Former Boston BLM Organizer Must Repay $224,000 in Charity Fraud Case
A former Boston community organizer and prominent Black Lives Matter activist has been ordered by a federal judge to repay more than $224,000 after pleading guilty to charges related to misusing money donated to her now-defunct charity. Monica Cannon-Grant, who gained significant notoriety during the widespread BLM protests in 2020, will pay a sum of $224,063 to the government, according to an order from District Court Judge Angel Kelley.
Calculated Pattern of Deception
The forfeiture amount was calculated based on funds the 44-year-old admitted to fraudulently obtaining. These included approximately $181,000 in donations to her nonprofit Violence in Boston, roughly $33,000 in pandemic unemployment benefits, and about $12,600 in rental assistance funds. This substantial repayment order comes on top of the $106,000 the judge already ordered her to pay as restitution to her victims when she was sentenced in January.
'Monica Cannon-Grant’s crimes were not a momentary lapse in judgment - they were a calculated pattern of deception that spanned years,' prosecutor Leah B. Foley said at her sentencing hearing on January 29. 'She repeatedly lied to donors, government agencies, and the public, even after being caught - all while presenting herself as a champion for others.'
Rise and Fall of a Community Figure
After George Floyd was murdered by a police officer in 2020, Cannon-Grant organized a protest in Boston that drew thousands of participants. She also worked with a restaurant to hand out free meals during the pandemic. The mother-of-six founded her nonprofit in 2017 out of her Roxbury home and by 2020, she had expanded her operation to a building in Hyde Park.
Initially, Cannon-Grant was lauded for her charitable work. In 2020, she was honored with the title of 'Bostonian of the Year' by Boston Globe Magazine and was also deemed the city's 'best social justice advocate' by Boston Magazine. Her reputation came crashing down in 2022, when federal prosecutors secured an 18-count indictment against her and her husband, Clark Grant.
Fraudulent Scheme Uncovered
Prosecutors alleged the couple raised more than $1 million and used a substantial portion of it for their personal expenses, including vacations, car rentals, restaurants, and other everyday spending. Almost since the inception of the charity, Cannon-Grant and her husband were siphoning donations - as well as COVID relief funds and rental assistance funds - directly into their own bank accounts.
Clark Grant was killed in a motorcycle accident in Easton in March 2023, before the case against them proceeded to the penalty phase. In September 2025, Cannon-Grant pleaded guilty to all 18 counts of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, mail fraud, and tax violations. In return, prosecutors agreed to dismiss nine counts related to alleged mortgage fraud contained in a superseding indictment.
Sentencing and Consequences
At her sentencing, Cannon-Grant told the judge she takes 'full ownership' of what she did, but maintained that she was 'extremely proud' of her charity's work during the pandemic. Despite the government's request for 18 months behind bars, Cannon-Grant received no prison time. The judge ultimately sentenced her to four years of probation, six months of home confinement, and 100 hours of community service.
The case highlights significant concerns about nonprofit accountability and the misuse of charitable donations intended for community support. Cannon-Grant's organization, Violence in Boston, which once stood as a symbol of grassroots activism, has now become a cautionary tale about financial mismanagement and fraudulent behavior within charitable organizations.
