A federal grand jury has indicted Tashella Sheri Amore Dickerson, 52, of Oklahoma City, on charges of wire fraud and money laundering. The indictment was announced by U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester.
Dickerson is alleged to have committed the offenses while serving as the Executive Director of Black Lives Matter OKC (BLMOKC) beginning in at least 2016. In her role, she had access to the organization’s financial accounts, including bank, PayPal, and Cash App accounts.
According to the indictment, BLMOKC was not a registered tax-exempt organization under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code but accepted charitable donations through its affiliation with Alliance for Global Justice (AFGJ), an Arizona-based fiscal sponsor. AFGJ required that BLMOKC use funds only as permitted under Section 501(c)(3), account for all disbursements upon request, and refrain from using funds to purchase real estate without prior consent.
The indictment states that starting in late spring 2020, BLMOKC raised more than $5.6 million from online donors and national bail funds such as Community Justice Exchange, Massachusetts Bail Fund, and Minnesota Freedom Fund. These funds were primarily routed through AFGJ before reaching BLMOKC.
Funds received were intended for posting pretrial bail for individuals arrested during protests following George Floyd’s death. If bail was returned to BLMOKC after being posted, national bail funds sometimes allowed the organization to retain those amounts to establish a revolving bail fund or support its social justice mission within the parameters of Section 501(c)(3).
However, the indictment alleges that between June 2020 and at least October 2025, Dickerson embezzled over $3.15 million in returned bail checks by depositing them into her personal accounts rather than those belonging to BLMOKC. The document claims she used these funds for personal expenses including travel to Jamaica and the Dominican Republic with associates; substantial retail shopping; more than $50,000 on food and grocery deliveries; purchasing a personal vehicle; and acquiring six properties in Oklahoma City either in her name or under Equity International LLC—a company she controlled.
The indictment further accuses Dickerson of submitting two false annual reports via interstate wire communications to AFGJ on behalf of BLMOKC, stating that all funds had been used exclusively for tax-exempt purposes without disclosing their use for personal benefit.
On December 3, 2025, a federal grand jury returned a 25-count indictment against Dickerson: twenty counts of wire fraud and five counts of money laundering. Each count of wire fraud carries a potential penalty of up to 20 years in prison and fines up to $250,000; each count of money laundering carries up to ten years’ imprisonment plus similar fines or twice the amount involved in criminal transactions.
U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester stated: “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.”
The case resulted from an investigation conducted by the FBI Oklahoma City Field Office and IRS-Criminal Investigation division. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matt Dillon and Jessica L. Perry are prosecuting.
Further details can be found in public filings related to this case.
