Black Lives Matter Grassroots Lawsuit Against Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation Will Determine Whether BLM Gets Their Day In Court

In a newly released statement, Black Lives Matter Grassroots announces the upcoming court hearing against Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation (GNF) and “Shalomyah” Bowers, a highly-paid consultant, who took nearly $2.2 million in consulting fees in 2020 alone. In March 2022, Bowers declared his intent to hold on to Black Lives Matter’s resources and communications platforms, continuing to pay himself millions of dollars in consulting fees. After nearly 6 months of attempting to negotiate, Black Lives Matter Grassroots, the on-the-ground movement of chapters, organizers, and families impacted by police and white-supremacist violence, filed a lawsuit.

The lawsuit has provided insight into where some of the $90 million in donations received during the 2020 uprisings may have been spent and accuses the defendants of fraud, conversion, unjust enrichment, unfair business practices, and using the organization as a “personal piggy bank” while continuing to betray donors and the public trust by self-dealing and breaching their fiduciary duties. No information on how much money has been raised or spent since the tremendous influx of resources nearly 3 years ago has been provided, but had been previously estimated at millions each month. Additionally, the lawsuit also states that Bowers had the passwords on the BLM social media channels changed to lock organizers out of the platforms. Before the hostile takeover, the social media accounts were predominantly managed by Dr. Melina Abdullah, who co-founded BLM Los Angeles and is the Director of Black Lives Matter Grassroots.

Now, GNF and Bowers are attempting to block the people who birthed, built, and fuel the movement from having their day in court using a legal maneuver meant to protect ordinary people from giant corporations – an anti-SLAPP motion. GNF is trying to convince a judge that the legal action by BLM Grassroots violates their first amendment rights. We maintain that although fundraising is a first amendment right, committing fraud and theft is not. This is the core issue of the lawsuit, and we are working to ensure that Black Lives Matter Grassroots is granted the opportunity to present the people’s case and hold GNF and unscrupulous consultants accountable.

GNF’s motion is scheduled to be heard on Wednesday, March 29, 2023 at 8:30AM at the Stanley Mosk Courthouse in Downtown Los Angeles, Department 19 (111 N. Hill St.), and Bowers’ motion is scheduled separately for April 5, 2023 at 8:30AM in the same courtroom.