A once prominent social activist from Boston has admitted to defrauding donors—including contributions from Black Lives Matter—of thousands of dollars, which she misappropriated for personal use.
Monica Cannon-Grant, 44, entered a guilty plea on Monday to 18 counts related to fraud, which she perpetrated alongside her late husband while running their organization, Violence in Boston (VIB), as reported by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Massachusetts.
The activist misled individuals into donating funds—over $3,000 from a BLM group—under the guise of providing support for children and organizing protests, including one in 2020 in response to George Floyd’s murder and police brutality.
Cannon-Grant also fraudulently obtained $100,000 in federal unemployment benefits related to the pandemic, which she used to pay personal expenses such as an auto loan and car insurance.
She admitted to redirecting funds into personal bank accounts to cover costs for rent, shopping sprees, takeout meals, nail salon visits, and even a summer holiday in Maryland.
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U.S. Attorney Leah B. Foley stated, “Cannon-Grant repeatedly exploited various public financial programs and embezzled funds donated by individuals who believed their contributions would assist in diminishing violence and fostering social consciousness.”
“Instead, she used donations to indulge her own avarice while falsely presenting herself as a genuine nonprofit leader. She undermined the trust of supporters and the public who rallied behind her deceitful charity,” she added.
The charges she faces carry a potential sentence of decades in prison; however, prosecutors are seeking a significantly lighter sentence, recommending a maximum of two years, according to the Boston Herald.
Cannon-Grant garnered numerous accolades for her community activism, including being awarded the Boston Globe Magazine’s Bostonian of the Year and the Boston Celtics’ Heroes Among Us honors in 2020.
The activist and her husband were apprehended in March 2022. The Violence in Boston organization ceased operations in July 2024, as detailed in a statement pinned on their Facebook page.
Cannon-Grant’s husband, Clark Grant, who faced federal charges in connection with the case, was fatally injured in a motorcycle accident in Easton, Massachusetts, in March 2023, leading to the dismissal of the charges against him.
