He is being sued.
Brandon Anderson, an anti-police activist and former executive director of Raheem AI, is facing legal action after being accused of misappropriating funds from the nonprofit organization. The District of Columbia Attorney General’s Office claims Anderson diverted $75,000 in charitable donations for personal expenses, including luxury travel, designer clothing, and even veterinary services. The alleged misuse reportedly included over $40,000 on high-end vacation rentals, $10,000 for personal stays at hotels and Airbnb properties (such as a resort in Cancun), and $5,000 for emergency pet care.
Attorney General Brian Schwalb emphasized that Anderson’s actions and the Raheem AI board’s failure to prevent them violated nonprofit governance principles and labor laws. Schwalb highlighted that not only did Anderson misuse donations, but he and the organization failed to pay their sole District-based employee the wages owed. The office stated that it would take a firm stance against individuals who exploit charitable causes for personal gain or neglect their legal obligations.
Raheem AI, founded in 2017, aimed to enhance transparency and accountability in law enforcement by providing resources for filing complaints against police officers and supporting community-led emergency responses. Anderson previously said that the nonprofit’s mission included linking individuals with lawyers, filing police complaints, and lobbying for policy changes that reallocate funding from policing to community services.
In April 2024, Raheem AI suspended operations and placed Anderson on leave, but he and the organization have yet to repay the misused funds or compensate their former employee. The D.C. Attorney General’s Office also alleged that Anderson and Raheem AI required their employee to sign an illegal noncompete agreement, violating the Ban on Noncompete Agreements Act.
The lawsuit seeks to dissolve Raheem AI as a nonprofit in the District, recover the misappropriated funds for appropriate charitable use, bar Anderson from leading any District nonprofit, and ensure the employee receives owed wages and additional damages. Anderson has denied the allegations of misusing the nonprofit’s funds.
