A Black Lives Matter activist who once received Boston’s highest civic honor must repay over $224,000 she embezzled from donors who believed they were helping feed children and fight police violence. Monica Cannon-Grant instead used the funds for personal luxuries, including shopping sprees, vacations, and nail salon visits.
From Bostonian of the Year to Federal Conviction
Judge Angel Kelley ordered Cannon-Grant to repay $224,000 this week, adding financial penalties to her January sentence of four years probation, six months house arrest, and 100 hours of community service. The 42-year-old activist pleaded guilty in September to 18 charges, including wire fraud and falsifying tax returns. She diverted $180,000 from her Violence in Boston nonprofit, plus additional federal pandemic unemployment benefits and rental assistance she fraudulently claimed.
🚨BLM FRAUD🚨
A former Black Lives Matter activist has been ordered to pay back $224,000 she stole from her nonprofit.
Monica Cannon-Grant was told by a federal judge this week to repay the money.
She had already been sentenced in January to four years of probation, six… pic.twitter.com/NkPFSP0CIO
— Breanna Morello (@BreannaMorello) March 25, 2026
Cannon-Grant and her now-deceased husband, Clark Grant, solicited donations, claiming the money would help feed children and organize demonstrations addressing police violence. Prosecutors documented how the couple instead spent donor funds on rent payments, car expenses, restaurant delivery meals, and a Maryland vacation. They even stole $3,000 from another BLM organization. The scheme continued until federal charges were filed in 2022.
Rapid Rise During 2020 Protests
Cannon-Grant gained national prominence during the 2020 Black Lives Matter protests following George Floyd’s murder. Her activism during that period earned prestigious recognition, including Boston Globe Magazine’s Bostonian of the Year award and the Boston Celtics Heroes Among Us award, both presented in 2020. Those accolades helped her nonprofit attract thousands of dollars in donations from supporters who trusted her mission to address violence and inequality in Boston communities.
Betrayal of Trust and Accountability
The case represents a significant betrayal of public trust during a period when Americans donated generously to social justice causes. Clark Grant, who faced charges alongside his wife, died in a motorcycle accident in 2023 before the case concluded. Federal prosecutors emphasized that Cannon-Grant exploited the goodwill of donors who believed they were supporting vulnerable children and important civil rights work. The $224,000 restitution order ensures taxpayers and legitimate charities recover funds stolen through her fraud scheme, though the damage to donor confidence in charitable organizations remains harder to measure.