WASHINGTON, D.C. - Prosecutors with the Office of the Attorney General for the District of Columbia are suing an anti-police activist for allegedly misusing "charitable donations to fund lavish vacations and shopping sprees" after founding a non-profit aimed at improving "transparency and accountability in law enforcement."
According to Fox News, Brandon Anderson, the executive director of Raheem AI, is being sued for diverting "$75,000 of nonprofit funds for her own personal use." The funds reportedly included "spending over $40,000 on a luxury vacation rental service that allows members to stay in high-end mansions and penthouse apartments, $10,000 on hotels and Airbnb's for personal travel, including a Cancun resort, $10,000 on designer clothing brands, and $5,000 on emergency veterinary services."
In a statement, Attorney General Brian Schwalb said, "Brandon Anderson misused charitable donations to fund lavish vacations and shopping sprees, and the Raheem AI Board of Directors let him get away with it. Not only did their financial abuses violate fundamental principles of non-profit governance, but Anderson and Raheem AI failed to pay their [sole District-based] employee the wages they had earned."
He added, "My office will not allow people to masquerade behind noble causes while violating the law, cheating taxpayers, or stealing from their workers." Raheem AI was founded in 2017. Its main goal was to build a service that would allow people to file complaints against police.
Three years ago, Anderson told BET Networks, "When you report police on Raheem.org, we connect you to a free lawyer, file a complaint against the officer, and use your story to lobby for policies that defund police and invest in your community." In 2021, the non-profit focused on building an app that would dispatch alternative first responders instead of police to people in times of need.
The Attorney General's Office in D.C. said that Raheem AI does business as Community Response Works and is a tax-exempt D.C. non-profit corporation. The office said, "It has solicited donations to 'equip black, brown, and indigenous community crisis responders with the tools, training, connections, and funding they need to provide care.'"
The office added, "Brandon Anderson ... served as a board member and as its Executive Director until April 2024. While Raheem AI's board recently placed Anderson on leave and ceased operations, neither he nor the organization has restored the misused funds or compensated their employee for owed wages and damages."
Prosecutors also said that Anderson and Raheem AI forced their sole D.C.-based employee to sign an "illegal noncompete clause." The AG's office said that the alleged actions violate D.C.'s Nonprofit Corporation Act, Wage Payment and Collection Law (WPCL) and Ban on Noncompete Agreements Act. Anderson has denied misusing the funds intended for the non-profit.
The office said, "With this lawsuit, OAG is seeking a court order to dissolve Raheem AI as a District non-profit corporation, recover misused funds and direct them to appropriate charitable purposes, permanently bar Anderson from serving as an officer or director of any District non-profit, award Raheem AI's Deputy Director the wages she is owed plus damages, and award penalties to the District for each violation of the WCPL."
According to Fox News, Brandon Anderson, the executive director of Raheem AI, is being sued for diverting "$75,000 of nonprofit funds for her own personal use." The funds reportedly included "spending over $40,000 on a luxury vacation rental service that allows members to stay in high-end mansions and penthouse apartments, $10,000 on hotels and Airbnb's for personal travel, including a Cancun resort, $10,000 on designer clothing brands, and $5,000 on emergency veterinary services."
In a statement, Attorney General Brian Schwalb said, "Brandon Anderson misused charitable donations to fund lavish vacations and shopping sprees, and the Raheem AI Board of Directors let him get away with it. Not only did their financial abuses violate fundamental principles of non-profit governance, but Anderson and Raheem AI failed to pay their [sole District-based] employee the wages they had earned."
He added, "My office will not allow people to masquerade behind noble causes while violating the law, cheating taxpayers, or stealing from their workers." Raheem AI was founded in 2017. Its main goal was to build a service that would allow people to file complaints against police.
Three years ago, Anderson told BET Networks, "When you report police on Raheem.org, we connect you to a free lawyer, file a complaint against the officer, and use your story to lobby for policies that defund police and invest in your community." In 2021, the non-profit focused on building an app that would dispatch alternative first responders instead of police to people in times of need.
The Attorney General's Office in D.C. said that Raheem AI does business as Community Response Works and is a tax-exempt D.C. non-profit corporation. The office said, "It has solicited donations to 'equip black, brown, and indigenous community crisis responders with the tools, training, connections, and funding they need to provide care.'"
The office added, "Brandon Anderson ... served as a board member and as its Executive Director until April 2024. While Raheem AI's board recently placed Anderson on leave and ceased operations, neither he nor the organization has restored the misused funds or compensated their employee for owed wages and damages."
Prosecutors also said that Anderson and Raheem AI forced their sole D.C.-based employee to sign an "illegal noncompete clause." The AG's office said that the alleged actions violate D.C.'s Nonprofit Corporation Act, Wage Payment and Collection Law (WPCL) and Ban on Noncompete Agreements Act. Anderson has denied misusing the funds intended for the non-profit.
The office said, "With this lawsuit, OAG is seeking a court order to dissolve Raheem AI as a District non-profit corporation, recover misused funds and direct them to appropriate charitable purposes, permanently bar Anderson from serving as an officer or director of any District non-profit, award Raheem AI's Deputy Director the wages she is owed plus damages, and award penalties to the District for each violation of the WCPL."
For corrections or revisions, click here.
The opinions reflected in this article are not necessarily the opinions of LET
Comments