The chief director of Black Lives Matter (BLM) Oklahoma Metropolis (OKC) has been charged with wire fraud and cash laundering after federal prosecutors say she diverted greater than $3.15 million in returned bail checks into her private financial institution accounts over a five-year interval, in keeping with an indictment unsealed Thursday.
Tashella Sheri Amore Dickerson, 52, of Oklahoma Metropolis, is accused of routing cash meant for the group’s bail fund and social justice packages into accounts she managed between June 2020 and October 2025.
The indictment says Dickerson used the cash “for her private profit,” together with journey to Jamaica and the Dominican Republic, “tens of 1000’s of {dollars} in retail procuring,” greater than $50,000 in meals deliveries, a car and 6 actual properties.
In keeping with a Division of Justice (DOJ) press launch overlaying the indictment, BLM OKC raised greater than $5.6 million starting in 2020, together with main grants from the Neighborhood Justice Trade, the Massachusetts Bail Fund and the Minnesota Freedom Fund.
These organizations routed a lot of the cash by way of the Alliance for World Justice (AFGJ), which served as BLM OKC’s fiscal sponsor and required that every one funds be used for tax-exempt functions permitted underneath Part 501(c)(3).
AFGJ additionally prohibited actual property purchases with out its approval and required BLM OKC to completely account for expenditures upon request.
Prosecutors say Dickerson as an alternative deposited not less than $3.15 million in returned bail checks into her private accounts “relatively than into BLMOKC’s accounts” and used interstate wires to submit two annual reviews to AFGJ that “didn’t disclose” her private use of funds.
These reviews mentioned the group’s cash had been used just for tax-exempt functions.
Dickerson served because the group’s govt director starting in not less than 2016 and had entry to BLM OKC’s financial institution, PayPal and CashApp accounts, in keeping with the indictment.
Prosecutors allege the misconduct started through the interval when nationwide bail funds allowed BLM OKC to retain parts of returned bail cash to construct a revolving bail fund or help its said mission.
In 2022, Black Lives Matter World Community Basis, a separate nationwide group not affiliated with BLM OKC, got here underneath scrutiny after New York Journal reported that it had bought a $6 million California property utilizing donor funds.
Inner memos confirmed senior leaders discussing how one can handle questions on the home, which the group mentioned was meant to function artistic and group house.
The reporting ignited debate on the time over monetary transparency and oversight inside nationwide BLM-associated organizations.
A federal grand jury returned a 25-count indictment Dec. 3 charging Dickerson with 20 counts of wire fraud and 5 counts of cash laundering.
She faces as much as 20 years in federal jail for every wire fraud rely and as much as 10 years for every money-laundering rely, together with potential fines of as much as $250,000 per cost.
All prices are merely allegations and Dickerson is presumed harmless except confirmed responsible.
The case was investigated by the FBI’s Oklahoma Metropolis Subject Workplace and IRS Prison Investigation.
Fox Information Digital has reached out to Black Lives Matter OKC and the Alliance for World Justice for remark.
Fox Information Digital’s Ronn Blitzer contributed to this report.
