BLM Foundation Exposed: Millions Paid to Insiders, Ethical Concerns Raised
Submitted by MAGA Student
Posted 7 days ago
Breaking news: Newly released tax documents expose Black Lives Matter's Global Network Foundation (BLMGNF) for approving lucrative contracts to firms owned by members of its leadership and their families, raising considerable ethical concerns.
The Daily Caller News Foundation reported that BLMGNF "has no independent oversight," and the charity's board is too small to effectively guard against the misuse of funds.
BLMGNF poured millions of dollars into private companies owned by interested parties between July 2022 and June 2023, which experts say are unacceptable practices that raise serious conflicts of interest and destroy public trust.
Charity Watch Executive Director Laurie Styron called on Americans to be angry that charitable dollars are being channeled to interested parties without adequate oversight. She 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."
According to tax filings, BLMGNF paid nearly $2.6m to the consulting firm, BOWERS\*, for "staffing and management services." Shalomyah Bowers, the secretary of the charity’s board, has at least a 35% stake in that company. Bowers also serves as the treasurer of Black Lives Matter PAC, the political committee affiliated with BLMGNF.
The head of BLMGNF security is Paul Cullors, who is co-founder Patrisse Cullors’s brother. He owns at least 35% of Black Ties LLC, which was paid $1.6m for "professional security services". Also receiving payments include New Impact Partners, a consulting firm owned by Danielle Edwards, the sister of BLMGNF director of operations Raymond Howard, which was paid $913,500 for "consulting services," and “Trap Heals,” run by Damon Turner, who has a child with Patrisse Cullors, about $780,000 for "live production, design and media" work.
Meanwhile, BLMGNF has called for cities to defund their police departments while spending a seven-figure sum on private security, which is a major contradiction. Charity experts fear that assets are being used for the private enrichment of insiders rather than for the genuine charitable purpose, which could threaten the foundation’s charitable status.
BLMGNF is facing a significant deficit of over $6m, but unfortunately, the organization has a history of handing out millions in contracts to insiders. During the 2022 tax filing period, BLMGNF paid out millions in contracts to companies linked to co-founder Patrisse Cullors’s friends and family, and they used charitable dollars to purchase a $6m mansion in Los Angeles. Furthermore, another nonprofit led by Patrisse Cullors, Reform LA Jails, spent charitable funds at a luxury resort in 2019.
Charities enjoy many tax benefits, including tax exemptions and tax deductions for contributions. These privileges are contingent upon charitable institutions having an independent governing body that ensures decision-making is in the best interest of the charity and its goals rather than self-enrichment.
In conclusion, the nation’s largest BLM organization is in serious trouble. Apart from being hypocritical and contradictory, the charity is also fleecing donors by paying millions to insiders and their family members, which raises considerable ethical concerns.
Sources:
rvmnews.com
nypost.com
independentsentinel.com
The Daily Caller News Foundation reported that BLMGNF "has no independent oversight," and the charity's board is too small to effectively guard against the misuse of funds.
BLMGNF poured millions of dollars into private companies owned by interested parties between July 2022 and June 2023, which experts say are unacceptable practices that raise serious conflicts of interest and destroy public trust.
Charity Watch Executive Director Laurie Styron called on Americans to be angry that charitable dollars are being channeled to interested parties without adequate oversight. She 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."
According to tax filings, BLMGNF paid nearly $2.6m to the consulting firm, BOWERS\*, for "staffing and management services." Shalomyah Bowers, the secretary of the charity’s board, has at least a 35% stake in that company. Bowers also serves as the treasurer of Black Lives Matter PAC, the political committee affiliated with BLMGNF.
The head of BLMGNF security is Paul Cullors, who is co-founder Patrisse Cullors’s brother. He owns at least 35% of Black Ties LLC, which was paid $1.6m for "professional security services". Also receiving payments include New Impact Partners, a consulting firm owned by Danielle Edwards, the sister of BLMGNF director of operations Raymond Howard, which was paid $913,500 for "consulting services," and “Trap Heals,” run by Damon Turner, who has a child with Patrisse Cullors, about $780,000 for "live production, design and media" work.
Meanwhile, BLMGNF has called for cities to defund their police departments while spending a seven-figure sum on private security, which is a major contradiction. Charity experts fear that assets are being used for the private enrichment of insiders rather than for the genuine charitable purpose, which could threaten the foundation’s charitable status.
BLMGNF is facing a significant deficit of over $6m, but unfortunately, the organization has a history of handing out millions in contracts to insiders. During the 2022 tax filing period, BLMGNF paid out millions in contracts to companies linked to co-founder Patrisse Cullors’s friends and family, and they used charitable dollars to purchase a $6m mansion in Los Angeles. Furthermore, another nonprofit led by Patrisse Cullors, Reform LA Jails, spent charitable funds at a luxury resort in 2019.
Charities enjoy many tax benefits, including tax exemptions and tax deductions for contributions. These privileges are contingent upon charitable institutions having an independent governing body that ensures decision-making is in the best interest of the charity and its goals rather than self-enrichment.
In conclusion, the nation’s largest BLM organization is in serious trouble. Apart from being hypocritical and contradictory, the charity is also fleecing donors by paying millions to insiders and their family members, which raises considerable ethical concerns.
Sources:
rvmnews.com
nypost.com
independentsentinel.com
