Fox5 – The former head of Black Lives Matter of Greater Atlanta has been sentenced to prison on charges of wire fraud and money laundering.
WTVG reports that Tyree Conyers-Page, also known as Sir Maejor Page, was sentenced to serve 42 months in prison in Ohio on Thursday.
The allegations surfaced in April 2020 when the FBI’s National Threat Operations Center received a complaint accusing Page of misrepresenting himself as a leader of the Black Lives Matter movement and misusing the organization’s funds.
Prosecutors said that Page took money donated to his organization through Facebook and used it for travel, personal items, and a home in Toledo, Ohio.
In court, Page claimed some of the money he spent on his own lifestyle was part of a “reasonable salary” for managing the organization – though he admitted to prosecutors he never consulted anyone with the organization about what his pay should have been, the Toledo Blade reported.
Page had been found guilty on one count of wire fraud and three counts of money laundering in April after a six-day trial.
According to prosecutors, their investigation revealed that Page had established a social media page named Black Lives Matter of Greater Atlanta (BLMGA) and registered it as a non-profit capable of receiving donations, with a significant presence on the fundraising platform GoFundMe.
According to an FBI news release, financial scrutiny revealed that from April 2018 to May 2020, the BLMGA bank account, solely managed by Page, showcased minor transactions never exceeding $5,000.
However, in the wake of George Floyd’s death, donations surged, with June 2020 witnessing approximately $36,493.80, July 2020 around $370,933.69, and August 2020 an additional $59,914.69 in contributions.
Prosecutors also say Page’s social media activity, which showcased a flamboyant lifestyle, contradicted his public statements about the utilization of donated funds.
