Tashella Dickerson has been charged with embezzling $3.15 million from Black Lives Matter OKC donations meant for bail funds and using the money for luxury vacations and real estate purchases.
The 52-year-old executive director faces 25 federal charges after a grand jury indictment was unsealed on December 11.
Dickerson spent the stolen funds on trips to Jamaica and the Dominican Republic. She also bought six properties in Oklahoma City, a personal vehicle and dropped $50,000 on food deliveries for herself and her children.
The scheme targeted funds raised after George Floyd was murdered by Derek Chauvin in 2020.
BLM OKC collected over $5.6 million from online donors and national bail funds, including the Community Justice Exchange, Massachusetts Bail Fund and Minnesota Freedom Fund.
Those organizations sent grants specifically to help post bail for protesters arrested during racial justice demonstrations. When bail money was returned to BLM OKC, the national groups sometimes allowed the local chapter to keep portions to build a revolving bail fund.
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But Dickerson allegedly had other plans. She’s accused of funneling at least $3.15 million into her personal accounts and going on shopping sprees that cost tens of thousands of dollars.
The FBI and IRS investigated the case after discovering Dickerson submitted false annual reports to the Alliance for Global Justice. AFGJ served as BLM OKC’s fiscal sponsor since the local chapter wasn’t a registered tax-exempt organization.
Dickerson told AFGJ that she used only funds for tax-exempt purposes. She didn’t mention the luxury trips, property purchases or personal expenses.
This case adds to the growing scrutiny of Black Lives Matter’s financial practices nationwide. Other BLM leaders have faced similar fraud charges in recent years for misusing donations meant for social justice work.
Dickerson faces up to 20 years in federal prison for each wire fraud count and 10 years for each money laundering charge. The maximum fines reach $250,000 per count.
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