A prominent Black Lives Matter activist accused of defrauding donors of more than $1million (£800,000) hurled expletive-laden abuse at reporters when asked about her plans to plead guilty to using charity funds for lavish personal expenses.
Monica Cannon-Grant, 42, who was named a Bostonian of the Year by the Boston Globe Magazine in 2020, responded with fury when contacted about her apparent plea deal with federal prosecutors, writing in an email: “Respectfully F**k You!”
The founder of the now-defunct Violence in Boston charity faces 27 counts of fraud-related crimes, including conspiracy, wire fraud, mail fraud, making false statements on a mortgage application and tax violations. Court documents filed on Friday indicate she will change her plea from not guilty at an upcoming hearing, with her trial originally scheduled for 14 October.
Explosive Response to Questions
When asked about allegedly spending charity funds on vacations, fancy restaurants, trips to nail salons, a car and rent on the family’s apartment, Cannon-Grant unleashed a tirade of abuse.
“You wasn’t reaching out or interested in my side of the story when I caught this case 4 1/2 years ago and you wasn’t reaching out when my deceased husband was murdered so yeah f**k you,” she wrote in her expletive-filled response.
Her husband, Clark Grant, 39, was killed in a motorcycle crash in Easton, Massachusetts, in March 2023 whilst also facing federal fraud charges related to the charity. He had been riding his Honda motorcycle on Route 138 when he collided with a Jeep Grand Cherokee exiting a parking lot. He died from his injuries at Good Samaritan Hospital in Brockton.
When contacted for further comment by the Daily Mail, Cannon-Grant swore again at reporters but did not answer specific questions about the charges.
From Activist Hero to Alleged Fraudster
Cannon-Grant shot to prominence in 2020 after organising a march to protest the killing of George Floyd that was attended by thousands in Boston’s Franklin Park. Around the same time, she formed a partnership with a restaurant to provide more than 1,000 free meals a day to people struggling during the pandemic.
Her efforts earned her the honour of Bostonian of the Year by the Boston Globe Magazine, and she was hailed as the city’s “best social justice advocate” by Boston Magazine. The accolades came as her charity, Violence in Boston Inc., was receiving unprecedented levels of donations.
According to prosecutors, the charity received more than $50,000 (£40,000) in April 2020 alone, at the height of the racial justice protests sweeping America. The organisation, which Cannon-Grant started in 2017 operating from her home, had by 2020 moved into large headquarters in Hyde Park in southern Boston.
Alleged Fraud Schemes
Federal prosecutors allege Cannon-Grant and her late husband diverted more than $1million in charitable donations for personal use, spending the money on hotel reservations, gas, nail salon visits, groceries, restaurants and personal travel. The couple allegedly used donation money for a vacation to Maryland and to buy a car for a family member.
Despite publicly stating and reporting to the IRS that she received no salary from the charity, prosecutors say Cannon-Grant began paying herself $2,788 (£2,230) a week starting in October 2020. Text messages allegedly show her awareness of the fraud, with one from March 2021 reading: “Unemployment caught my ass. Asked me to provide documents by June, unless I’ll have to pay it all back.”
The couple also allegedly collected $100,000 (£80,000) in Pandemic Unemployment Assistance benefits despite receiving income from Violence in Boston funds, consulting fees, and Grant’s salary from a full-time job. They are accused of receiving nearly $54,000 (£43,200) in pandemic relief funds meant to provide meals for those in need, which they allegedly spent on themselves.
One particularly damning allegation involves a $10,400 (£8,320) grant from an unnamed department store intended to feed hungry children, which authorities say was laundered through a church to pay the couple’s back rent. Cannon-Grant is also accused of using a $6,000 (£4,800) grant from the Suffolk District Attorney’s office when it was under the leadership of Rachael Rollins, who was later forced to resign from her position as US Attorney.
Legal Troubles Mount
The case has been moving slowly through the courts as Cannon-Grant has had five defence attorneys, with each new appointment setting back the trial date. Two attorneys were added after her former lawyer, Christopher Malcolm, was suspended from practising law in Massachusetts.
Her current lawyers, George Vien and Emma Notis-McConarty, had the case files passed to them in June. US District Court Judge Angel Kelley had set a jury trial start date for 14 October before Friday’s filing requesting a change of plea hearing.
A Rule 11 hearing, which Cannon-Grant has requested, takes place when a defendant who previously pleaded not guilty intends to change their plea to guilty or no contest. It remains unclear whether Cannon-Grant plans to plead guilty to all charges or if prosecutors have offered a plea deal reducing some counts.
Fall from Grace
Cannon-Grant was fired from Violence in Boston by its board of directors in 2022, and the charity was subsequently closed. The organisation had been established with the stated purpose of reducing violence, raising social awareness and aiding community causes in Boston.
The indictment alleges that from 2017 through at least 2020, Cannon-Grant and her husband exercised exclusive control over the charity’s financial accounts and diverted money through cash withdrawals, cheques, debit purchases and transfers to their personal bank accounts.
She is also accused of directing co-conspirators to apply for public and private grants for her charity, then spending that money on living expenses. Between 2017 and 2021, Cannon-Grant allegedly applied for numerous grants and donations, representing that funds would be used for charitable purposes whilst actually using them for personal benefit.
Pandemic Fraud Allegations
The couple allegedly coordinated fraudulent applications for Pandemic Unemployment Assistance, created by Congress in the wake of COVID-19, whilst concealing their various income sources. Prosecutors say they used the fraudulently obtained funds to pay for joint household expenses and other personal expenditures.
The charges include five counts of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, five counts of aiding and abetting wire fraud, two counts of aiding and abetting false statements to a mortgage lending company, filing false tax returns and failing to file tax returns.
If convicted on all counts, Cannon-Grant could face substantial prison time and hefty fines. By pleading guilty, she may receive a reduced sentence, as defendants who admit guilt typically have points subtracted from sentencing guidelines.
Community Impact
The scandal has rocked Boston’s activist community, where Cannon-Grant was once considered a leading voice for racial justice and community support. Her fall from grace represents a significant blow to grassroots organisations that rely on public trust and charitable donations.
Violence in Boston had grown from a Facebook page chronicling crime in the city to an organisation that helped lead large protests and operated community programmes. The charity’s closure left a gap in services for those it had purported to help.
As Cannon-Grant awaits her change of plea hearing, questions remain about how the alleged fraud went undetected for years and what oversight mechanisms failed to protect donors’ contributions. The case serves as a cautionary tale about the importance of financial transparency and accountability in charitable organisations.
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