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$10 million lawsuit against Black Lives Matter leader tossed by judge

By
Isabel Vincent
Published July 1, 2023
Updated July 2, 2023, 12:40 p.m. ET

A  California judge threw out a $10 million lawsuit against the national Black Lives Matter movement and its leader earlier this week.

The lawsuit was filed last year by Melina Abdullah and her breakaway civil rights group called BLM Grassroots, which accused Shalomyah Bowers and his national Black Lives Matters Global Network Foundation of enriching himself by billing his consulting company for millions of dollars’ worth of business.

Abdullah claimed her group, comprised of two dozen BLM chapters across the country, was entitled to $10 million from BLMGNF but Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Stephanie Bowick ruled Thursday that they failed to prove their case.

The troubled national group has raked in $90 million in donations over the last few years, but recorded a $9 million deficit in 2022, according to federal filings. 

“The judge determined that Melina Abdullah and BLM Grassroots failed to establish that they were entitled to any donated funds,” said BLMGNF attorney Byron McLain in a statement to The Post Friday, calling the lawsuit “frivolous.”

Melina Abdullah
Melina Abdullah and her breakaway civil rights group called BLM Grassroots accused Shalomyah Bowers and his national Black Lives Matters Global Network Foundation of enriching himself by billing his consulting company for millions. Rich Fury
BLM suit
A California judge threw out Melina Abdullah’s case against Bowers. Rich Fury

Abdullah’s legal claims amounted to a personal attack on Bowers and a power grab, Bowers’ lawyers said.

“Melina Abdullah and her colleagues spent over a year tearing down Shalomyah’s name, reputation and character in an ill-fated ego-driven attempt to seize control of one of the most prominent charitable organizations supporting black empowerment,” according to a statement sent to The Post.

Abdullah, a Los Angeles-based activist and former BLMGNF member, founded her non-profit months before suing the larger organization.  

Last year, Bowers’ national BLM group took in $1.69 million for “management and consulting services,” according to BLMGNF’s latest financial filings. The group also spent more than $14 million on mansions in Los Angeles and Toronto, according to filings.

 Abdullah, who says her non-profit represents two dozen BLM chapters across the country, told reporters Thursday she was “stunned and dismayed” by the verdict and planned to appeal. 

Bowers took over BLMGNF following board unrest after the resignation of BLMGNF co-founder Patrisse Cullors, who left the organization after The Post revealed that she went on a $3 million real estate buying spree. She claimed she did not use any donations to purchase three properties in Los Angeles and Atlanta.