believe is antithetical to theirs, citing Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin's 11 day-one executive actions.

"I know that critical race [theory] is one part of it, intersectionality is another, and you have a lot of people that really are interested in helping," Moore told Crenshaw. "It’s almost like we are on this Zoom right now to say, 'Please, baby, please, please, please tell us."

What did the WH say?

The White House said in a statement that Biden is "proud" that Moore is advising him.

"The President is proud to have Minyon Moore on his team as he prepares to announce and confirm an extraordinarily qualified nominee after seeking the recommendations of Republicans and Democrats in the Senate," White House spokesman Andrew Bates told the Examiner.

Meanwhile, the Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation told Fox News that Moore "has been required to cease all involvement in matters pertaining to her work with Black Lives Matter while she is part of the White House confirmation team."

The White House confirmed that Moore will not work for any other organizations while she advises the president.

Biden has interviewed three finalists for the Supreme Court nomination — all of whom are black women, just as Biden promised — and his nomination announcement is expected by Monday, NBC News reported.

Amazon takes action against Black Lives Matter's official nonprofit, boots org from charity program



Amazon has booted the Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation from its charity platform amid scrutiny over the group's finances and glaring lack of fiscal transparency.

What did Amazon say?

AmazonSmile — a corporate program that donates money from eligible Amazon purchases to designated charities and nonprofits — suspended BLMGNF from the platform this week for being out of compliance with nonprofit standards in many states, the Washington Examiner reported.

A representative for Amazon explained:

We offer the AmazonSmile program to make it easy for our customers to support their favorite charitable organizations, and we work to offer a broad spectrum of organizations, including those working to end racial injustice. States have rules for nonprofits, and organizations participating in AmazonSmile need to meet those rules. Unfortunately this organization fell out of compliance with the rules in several states, so we’ve had to temporarily suspend them from the program until they come into compliance.

We hope that happens soon, and in the meantime, customers who have already selected them in AmazonSmile are able to continue supporting them, and we’ll hold any funds accrued until they’re back in compliance.

What is the background?

The news comes after Black Lives Matter shut down its online fundraising platform upon receiving legal threats from attorneys general in California and Washington, who demanded that the group explain what happened to $60 million the organization had at the end of 2020.

Not only are those states questioning the group's finances, but BLMGNF remains out of compliance with nonprofit financial standards in Colorado, Connecticut, Maine, Maryland, New Jersey, North Carolina, and Virginia.

However, instead of disclosing the truth about where the finances went, the Washington Examiner reported on Wednesday that BLM is using an "unusual accounting maneuver to further delay reporting" of its 2020 finances. By changing the group's accounting period from a calendar year to a July to June fiscal year, BLMGNF has until mid-May to explain its undisclosed financial data.

According to the Examiner, the move also "enabled BLM to report a sparse, short-year Form 990 to the IRS that covered its activities during only the first half of 2020," an important detail considering donations to the group exploded after May 2020 upon the protests stemming from George Floyd's murder.

Since BLM co-founder Patrisse Cullors resigned as head of the group last year, BLMGNF has remained without a stated leader, and thus it remains legally unknown who controls the $60 million in assets.

Laurie Styron, executive director of CharityWatch, has described BLMGNF as "a giant ghost ship full of treasure drifting in the night with no captain, no discernible crew, and no clear direction."

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."

Social justice nonprofit founded by Black Lives Matter's Patrisse Cullors failed to disclose major donations: report



Blacks Lives Matter co-founder Patrisse Khan-Cullors is tied to a social justice nonprofit that failed to disclose hundreds of thousands in donations, according to a new report.

Dignity and Power Now is a self-described "Los Angeles based grassroots organization founded in 2012 that fights for the dignity and power of all incarcerated people, their families, and communities." The nonprofit states: "Dignity and Power Now is founded and chaired by Black Lives Matter Cofounder Patrisse Khan-Cullors."

"Patrisse Cullors decided to create a performance art piece that highlighted her brother's story of being abused in the county jails while dissolving the disconnect between the conditions inside custody and the community outside," the Dignity and Power Now "about" page states. "That piece became STAINED: An Intimate Portrayal of State Violence. After a year of touring the piece around Los Angeles County it became clear that audiences wanted to do more than watch the piece – they wanted to change the county jail system."

The Dignity and Power Now/The Coalition to End Sheriff's Violence project was created in July 2012. The Dignity and Power Now nonprofit was "created to be the principle organization for a multifaceted, trauma informed, healing, motivated movement to end state violence and mass incarceration."

The New York Post reported that Dignity and Power Now group "received at least $225,000 in 2016, but told the IRS that the charity had not made more than $50,000 that year, according to public filings." The report noted that "failing to meet that revenue threshold meant that the group didn't have to file a complete federal return, which would outline all of its spending and donations."

The social justice nonprofit was given $100,000 by the Los Angeles-based Resnick Foundation, public documents reportedly show. The donation is purportedly on the Resnick Foundation's 2015 federal tax filings, which show the group's spending from October 2015 through September 2016.

The donation from the Resnick Foundation, a charity controlled by billionaire couple Stewart and Lynda Resnick. The couple have a reported combined net worth of $7.1 billion. Resnick has been the chairman and president of The Wonderful Company, which owns brands including POM Wonderful, bottled water company FIJI Water, Wonderful Pistachios, and Wonderful Almonds.

Dignity and Power Now also received $125,000 from the California Initiative in 2016, according to records.

According to tax filings, the donations were filtered through Community Partners, a nonprofit that helps administer funds for grassroots charities.

The report claims that DPN also didn't disclose the cash donations in its filings to the California attorney general, who regulates charities in the state.

"Dignity and Power Now registered with the Registry of Charitable Trusts in 2017, informing the registry that they first received funds in July of 2017," a statement from the California attorney general's office reads.

The National Legal and Policy Center, a conservative watchdog group, filed complaints to both the IRS and the AG in California. The group called for an audit of Dignity and Power Now's finances.

"The obvious question is what happened to the money," NLPC chairman Peter Flaherty said. "Given these circumstances, we believe that an audit is in order."
Dignity and Power Now purports to speak in the name of the disadvantaged. The IRS must ensure that no one is taking advantage."

This is the latest controversy surrounding Khan-Cullors.

Last week, Michael Brown's father joined BLM chapters who are demanding more "financial transparency" of the Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation. The Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation raked in more than $90 million in 2020, according to the Associated Press.

Khan-Cullors resigned last month as the leader of the Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation following scandalous allegations about the co-founder's recent real estate buying binge.