Boston activist Monica Cannon-Grant and husband facing federal fraud charges

BOSTON — A Boston woman who helped found a nonprofit called “Violence in Boston” is facing federal fraud charges.

Monica Cannon-Grant, 41, and her husband Clark Grant, 38, were charged in an 18-count indictment “in connection with a series of alleged schemes designed to defraud VIB and its donors, the Massachusetts Department of Unemployment Assistance and a mortgage lending business based in Chicago,” according to a statement from the US Attorney’s office in Boston.

Cannon-Grant was arrested this morning and made her initial appearance in federal court in Boston on Tuesday afternoon.

“Grant was previously charged by criminal complaint in October 2021 with one count of wire fraud and one count of false statements on a loan and credit application,” according to a statement from the US Attorney’s office.

“The indictment alleges that the defendants conspired to use VIB as a vehicle to solicit and receive charitable contributions from institutional and individual donors that they then used for a wide range of personal expenses and to enrich themselves while concealing such expenditures from VIB directors, officers and others,” according to the US Attorney’s office.

“Specifically, from 2017 through at least 2020, it is alleged that Cannon-Grant and Grant exercised exclusive control over VIB financial accounts and diverted VIB money to themselves through cash withdrawals, cashed checks, debit purchases and transfers to their personal bank accounts,” according to the statement.

The indictment alleges Cannon-Grant and Clark Grant solicited and received more than $1 million in donations and grants from individuals, charitable institutions and other entities between 2017 - 2021.

“We are extremely disappointed the government rushed to judgment here. VIB and Monica have been fully cooperating and their production of records remains ongoing,” said Cannon-Grant’s attorney Robert Goldstein. “Drawing conclusions from an incomplete factual record does not represent the fair and fully informed process a citizen deserves from its government, especially someone like Monica who has worked tirelessly on behalf of her community. We remain fully confident Monica will be vindicated when a complete factual record emerges.”

“It is alleged that Cannon-Grant and Grant used grant and donation money to pay for personal expenses including, among other things, hotel reservations; groceries; gas; car rentals; auto repairs; Uber rides; restaurants; food deliveries; nail salons; and personal travel. The defendants did not disclose to other VIB directors or VIB’s bookkeepers or financial auditors that they had used VIB funds for such payments,” said the US Attorney’s office.

Among those who awarded grant money to Cannon-Grant, was former Suffolk County District Rachael Rollins, who is the current U.S. Attorney for Massachusetts which is prosecuting this federal case.

According to the indictment, “In May 2019, a Massachusetts District Attorney’s Office (“MDAO”) invited non-profit organizations to apply for Community Reinvestment Grants (up to $10,000 each) that were funded with money from the MDAO’s asset forfeiture fund....On or about June 28, 2019, at a ceremony at the MDAO, Cannon-Grant accepted the MDAO grant award to VIB in the form of a $6,000 check payable to VIB. The $6,000 MDAO check was deposited to the VIB Bank Account the same day.”

Violence in Boston posted about the awarding of the grant from then Suffolk County District Attorney Rachael Rollins on the Violence in Boston Facebook page on June 28, 2019.

According to the indictment, “...Cannon-Grant and Clark Grant used the $6,000 MDAO check to pay for, among other things, $145 at a Boston nail salon; over $400 in grocery and Walmart purchases in Columbia, MD; hundreds of dollars in meal costs in Connecticut, New Jersey, and Maryland, including at Bubba Gump Shrimp Co., Shake Shack, and other restaurants; $1,211 in charges at the Sonesta Suites, Columbia, MD; hundreds of dollars in fuel, parking, and car rental costs; and hundreds of dollars in ATM withdrawals. By July 31, 2019, the VIB Bank Account had a negative balance of -$552.38.”

The US Attorney’s office says Rollins is recused from the Cannon-Grant case “...pursuant to DOJ policy. FIrst Assistant Josh Levy will be the acting US Attorney.”

The charges of wire fraud conspiracy each provide for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense.

The charge of conspiracy provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000.

Boston activist Monica Cannon-Grant and husband facing federal fraud charges Boston activist Monica Cannon-Grant and husband facing federal fraud charges.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

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