A federal grand jury has charged Tashella Sheri Amore Dickerson, 52, of Oklahoma City, with wire fraud and money laundering.
Beginning in at least 2016, Dickerson served as the Executive Director of Black Lives Matter OKC. As Executive Director, Dickerson had access to BLMOKC’s bank, PayPal, and Cash App accounts.
The indictment alleges that, although BLMOKC was not a registered Section 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization, it accepted charitable donations through its affiliation with the Alliance for Global Justice (AFGJ), based in Arizona. AFGJ served as a fiscal sponsor to BLMOKC and required that BLMOKC use its funds only as permitted under Section 501(c)(3). AFGJ also required BLMOKC to fully account upon request for the disbursement of all funds received and prohibited BLMOKC from using its funds to purchase real estate without AFGJ’s consent.
Beginning in late spring 2020, BLMOKC raised funds to support its social justice mission from online donors and national bail funds. In total, BLMOKC raised more than $5.6 million, including grants from national bail funds such as the Community Justice Exchange, Massachusetts Bail Fund, and Minnesota Freedom Fund. Most of those funds were routed through AFGJ, as fiscal sponsor, to BLMOKC.
NEWS ALERT from @FBIOklahomaCity: Executive Director of Black Lives Matter Oklahoma City Charged in Federal Court with Wire Fraud and Money Laundering
— FBI (@FBI) December 11, 2025
A federal grand jury Indictment has been unsealed, charging Tashella Sheri Amore Dickerson, 52, of Oklahoma City, with wire… pic.twitter.com/qorQH7Bnhw
According to the indictment, BLMOKC was supposed to use these national bail fund grants to post pretrial bail for individuals arrested in connection with protests for racial justice after the death of George Floyd. When bail funds were returned to BLMOKC, the national bail funds sometimes allowed BLMOKC to keep all or part of the grant funding to establish a revolving bail fund or support BLMOKC’s social justice mission, as permitted under Section 501(c)(3).
Despite the stated purpose of the money raised and the terms and conditions of the grants, the indictment alleges that beginning in June 2020 and continuing through at least October 2025, Dickerson embezzled funds from BLMOKC’s accounts for her personal benefit. The indictment alleges Dickerson deposited at least $3.15 million in returned bail checks into her personal accounts, rather than into BLMOKC’s accounts. Among other things, Dickerson then used these funds to pay for:
- recreational travel to Jamaica and the Dominican Republic for herself and her associates;
- tens of thousands of dollars in retail shopping;
- at least $50,000 in food and grocery deliveries for herself and her children;
- a personal vehicle registered in her name; and
- Six real properties in Oklahoma City were deeded in her own name or in the name of Equity International, LLC, an entity she exclusively controlled.
The indictment further alleges that Dickerson used interstate wire communications to submit two false annual reports to AFGJ on behalf of BLMOKC. Dickerson reported that she had used BLMOKC funds only for tax-exempt purposes. She did not disclose that she used funds for her personal benefit.
On December 3, 2025, a federal Grand Jury returned a 25-count indictment, charging Dickerson with 20 counts of wire fraud and five counts of money laundering. For each count of wire fraud, Dickerson faces up to 20 years in federal prison, and a fine of up to $250,000. For each count of money laundering, Dickerson faces up to ten years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 or twice the amount of the criminally derived property involved in the transaction.
The public is reminded that these charges are merely allegations, and that Dickerson is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case is the result of an investigation by the FBI Oklahoma City Field Office and IRS-Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matt Dillon and Jessica L. Perry are prosecuting the case.