Viral vet

The Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement in the United States has been fighting for the rights of Black Americans since its founding in 2013. Its Oklahoma City chapter (BLMOKC) was founded in 2016 by Baptist preacher Tashella Sheri Amore Dickerson.

Just like the other city chapters in the BLM civil rights group network, BLMOKC received cash donations that were used for bail of jailed BLM protesters.

On 11 December, Dickerson, 52, was charged by federal prosecutors with wire fraud and money laundering for allegedly embezzling at least $3.15 million in donations to BLMOKC by depositing donated bail money into her personal bank accounts, New York Post (NYP) reports.

Dickerson then spent the money on vacations to Jamaica and the Dominican Republic, on city properties, a car and a shopping spree. She placed the properties in her name rather than BLMOKC’s.

In a Facebook post, Dickerson suggested that her opponents are behind her prosecution, according to the NYP.

Meanwhile, store cashier Ed Bambas also received cash donations through a fundraising drive launched by an Australian online influencer, to whom he shared his life story during a meeting in Brighton, Michigan, USA, in late November.

The online fundraiser started on 1 December after Samuel Weidenhofer posted on TikTok the video about Bambas’ struggle and it went viral, getting five million views, plus 613,000 likes on Instagram.

Bambas would certainly use the raised funds for his long-overdue retirement. Weidenhofer told NYP that the Army veteran deserves the nearly $2-million donation because he continues to work at age 88.

“His story is a stark reminder that too many of our seniors, especially veterans, face incredible challenges just to survive,” NYP quoted Weidenhofer as saying.