Federal Subpoenas & At Least One Search Warrant Issued As Prosecutors Scrutinize BLM Global Network Foundation’s Use Of 2020-Era Donations; No Charges Filed

Friday, October 31, 2025, 9:30 A.M. ET. 3 Minute Read, By Jennifer Hodges, Political Editor: Englebrook Independent News,

WASHINGTON, DC.- The U.S. Department of Justice has opened a criminal investigation into whether leaders of the Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation (BLMGNF) defrauded donors amid the wave of contributions that followed the 2020 killing of George Floyd, according to multiple people familiar with the matter.

     In recent weeks, federal authorities issued subpoenas and executed at least one search warrant as they examined the organization’s fundraising and spending. Prosecutors have not filed charges, and the Justice Department declined to comment.

     The probe is focused on tens of millions raised in 2020, a period during which BLMGNF has said it raised more than $90 million. Public scrutiny of the group’s finances intensified after leaders acknowledged in 2022 that donations had been used to purchase a Los Angeles-area property valued at around $6 million; the foundation has maintained the acquisition served organizational purposes and has denied wrongdoing.

     In a statement provided to the Associated Press, the foundation said it “is not a target of any federal criminal investigation” and emphasized its commitment to transparency, noting that it has released tax filings and financial disclosures. The most recent publicly available Form 990 shows about $28 million in assets for the fiscal year ending June 2024.

     Reporting indicates the current burst of activity follows preliminary scrutiny that began under the Biden administration and has received renewed attention this year. Other outlets, citing federal sources, have likewise reported that prosecutors are reviewing BLMGNF’s handling of the post-2020 donations.

     State-level inquiries over the past several years have been mixed. In Indiana, a 2022 lawsuit alleging non-compliance with financial information requests was dropped after the foundation produced documentation, while a 2023 civil suit brought by grassroots activists against the national foundation was dismissed by a California judge. Those developments did not resolve broader questions raised by critics about governance and transparency.

     Separately and unrelated to BLMGNF, federal prosecutors have pursued cases against individuals who raised money under the banner of the racial justice movement. In 2024, for example, a man in Ohio was sentenced to prison for wire fraud and money laundering tied to donations to a group calling itself “Black Lives Matter of Greater Atlanta.” That case did not involve the national foundation now under federal scrutiny.

     BLMGNF was formed in 2013 and grew rapidly amid nationwide protests in 2014 and again in 2020. The organization has described itself as a decentralized network and acknowledged the challenges of establishing formal governance and compliance structures amid a surge of public funding and attention.

What’s Next; 

     Subpoenas do not guarantee criminal charges, and white-collar investigations can take months or years. For now, the key facts are that an investigation exists, material has been demanded by a grand jury subpoena, at least one search warrant has been executed, and the foundation says it is not a target while asserting continued cooperation.

Editor’s Note:

This article is based on contemporaneous reporting from the Associated Press and corroborating reports from other reputable outlets. As of October 30, 2025, the Justice Department has not announced charges in this matter, and DOJ spokespeople declined to comment. The Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation denies being a target of the federal probe and points to its public filings. Englebrook Independent News will update this story if federal authorities or the foundation provide new on-the-record statements or filings.