Patrisse Cullors confesses she LIED and admits she threw private parties at BLM's $6M mansion
Patrisse Cullors, the co-founder of Black Lives Matter, confessed that she had lied when she denied holding two parties at the organization's $6 million property in Los Angeles. Patrisse Cullors told the Associated Press on Monday (May 9) that she threw a birthday party for her son and also hosted a gathering to commemorate President Joe Biden's inauguration at the six-bedroom property that BLM reportedly acquired in cash in October 2020.
Cullors stated at the time that BLM acquired the land to use as a conference place and campus for formal foundation activity. Earlier, she released a statement denying that she had resided on the property or used it for personal benefit. Patrisse Cullors explained the reasoning for the expensive purchase by adding, “We looked at commercial buildings and we looked at homes, and then we found this really amazing space that’s a sweet spot between commercial and residential.” She went on to explain why the estate was so pricey by pointing out that it featured a soundstage, which allowed BLM to make podcasts. Cullors said in a recent interview that she should not have used the L.A. residence for personal reasons. “I look back at that and think, that probably wasn’t the best idea,” she said.
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The organization even sought to kill the story when news of the $6 million property first broke. According to reports, one strategy plan on how to handle the issue suggested it should be used as an influencer house where musicians could assemble. Patrisse Cullors, who claimed the property was purchased as a safe haven for black creatives, activists, and thought leaders, retaliated violently at the time, calling the criticism she was receiving "racist and sexist."
Cullors continued to justify the mansion's acquisition last week, claiming that it was purchased to add value to the BLM enterprise. She said, “We really wanted to make sure that the global network foundation had an asset that wasn’t just financial resources and we understood that not many Black-led organizations have property. They don´t own their property.”
“The idea that [the foundation] received millions of dollars and then I hid those dollars in my bank account is absolutely false. That’s a false narrative. It’s impacted me personally and professionally, that people would accuse me of stealing from Black people,” she added. While Black Lives Matter raised $90 million in the aftermath of George Floyd's murder in the summer of 2020 and still has an impressive $60 million in cash on hand, she admitted that the organization wasn't prepared to deal with the influx of donations and that the organization was slow to put in place the necessary framework.
According to NY Post, it's not the first time BLM and Patrisse Cullors have been questioned. Cullors' foundation, 'Dignity & Power Now,' which was founded in 2013 to help Black and minority convicts, was accused of withholding at least $175,000 in donations from the IRS.
The foundation was also accused of failing to report these donations to the California Attorney General's Office, which governs foundations in the state.