A Black Lives Matter activist named Xahra Saleem has been given a prison sentence of two and a half years for fundraiser fraud, Fox News reported.
Black Lives Matter activist sentenced to two and half years for fundraiser fraud of over $39,000
She was found guilty of taking a large amount of money, tens of thousands of dollars, that was meant for her organization’s charity work and instead putting it in her own bank account. This allowed her to live a very luxurious and expensive lifestyle, as per news reports.
Saleem, who is 23 years old and lives in London, was in charge of a charity called Changing Your Mindset. This charity was aimed at helping young people in Bristol who were facing difficulties in their lives.
According to Fox News, Saleem managed to collect over $39,000 and then moved this money into her personal bank accounts.
From June 2020 to September 2021, Saleem used this money for various personal expenses like a new iPhone, beauty treatments, clothing, orders from Amazon, and taxi rides, among other things.
Judge Michael Longman, who oversaw Saleem’s trial, pointed out that she made more than 2,500 payments from her account during this period, describing it as a “constant leak of funds over a significant period.”
In the end, Saleem admitted to committing fraud as she misused her role as the director of Changing Your Mindset.
Saleem also organized a Black Lives Matter protest in 2020
In addition to her charity work, Saleem was also involved in organizing a Black Lives Matter protest on June 7, 2020, in response to the tragic death of George Floyd in the United States.
At the protest, Saleem joined the marchers, and the protest ended with a statue of Edward Colston, who was a slave trader, being pulled down and thrown into Bristol Harbor.
Before the march and the statue removal, Saleem created a fundraising page to gather funds for buying personal protective equipment (PPE) to ensure the safety of the Black Lives Matter march, following legal procedures. It’s important to note that this march happened during a time when there were restrictions in place due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
