The founders of nonprofit Violence in Boston (VIB) have been indicted regarding alleged schemes to defraud the organization, donors, a government agency, and a mortgage lender.
Monica Cannon-Grant, described as a Black Lives Matter (BLM) activist, and spouse, Clark Grant, were charged in an 18-count indictment with two counts of wire fraud conspiracy, one count of conspiracy, 13 counts of wire fraud, and one count of making false statements to the lender, the U.S. Attorney’s Office District of Massachusetts said in a press release Tuesday.
VIB was founded in 2017 and has been privately, personally, and crowdfunding its activities, according to the group’s website.
However, to increase its work, the organization said it would have to partner with government agencies to “redress the hidden burden resulting from violence exposure. Through this partnership, Monica will lead VIB in becoming a one-stop-shop for comprehensive victim services.”
The recent indictment also charged the woman with a single count of mail fraud. “She has denied all allegations made against her,” the Daily Mail reported. She was arrested on Tuesday.
Grant had been charged on one count of wire fraud and a single count of making false statements on a loan and credit application, but officials had not yet scheduled his arraignment.
The news release continued:
The indictment alleges that the defendants conspired to use VIB as a vehicle to solicit and receive charitable contributions from institutional and individual donors that they then used for a wide range of personal expenses and to enrich themselves while concealing such expenditures from VIB directors, officers and others.
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On numerous occasions between 2017 through 2021, Cannon-Grant allegedly applied for public and private funded grants and donations in which she represented the funds were to be used for VIB charitable purposes. However, it is alleged that Cannon-Grant and Grant used grant and donation money to pay for personal expenses including, among other things, hotel reservations; groceries; gas; car rentals; auto repairs; Uber rides; restaurants; food deliveries; nail salons; and personal travel.
In December, the VIB announced on social media it had “undergone a new strategic transformation” regarding its Board of Directors.
“It is our plan to bring demonstrative revisions in our fiscal management, and operations,” the organization said.
Meanwhile, the defendants were accused of trying to defraud the Massachusetts Department of Unemployment Assistance (DUA) by accessing coronavirus pandemic unemployment benefits, the attorney’s office noted, adding they were accused of attempting to defraud the Illinois lender when applying for a home mortgage loan.
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