In a significant legal development, Tashella Sheri Amore Dickerson has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Oklahoma City, facing charges of wire fraud and money laundering. This announcement came from U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester on Thursday, shedding light on alleged financial misconduct within the Black Lives Matter organization.
Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche emphasized the Justice Department’s dedication to rooting out fraud within the Black Lives Matter movement. In an exclusive statement, Blanche declared, “This case highlights how certain leaders within the organization exploited donor funds for personal gain. The American public deserves transparency and accountability, and we are committed to prosecuting those who betray this trust.”
Echoing this resolve, FBI Director Kash Patel articulated the agency’s commitment to tracking financial misconduct. “Our pursuit of justice is unwavering,” Patel stated. “The allegations against the defendant involve misappropriating donor contributions for personal enrichment. We stand firm in our mission to ensure that no one, regardless of position, escapes accountability.”
Since 2016, Dickerson, aged 52, has held the role of executive director at Black Lives Matter Oklahoma City (BLMOKC). The federal indictment reveals she allegedly misused her access to the organization’s bank, PayPal, and CashApp accounts. A press release, shared with media outlets prior to its public distribution, outlines the financial structure and intended use of BLMOKC’s funds.
The indictment details how BLMOKC, although not a registered tax-exempt entity under Section 501(c)(3), accepted donations through the Alliance for Global Justice (AFGJ) in Arizona, which acted as a fiscal sponsor. AFGJ imposed strict conditions, mandating that BLMOKC adhere to tax-exempt guidelines and prohibiting real estate purchases without consent. From late spring 2020, BLMOKC garnered over $5.6 million in donations, including grants from national bail funds such as the Community Justice Exchange, Massachusetts Bail Fund, and Minnesota Freedom Fund. These funds, primarily channeled through AFGJ, were intended to post bail for individuals arrested during racial justice protests following George Floyd’s death. In some instances, the national bail funds permitted BLMOKC to retain portions of these funds for creating a revolving bail fund or advancing its social justice mission, as stipulated by Section 501(c)(3).
“The Indictment alleges that, although BLMOKC was not a registered tax-exempt organization under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, it accepted charitable donations through its affiliation with the Alliance for Global Justice (AFGJ), based in Arizona. AFGJ served as a fiscal sponsor to BLMOKC and required BLMOKC to use its funds only as permitted by Section 501(c)(3). AFGJ also required BLMOKC to fully account upon request for the disbursement of all funds received and prohibited BLMOKC from using its funds to purchase real estate without AFGJ’s consent,” the Justice Department release states. “Beginning in late spring 2020, BLMOKC raised funds to support its social justice mission from online donors, as well as from national bail funds. In total, BLMOKC raised more than $5.6 million, which included grants from national bail funds, including the Community Justice Exchange, Massachusetts Bail Fund, and Minnesota Freedom Fund. Most of those funds were routed through AFGJ, as fiscal sponsor, to BLMOKC. According to the Indictment, BLMOKC was supposed to use these national bail fund grants to post pretrial bail for individuals arrested in connection with protests for racial justice after the death of George Floyd. When bail funds were returned to BLMOKC, the national bail funds sometimes allowed BLMOKC to keep all or a portion of the grant funding to establish a revolving bail fund, or for BLMOKC’s social justice mission, as permitted by Section 501(c)(3).”
Instead of following what the group was supposed to do, though, officials allege that Dickerson transferred more than $2 million into her personal accounts over more than five years.
“Despite the stated purpose of the money raised, and the terms and conditions of the grants, the Indictment alleges that beginning in June 2020 and continuing through at least October 2025, Dickerson embezzled funds from BLMOKC’s accounts for her personal benefit,” the release reads. “The Indictment alleges Dickerson deposited at least $2.35 million in returned bail checks into her personal accounts, rather than into BLMOKC’s accounts.”
She ended up per the DOJ release allegedly using the money for, among other things, “recreational travel to Jamaica and the Dominican Republic for herself and her associates,” “tens of thousands of dollars in retail shopping,” “at least $50,000 in food and grocery deliveries for herself and her children,” “a personal vehicle registered in her name,” and “six real properties in Oklahoma City in her own name or in the name Equity International, LLC, an entity she exclusively controlled.”
She allegedly also filed false annual reports for the organization. “The Indictment further alleges that Dickerson used interstate wire communications to submit two false annual reports to AFGJ on behalf of BLMOKC,” the release states. “Dickerson reported that she had used BLMOKC funds only for tax-exempt purposes. She did not disclose that she used funds for her personal benefit.”
The grand jury on Dec. 3 of this year returned a 25-count indictment against Dickerson, charging her with 20 counts of wire fraud and five counts of money laundering. Per the release, she faces an astonishingly high amount of fines and prison time if convicted. “For each count of wire fraud, Dickerson faces up to 20 years in federal prison, and a fine of up to $250,000,” the release states. “For each count of money laundering, Dickerson faces up to ten years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 or twice the amount of the criminally derived property involved in the transaction.”
That means she faces up to 450 years in prison and fines of up to $7.5 million or more depending on the amount of property she allegedly criminally derived.
The release notes as well that the charges are the result of an investigation “by the FBI Oklahoma City Field Office and IRS-Criminal Investigation” and that “Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matt Dillon and Jessica L. Perry are prosecuting the case.”
