Social justice advocate once named Bostonian of the Year sentenced in fraud case

A well-known assemblage and societal justness activistic who founded a Boston nonprofit to trim unit and who was erstwhile was lauded arsenic "Bostonian of the Year" avoided jailhouse clip successful a national fraud case, the Justice Department said Thursday. 

Monica Cannon-Grant, 44, pleaded blameworthy September 2025 to 18 of the 27 counts, including ligament fraud, message fraud and failing to record taxation returns, related to a strategy successful which Cannon-Grant and her precocious husband, Clark Grant, pocketed thousands of dollars successful donations to their nonprofit.

She was sentenced Thursday to 4 years' probation. She was besides ordered to wage $106,003 successful restitution. Federal prosecutors recommended U.S. District Court Judge Angel Kelley condemnation Cannon-Grant to 18 months successful prison. 

ONE CHART LAYS BARE THE SPRAWLING FRAUD NETWORK MINNESOTA OFFICIALS MISSED

Monica Cannon-Grant speaks during a Black Lives Matter rally successful beforehand of Boston Police Headquarters connected September 22, 2020, successful Boston, Massachusetts.  (Staff Photo By Matt Stone/ MediaNews Group/Boston Herald) (Getty Images)

"Ms. Cannon-Grant’s actions were crimes of greed and opportunity," said Nicolas Bucciarelli, acting inspector successful complaint of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service's Boston Division. 

Cannon-Grant and her hubby were accused of diverting COVID-relief and rental assistance funds from their Violence successful Boston nonprofit for idiosyncratic expenses and collecting astir $100,000 successful amerciable unemployment benefits, among different charges.

Along with her precocious husband, the brace founded VIB, an anti-violence nonprofit dedicated to raising societal consciousness and aiding assemblage causes successful Boston, national prosecutors said. 

The mates received astir $54,000 successful pandemic alleviation funds, authorities said. They besides allegedly utilized immoderate of the nonprofit's funds to wage their car indebtedness and car security bills.

NUTRITION PROGRAM’S LAWSUIT TRIGGERS MN EDUCATION DEPT TO EASE OVERSIGHT, OPENING DOOR TO MORE FRAUD

Monica Cannon-Grant(C), speaks during a Juneteenth protestation successful Boston. Cannon-Grant was sentenced to probation successful a national fraud case, the Justice Department said Thursday.  (JOSEPH PREZIOSO/AFP via Getty Images)

They besides conspired to defraud Boston’s Office of Housing Stability — by misrepresenting their household income successful an effort to get $12,600 successful rental assistance, arsenic good arsenic the Massachusetts Department of Unemployment Assistance by submitting forged employment documents truthful that different household subordinate could person astir $44,000 successful unemployment assistance.

Cannon-Grant besides filed mendacious taxation returns for 2017 and 2018 and failed to record taxation returns for 2019 and 2020, prosecutors said. 

Cannon-Grant was well-known successful activistic circles successful Boston earning galore awards, including The Boston Globe Magazine’s Bostonian of the Year grant and a Boston Celtics Heroes Among Us award, some successful 2020 amid nationwide protests pursuing the sidesplitting of George Floyd. 

BOSTON, MA - JUNE 22: Monica Cannon-Grant leads marchers during a protestation march successful grant of Rayshard Brooks, sponsored by Black Lives Matter Boston and Violence successful Boston Inc, connected June 22, 2020 successful Boston. The protestation  started astatine the Reggie Lewis Center successful Roxbury and ended successful beforehand of the Massachusetts State House. (Photo by Jim Davis/The Boston Globe via Getty Images)

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In 2022, pursuing Cannon-Grant's indictment, VIB said it had suspended each programs and was shutting down, but its Facebook leafage has been often progressive since.