Monica Cannon-Grant, the founder and former CEO of Violence in Boston (VIB), pleaded guilty in federal court to multiple fraud charges related to her management of the nonprofit organization. The plea was entered before U.S. District Court Judge Angel Kelley, who scheduled sentencing for January 29, 2026.
Cannon-Grant, 44, admitted guilt to 18 counts including wire fraud conspiracy, wire fraud, mail fraud, filing false tax returns, and failing to file tax returns. Her husband and co-conspirator Clark Grant had been charged previously but his charges were dismissed following his death in May 2023.
Violence in Boston was established in 2017 with the stated mission of reducing violence and supporting community causes in Greater Boston. However, according to prosecutors, Cannon-Grant misrepresented her role as an uncompensated director while diverting donor funds for personal use through cash withdrawals and transfers to personal accounts.
Authorities said that Cannon-Grant used VIB to defraud several public programs. She obtained $53,977 from the Boston Resiliency Fund—created by the City of Boston to aid residents during the COVID-19 pandemic—and used a significant portion for personal expenses such as auto loan payments and car insurance. She falsely reported that all grant funds were spent appropriately.
Additionally, Cannon-Grant concealed household income to secure $12,600 in rental assistance from Boston’s Office of Housing Stability and submitted fraudulent applications for pandemic unemployment assistance through the Massachusetts Department of Unemployment Assistance. She also filed false tax returns for two years and failed to file returns for another two years.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley commented: “Monica Cannon-Grant repeatedly scammed multiple public financial programs and stole money donated by members of the public who believed their donations would aid in reducing violence and promote social awareness. Instead, Cannon-Grant used donations to satisfy her own greed, while falsely portraying herself as a legitimate nonprofit organizer. She betrayed the trust of everyone who donated and the public who supported her fraudulent charity,” Foley said. “Today’s plea demonstrates once again that no one is above the rule of law.”
Ketty Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Boston Division stated: “Today’s guilty plea underscores our commitment to investigating and holding accountable anyone who commits fraud. Ms. Cannon-Grant defrauded several state programs and exploited her position in the community to line her own pockets,” Larco-Ward said. “This investigation showcases the results that postal inspectors strive to achieve in collaboration with our law enforcement partners. The successful resolution through a plea is a result of the strong investigative work, dedication and partnership of postal inspectors and the U.S. Attorney’s Office. I commend the relentless work and commitment to ensuring justice was achieved by all those involved.”
Jonathan R. Mellone from the U.S. Department of Labor added: “Monica Cannon-Grant illegally enriched herself as part of a scheme that fraudulently diverted vital taxpayer resources away from those in need of unemployment insurance benefits during the COVID-19 pandemic,” Mellone said. “Protecting the integrity of the unemployment insurance program remains one of our highest priorities, and we will continue to work closely with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our other law enforcement partners to protect the integrity of U.S. Department of Labor programs and operations.”
The charges carry potential sentences ranging up to 20 years for each count of wire or mail fraud; up to three years for filing false tax returns; and up to one year for failure to file tax returns.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Adam Deitch and Dustin Chao from the Public Corruption Unit.
The Department of Justice has increased efforts against pandemic-related fraud through its COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force (https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus). Individuals can report suspected COVID-19 relief fraud via hotline or online complaint form (https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form).
