Black Lives Matter OKC Indictment Raises Questions

OKLAHOMA CITY — A federal indictment of the leader of Black Lives Matter OKC, Sheri Dickerson, accuses her of fraud for depositing money meant for protestors’ bail into her personal accounts. However, the indictment also acknowledges that Dickerson did so with the knowledge and blessing of the organizations who provided millions of dollars to the organization.
Black Lives Matter OKC (BLMOKC) was registered by Dickerson as a nonprofit organization with the Oklahoma Secretary of State back in July 2016.
However, BLMOKC did not have its own bank account until July 6, 2020, which was created by and controlled solely by Dickerson. Donations for the organization went into BLMOKC’s PayPal and Cash App accounts – again, created and controlled by Dickerson. Dickerson routinely transferred money from the PayPal and Cash App accounts into her personal account in order to purchase cashier’s checks to pay bail for protestors arrested while participating in BLMOKC protests during the summer of 2020.
Eventually, Dickerson asked the financial organization collecting donations on BLMOKC’s behalf to speed up the process and deposit the funds directly into her account, and they complied.
“In order to quickly secure pretrial release for individuals arrested in protests, BLMOKC asked AFGJ to expedite the transfer of grant funds received from national bail funds by wiring the funds (less AFGJ’s administrative fee) to Dickerson’s [personal] checking account,” the indictment states.
The indictment shows that Dickerson then used that money to purchase cashier’s checks drawn on her personal checking account to post bail for protestors arrested.
The bail money was held by Oklahoma County until the defendants showed up in court – if they failed to show up, the money is forfeited to the county. About $1 million was forfeited after defendants failed to show up in court; however, the county returned to BLMOKC bail checks totaling $3.5 million.
The indictment states that Dickerson deposited returned bail checks in both BLMOKC’s bank account and in her personal bank accounts.
Money from Dickerson’s account was used to purchase a church property to be used for a BLMOKC community center; however, the indictment notes, the property is deeded to Dickerson. Dickerson purchased several other real estate properties, all in Northeast Oklahoma City, all deeded in her name.
Dickerson also used funds from her personal account to purchase a 2021 Hyundai Palisade, and to pay for travel to the Dominican Republic and Jamaica. The indictment further shows that Dickerson spent at least $50,000 between 2000 and 2024 on food and grocery deliveries to herself and her children. The indictment lists thousands of dollars spent at Nordstrom/Nordstrom Rack, Macy’s, Amazon, Best Buy, Bob Mills Furniture and other retailers.
Dickerson issued a report each year to AFGJ showing that funds donated to BLMOKC were used for the organization’s stated purpose. However, the grand jury indictment claims that Dickerson would not have been able to make the purchases used for her sole benefit without the BLMOKC donations.
The indictment notes that BLMOKC was not registered as a tax exempt organization with the federal Internal Revenue Service.
Due to BLMOKC’s status, the Alliance for Global Justice (AFGJ), a nonprofit out of Tucson, Arizona, agreed to collect donations on behalf of BLMOKC so that donors could receive legal tax deductions for donating to a nonprofit. AFGJ then deducted an administrative fee and deposited the rest in BLMOKC’s Paypal and Cash App accounts.
The grand jury is accusing Dickerson of defrauding BLMOKC and its donors. Interstate commerce on false pretenses constitutes a federal crime. She faces 20 counts of wire fraud and five counts of money laundering, which, if convicted, could lead to decades in prison
In a live video posted on her Facebook page last week, Dickerson reassured friends and family that she’s okay.
“This is not a formal comment,” Dickerson said. “I’m not giving a comment. All I am saying is that I’m letting my family and my friends and everyone that has been pouring into me know that I’m alright…
“A lot of times when people come at you with these types of things … it’s evidence that you are doing the work,” she continued, “and so that is what I’m standing on.”
Dickerson did not respond to a request for comment.