The leader of Black Lives Matter’s branch in Oklahoma City has been indicted on embezzlement and wire fraud charges.
Tashella Sheri Amore Dickerson, 52, has been accused of spending millions of grant funds on international travel, groceries, and personal real estate after taking over the civil rights movement’s chapter in Oklahoma City in 2016.
She was indicted on 20 counts of wire fraud and five counts of money laundering on December 3, according to a press release from the U.S. Attorney’s office for the Western District of Oklahoma.
During her tenure, the group accepted donations through its affiliation with the Alliance for Global Justice, and BLM OKC has raised more than $5.6 million since 2020.
The press release suggests that $3.5 million from that large fund was deposited into Dickerson’s accounts, which she allegedly used to purchase six properties deeded to her or to a company she controlled.
She is also accused of using the massive stash of cash to pay for trips to Jamaica and the Dominican Republic, as well as using $50,000 for food and grocery deliveries.
Dickerson is alleged to have used interstate wires to submit two annual reports that did not disclose her use of the funds and stated that the money had been used for tax-exempt purposes.
According to the press release, the money was donated to BLM OKC to post bail for individuals arrested during racial justice protests, which came in the wake of the killing of George Floyd.
Dickerson told her supporters on Facebook that she was “fine,” but claimed that she could not make an “official comment” on her indictment.
“I am home. I am safe. I have confidence in our team,” she said. “A lot of times when people come at you with these types of things … it’s evidence that you are doing the work.”
If Dickerson is found guilty, she could face 20 years in a federal prison with a fine of up to $250,000 for each count of wire fraud. She also faces 10 years in prison and fines for each count of wire fraud.
The news comes just months after DOJ sources told the Associated Press that the Justice Department had launched an investigation into allegations of fraud made against the BLM movement.
The sources claimed that at least one search warrant had been served on the Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation. They also claimed that the investigation had been launched under the Biden administration but was now being aggressively pursued by the current administration.
Following the death of Floyd, the BLM movement received over $90 million in donations, with critics raising questions about the group’s decision to purchase a $6 million mansion in Los Angeles.
BLM leaders have publicly denied wrongdoing and released the group’s tax documents, with no prior investigation finding any evidence of financial wrongdoing.
The Independent has contacted BLM for comment.
