BLM-Activist Confesses to Using Donations for Lavish Lifestyle
Monica Cannon-Grant and her now-deceased husband used the funds to pay for their lavish lifestyle. Matt Stone/MediaNews Group/Boston Herald
Monica Cannon-Grant, a once-prominent Boston community activist, has pleaded guilty to 18 counts of fraud and related crimes tied to her nonprofit organization, Violence in Boston (VIB). Federal prosecutors allege she misused thousands of dollars in donations — including funds from a Black Lives Matter group — for personal expenses.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Massachusetts, Cannon-Grant, 44, admitted in court on Monday that she and her late husband, Clark Grant, diverted charitable donations for personal use while falsely presenting them as funds to support anti-violence initiatives, community protests, and youth programs.
Among the misused funds was a $3,000 donation from a BLM-affiliated group, which Cannon-Grant had claimed would support protests and community aid efforts in response to the 2020 murder of George Floyd. She also fraudulently obtained approximately $100,000 in federal pandemic-related unemployment benefits, which were used to pay for personal expenses such as a car loan, insurance, and other non-charitable spending.
Prosecutors say Cannon-Grant transferred nonprofit funds into personal bank accounts and used the money for rent, shopping, takeout meals, nail salon visits, and even a summer vacation to Maryland.
“Cannon-Grant repeatedly scammed multiple public financial programs and stole money donated by members of the public who believed their contributions would reduce violence and promote social awareness,” said U.S. Attorney Leah B. Foley. “Instead, she used the donations to satisfy her own greed, while falsely portraying herself as a legitimate nonprofit organizer.”
Though the charges carry the potential for a lengthy prison sentence, prosecutors are reportedly recommending a maximum sentence of two years, according to the Boston Herald.
Cannon-Grant had previously been recognized for her activism, receiving accolades such as The Boston Globe Magazine’s Bostonian of the Year and the Boston Celtics’ Heroes Among Us award in 2020.
She and her husband were initially arrested in March 2022. Following her guilty plea, VIB officially ceased operations in July 2024, according to a statement posted to the group’s Facebook page.
Clark Grant, who also faced federal charges in connection with the case, died in a motorcycle accident in Easton, Massachusetts, in March 2023. The charges against him were subsequently dropped.
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