Prosecutors say the anti-police activist founded a nonprofit organization aimed at improving “transparency and accountability” in law enforcement, then “misused charitable donations to fund lavish vacations and shopping sprees.” I have doubts.
The District of Columbia Attorney General's Office is currently charging Raheem AI Executive Director Brandon Anderson with “misappropriating $75,000 in nonprofit funds for personal use” since 2021. .
The funds reportedly included “more than $40,000 in luxury vacation rental services where members can stay in luxury mansions and penthouse apartments, and $10,000 in hotels and Airbnb for individual travel, including resorts in Cancun.” over $10,000 for designer clothing brands and $5,000 for emergency veterinary services.”
Attorney General Brian Schwalb: “Brandon Anderson misused charitable donations to fund lavish vacations and shopping, but the Raheem AI Board of Directors let him go'' said in a statement. “Not only did their financial abuse violate basic principles of nonprofit governance, but Mr. Anderson and Mr. Raheem AI failed to pay their funds. [sole District-based] Wages earned by employees.
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Brandon Anderson photographed in December 2019 in Oakland, California. (Liz Hafaria/San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images)
“My office will not tolerate people breaking the law, defrauding taxpayers, or stealing from workers under the guise of a noble cause,” he added.
According to , Raheem AI was founded in 2017 with the goal of building a service that allows people to file complaints with the police. New York Times.
“When you call the police on Raheem.org, we connect you with a free lawyer, file charges against police officers, use your story to defund the police, We will lobby for policies that invest in our communities,” Anderson said. BET Network.
The nonprofit then focused in 2021 on building an app that would dispatch people with alternative emergency responders instead of police when needed, The New York Times reported.
The D.C. Attorney General's Office says Raheem AI, doing business as Community Response Works, is a tax-exempt D.C. nonprofit corporation.
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Brandon Anderson is accused of misappropriating funds meant for Raheem AI for personal purposes. (Liz Hafaria/San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images)
“The organization is seeking donations to 'empower crisis responders in Black, brown, and indigenous communities with the tools, training, connections, and funding they need to provide care.'” the AG's office added.
“Brandon Anderson served as a director and managing director until April 2024. Raheem AI's board recently placed Mr. Anderson on administrative leave and ceased operations, but neither he nor the organization recovered the misappropriated funds. “Failure to compensate employees for unpaid wages and damages,” the office said.
Prosecutors also allege that Anderson and Raheem AI forced Washington, D.C.-based employees to sign “unlawful non-compete clauses.”
The Attorney General's Office says the alleged conduct violates D.C.'s Nonprofit Corporation Law, the Wage Payment and Collection Law (WCPL), and the Noncompete Agreements Act.
“As a result of this lawsuit, OAG will dissolve Raheem AI as a district nonprofit corporation, recover and redirect any misappropriated funds to appropriate charitable purposes, and permanently bar Anderson from serving as an officer or director of any district nonprofit corporation.” “We are seeking a court order awarding Raheem AI's honor to the Deputy Director, paying unpaid wages and damages, and penalizing the district for each violation of the WCPL,” the office said.
People walk in Washington, D.C., after “defund the police” is written on the street near the White House on June 8, 2020. (Tassos Katopodis/Getty Images)
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Anderson has denied misusing funds meant for nonprofit organizations, The New York Times reported.
