The U.S. Department of Justice has launched a federal investigation into the Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation (BLMGNF) to determine if leaders defrauded donors of tens of millions of dollars.
According to reports from December 2025, federal prosecutors in Los Angeles have issued subpoenas and search warrants to examine the financial conduct of the foundation and other affiliated Black-led organizations.
While the probe reportedly began during the Biden administration, it has gained significant momentum under the current Trump administration, led by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California.
The investigation centers on the handling of the $90 million in donations the foundation received during the 2020 racial justice protests following the murder of George Floyd. Critics and federal investigators are scrutinizing specific expenditures, most notably the $6 million purchase of a luxury Los Angeles estate in 2022.
While foundation leaders have consistently denied any criminal wrongdoing and released tax filings showing $28 million in remaining assets as of June 2024, prosecutors are looking for evidence of money laundering or the personal enrichment of organizers at the expense of the movement’s mission.
The probe is unfolding against a backdrop of intense political tension. The investigation is being overseen by Bill Essayli, a Trump appointee who has previously referred to BLM as a “radical organization.”
Civil rights advocates have expressed concern that the investigation may be part of a broader effort to target progressive groups, while conservative lawmakers argue that the lack of financial transparency in the movement necessitates federal oversight.
