An anti-police activist misused over $75,000 in donations to fund a luxurious Cancun vacation and multiple shopping sprees, neglecting to pay his only employee tens of thousands of dollars in owed wages, the Attorney General for Washington, DC, alleged on Monday.
DC Attorney General Brian Schwalb filed a lawsuit against Brandon Anderson and his nonprofit organization, Raheem AI, accusing them of violating workers’ rights and charity laws in the District by using charitable funds for personal expenses.
Schwalb stated, “Brandon Anderson misused charitable donations to support his luxurious lifestyle, and the Raheem AI Board of Directors allowed it to happen. Not only did they violate nonprofit governance principles, but they also failed to pay their employee the wages owed.”
Anderson, an advocate for police abolition, founded Raheem AI in 2017 with the aim of providing crisis responders from black, brown, and indigenous communities with necessary resources.
Raheem AI intended to develop an emergency dispatch app to help individuals in crisis situations avoid calling 911.
According to the New York Times, Anderson’s nonprofit received more than $4.3 million in donations before its app project failed.
Jasmine Banks, a former Raheem AI employee, revealed Anderson’s extravagant spending habits after her salary stopped. Schwalb alleges that since 2021, Anderson has been using Raheem AI’s funds for personal expenses.
The lawsuit details Anderson’s spending of over $40,000 on rentals, $10,000 on travel, including a Cancun trip, a $10,000 clothing allowance, and $5,000 on veterinary services.
The lawsuit also accuses Anderson and Raheem AI of violating various laws, including the District’s Nonprofit Corporation Act and Wage Payment and Collection Law.
Despite not having a treasurer since 2020, Raheem AI gave Anderson full control over its finances, with the Board of Directors failing to implement oversight measures.
Banks, who has not been paid since April, informed the board of Anderson’s activities, including an alleged illegal noncompete clause in her employment agreement.
“It hurts my heart to say it, but I think it was a con from the beginning,” Banks told the New York Times in August. Anderson did not respond to The Post’s request for comment.
