There are questions surfacing about who controls the Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation’s $60 million war chest. At the same time, there is a report that the BLM organization funded the purchase of a mansion that was formerly the headquarters of the Communist Party of Canada.
“M4BJ, a Toronto-based non-profit set up by Janaya Khan and other Canadian activists, snagged the 10,000 square foot historic property for the equivalent of $6.3 million in cash in July 2021,” the New York Post reported, noting that it had reviewed Toronto property records. The outlet reported that Black Lives Matter “transferred millions” to the M4BJ charity.
Coincidentally, Khan is the wife of Patrisse Khan-Cullors – a co-founder of the Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation. Cullors – a self-described “trained Marxist” –resigned from the Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation in May after weeks of criticism surrounding the purchase of high-end real estate properties.
The Washington Examiner reported, “The U.S. charity that serves as the face of the BLM movement provided the bulk of the funding for the purchase of the 10,000-square-foot property in July.”
The purchase of the property – which was formerly the headquarters of the Communist Party of Canada and is known as the Wildseed Centre for Art and Activism – was criticized by two former senior members of the Black Lives Matter Toronto chapter – who resigned earlier this month over the organization’s lack of transparency.
Canadian BLM activists Sarah Jama and Sahra Soudi said in a statement, “For BLM Canada to take money from BLM Global Network [Foundation] for a building without consulting the community was unethical. For BLM Canada to refuse to answer questions from young Black organizers goes against the spirit of movement-building.”
“In other words, the NDA was designed as a constant threat of legal action against us, even though we were volunteering our time to a cause we believed in,” the activists added.
The criticism of the high-priced property arrives at a time when there are growing questions about Black Lives Matter’s finances.
After Cullors suddenly resigned from her role as executive director of the Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation last year, the organization announced that activists – Makani Themba and Monifa Bandele – would step into the role. However, they never actually assumed the position.
“We never actually started in the position, so we never received any detailed information,” Themba told the Washington Examiner.
“Although a media advisory was released indicating that we were tapped to play the role of Senior Co-Executives at BLMGNF, we were not able to come to an agreement with the acting Leadership Council about the scope of our work and authority,” reads a statement from Bandele and Themba.
“As a result, we did not have the opportunity to serve in this capacity. We wanted to be sure to inform our community of this fact as we move on to serve our movement in other ways,” the statement says.
There doesn’t seem to be any BLM leadership overseeing the $60 million in its coffers.
BLM released its disclosure in February 2021 – which stated the organization “raised just over $90 million” in 2020.
“After our expenses and grant disbursements, we are left with an approximate balance of $60 million,” BLM revealed.
The Washington Examiner noted, “While a charity’s finances are ultimately the responsibility of its board of directors, BLM’s bylaws explicitly state that its executive director ‘shall have charge of all funds and securities of the Corporation.'”
When the outlet attempted to request BLM’s 2020 Form 990 in person at the organization’s office in Los Angeles, they were informed by a security guard that there has never been a Black Lives Matter office at the location.
An unidentified BLM spokesperson told the Washington Examiner that the Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation does not currently maintain a “permanent office.”