Boston Activist Ordered to Repay Embezzled Funds
Another Black Lives Matter activist has been implicated in a fraud case, and this individual was recognized as “Bostonian of the Year” in 2020 by the Boston Globe.
Monica Cannon-Grant, who became involved in activism following the death of George Floyd, leads a nonprofit organization called Violence in Boston. This organization received substantial amounts of taxpayer-funded pandemic relief money.
Interestingly, before her guilty plea, Cannon-Grant attributed the fraud accusations to “white supremacy.”
On Monday, she was ordered to repay $224,000—money she had transferred for her own use from the nonprofit. Cannon-Grant and her spouse, Clark Grant, were indicted on charges related to this scheme in 2023; however, her husband tragically died in a motorcycle accident just two months after the charges were brought against them.
In January 2026, Cannon-Grant pled guilty to over a dozen fraud-related charges. She received a sentence of six months of home confinement, four years of probation, and was required to complete 100 hours of community service, managing to avoid prison time.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, she misused the funds for various personal expenses, including car insurance, loan payments, travel, hotels, food deliveries, and even salon visits.
Specifically, Cannon-Grant faced:
- 10 counts of wire fraud
- 3 counts of conspiracy to commit wire fraud
- 1 count of email fraud
- 2 counts of filing a false tax return
- 2 counts of failing to file a tax return
The stated mission of her nonprofit included reducing violence and enhancing social awareness in the Boston area. Following the embezzlement allegations, the board of directors decided to dissolve the organization.
In a statement, U.S. Attorney Leah B. Foley remarked, “Monica Cannon-Grant’s crime was not a momentary lapse in judgment, but a calculated pattern of deception spanning years. Even after her arrest, she repeatedly lied to donors, government agencies, and the public while presenting herself as an advocate for others. Fraud disguised as activism or charity is still fraud.”
