Activist misuses donations for luxury despite charity goals
- Brandon Anderson is accused of misappropriating over $75,000 in charitable donations for personal luxuries.
- The DC Attorney General's office filed a lawsuit against Anderson and his nonprofit for violating several laws.
- The actions allegedly violated principles of nonprofit governance, highlighting the need for stricter oversight.
In Washington, D.C., a lawsuit was filed against Brandon Anderson, an anti-police activist, by the D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb over allegations of misusing charitable donations exceeding $75,000. Anderson, who founded the nonprofit organization Raheem AI in 2017, allegedly funneled donations intended for community crisis response initiatives toward personal expenses, including lavish vacations and high-end shopping sprees. His actions reportedly stiffed his sole employee out of significant wages, raising concerns about the financial governance of the organization due to the lack of oversight by the Raheem AI Board of Directors. According to the allegations, since 2021, Anderson used more than $40,000 for the rental of luxury accommodations and around $10,000 for personal travel, such as a trip to a Cancun resort. Over $10,000 from specialized clothing allowances was also spent on high-end retailers and even included veterinary expenses for personal pets. The lawsuit claims that Anderson’s financial practices violated multiple laws intended to protect nonprofit integrity and workers' rights. Anderson’s nonprofit, Raheem AI, which had aimed to develop an emergency response app to facilitate community-led crisis management, received more than $4.3 million in donations before its primary project ceased to progress. Jasmine Banks, a former employee of Raheem AI, brought attention to Anderson’s financial misconduct after not being compensated for her work, discovering records of extravagant spending. Banks claimed that her attempts to alert the board led to no substantial measures being taken against Anderson. The lawsuit filed by the D.C. Attorney General highlights serious ethical breaches in nonprofit management and emphasizes a need for better regulation and vigilance to protect charitable funds from being misappropriated. This case raises critical questions regarding accountability in organizations that claim to work for the public good, especially when allegations of fraud emerge against its leadership.