BLM Leader Indicted on Fraud and Money Laundering
Federal prosecutors have charged the executive director of Black Lives Matter Oklahoma with a sweeping array of fraud and money laundering offenses, alleging she siphoned millions of dollars in donor funds meant for bail assistance and social justice causes to bankroll an extravagant personal lifestyle.
According to a newly unsealed federal indictment, Tashella Sheri Amore Dickerson, 52, was charged by a grand jury with 20 counts of wire fraud and five counts of money laundering.
“For each count of wire fraud, Dickerson faces up to 20 years in federal prison and a fine of up to $250,000,” the Department of Justice said in a statement. “For each count of money laundering, Dickerson faces up to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 or twice the amount of the criminally derived property involved in the transaction.”
Prosecutors allege Dickerson diverted more than $3.5 million from accounts associated with Black Lives Matter Oklahoma (BLMOKC) into her personal bank accounts, using donor money to fund vacations, luxury purchases, real estate investments, and everyday personal expenses.
The indictment accuses Dickerson of spending the funds on trips to Jamaica and the Dominican Republic, acquiring six properties in Oklahoma City, racking up tens of thousands of dollars in luxury shopping, and spending more than $50,000 on food and grocery deliveries for herself and her family.
“Beginning in June 2020 and continuing through at least October 2025, Dickerson embezzled funds from BLMOKC’s accounts for her personal benefit,” the indictment states. “Dickerson deposited at least $3.15 million in returned bail checks into her personal accounts, rather than into BLMOKC’s accounts.”
The case represents one of the most significant fraud prosecutions tied to the Black Lives Matter movement since 2020, when BLM organizations and affiliates raised hundreds of millions of dollars nationwide following the death of George Floyd.
According to federal authorities, BLMOKC alone raised more than $5.6 million from online donors and national bail funds during the height of the 2020 protests. Much of that money came from organizations including the Community Justice Exchange, the Minnesota Freedom Fund, and the Massachusetts Bail Fund, and was earmarked to post bail for arrested protesters and support so-called “racial justice” initiatives.
The indictment notes that although BLMOKC was not a registered nonprofit, it solicited donations under the fiscal sponsorship of the Alliance for Global Justice (AFGJ), an Arizona-based left-wing nonprofit organization.
Under that arrangement, AFGJ required BLMOKC to use funds exclusively for lawful charitable purposes under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code and to provide accurate financial reporting when requested.
Prosecutors allege Dickerson instead submitted false documentation to conceal her misuse of the funds.
According to the indictment, she “used interstate wire communications to submit two false annual reports to AFGJ” in which she falsely claimed the money had been spent solely on tax-exempt activities.
“She reported that she had used BLMOKC funds only for tax-exempt purposes,” the indictment reads. “She did not disclose that she used funds for her personal benefit.”
Investigators say Dickerson funneled more than $3 million in returned bail checks into her personal accounts and used the money to finance international travel, designer shopping sprees, restaurant and grocery delivery services, a personal vehicle, and six Oklahoma City properties registered either in her own name or through Equity International, LLC, a shell company she allegedly controlled.
Federal prosecutors described the conduct as a years-long deception involving repeated misrepresentations to donors and to AFGJ about how the money was being spent.
“Although BLMOKC was supposed to use national bail fund grants to post pretrial bail for individuals arrested in connection with protests for racial justice after the death of George Floyd,” prosecutors wrote, “Dickerson used those funds for personal enrichment.”
If convicted on all counts, Dickerson could face decades in federal prison. U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester announced the charges Wednesday, saying the indictment “reflects a commitment to holding accountable anyone who exploits the public’s trust for personal gain — regardless of their politics or position.”
The prosecution adds to a growing list of corruption scandals involving Black Lives Matter leaders and affiliated organizations, several of which have faced lawsuits or criminal investigations in recent years over the alleged misuse of donor funds.