The executive director of Black Lives Matter (BLM) Oklahoma City (OKC) has been charged with wire fraud and money laundering after federal prosecutors say she diverted more than $3.15 million in returned bail checks into her personal bank accounts over a five-year period, according to an indictment unsealed Thursday.

Tashella Sheri Amore Dickerson, 52, of Oklahoma City, is accused of routing money intended for the group’s bail fund and social justice programs into accounts she controlled between June 2020 and October 2025. 

The indictment says Dickerson used the money “for her personal benefit,” including travel to Jamaica and the Dominican Republic, “tens of thousands of dollars in retail shopping,” more than $50,000 in food deliveries, a vehicle and six real properties.

According to a Department of Justice (DOJ) press release covering the indictment, BLM OKC raised more than $5.6 million beginning in 2020, including major grants from the Community Justice Exchange, the Massachusetts Bail Fund and the Minnesota Freedom Fund.

BLACK LIVES MATTER’S $6M CALIFORNIA HOUSE DRAWS SCRUTINY

Those organizations routed most of the money through the Alliance for Global Justice (AFGJ), which served as BLM OKC’s fiscal sponsor and required that all funds be used for tax-exempt purposes permitted under Section 501(c)(3). AFGJ also prohibited real estate purchases without its approval and required BLM OKC to fully account for expenditures upon request.

Prosecutors say Dickerson instead deposited at least $3.15 million in returned bail checks into her personal accounts “rather than into BLMOKC’s accounts” and used interstate wires to submit two annual reports to AFGJ that “did not disclose” her personal use of funds. Those reports said the organization’s money had been used only for tax-exempt purposes.

Dickerson served as the group’s executive director beginning in at least 2016 and had access to BLM OKC’s bank, PayPal and CashApp accounts, according to the indictment. 

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Prosecutors allege the misconduct began during the period when national bail funds allowed BLM OKC to retain portions of returned bail money to build a revolving bail fund or support its stated mission. 

In 2022, Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation, a separate national organization not affiliated with BLM OKC, came under scrutiny after New York Magazine reported that it had purchased a $6 million California property using donor funds.

Internal memos showed senior leaders discussing how to manage questions about the house, which the group said was intended to serve as creative and community space. The reporting ignited debate at the time over financial transparency and oversight within national BLM-associated organizations.

When contacted about Dickerson’s charges, a Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation spokesperson said BLM practices a “model of decentralized leadership.”

“The Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation operates independently from local chapters, and the local chapters operate independently of the Foundation. The Foundation remains committed to transparency and integrity, and disrupting what philanthropy looks like in service of Black people,” the spokesperson said.

A federal grand jury returned a 25-count indictment Dec. 3 charging Dickerson with 20 counts of wire fraud and five counts of money laundering. She faces up to 20 years in federal prison for each wire fraud count and up to 10 years for each money-laundering count, along with potential fines of up to $250,000 per charge.

All charges are merely allegations and Dickerson is presumed innocent unless proven guilty. The case was investigated by the FBI’s Oklahoma City Field Office and IRS Criminal Investigation.

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Fox News Digital has reached out to Black Lives Matter OKC and the Alliance for Global Justice for comment.

Fox News correspondent David Spunt and Fox News Digital’s Ronn Blitzer contributed to this report.

A U.S. Border Patrol agent shot and killed a suspected cartel smuggler on Thursday after he came across the Rio Grande in Starr County, Texas, Fox News has confirmed.

The suspected smuggler assaulted the agent, who fired his weapon in self-defense, killing the man, three border law enforcement sources told Fox News.

The agent is “okay,” according to those sources.

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The Texas Department of Public Safety confirmed the officer-involved shooting on X, adding that the suspect was pronounced dead at Starr County Memorial Hospital.

The Starr County Sheriff’s Office said Border Patrol agents were “involved in a struggle prior to the shooting,” which was confirmed at about 5:30 p.m. local time.

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The sheriff’s office asked the public to avoid the area as first responders clear and secure the scene.

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The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) and U.S. Customs and Border Protection did not immediately respond to inquiries from Fox News Digital.

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

Texas agriculture officials issued an urgent alert this week after confirming that a newly identified invasive pest is spreading quickly across more than 20 counties, threatening grazing lands, hay production and livestock operations across the state.

The insect, Helicococcus summervillei – known as the pasture mealybug – has never before been reported in North America. Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller said the pest is already causing visible damage in multiple regions. 

“This is a completely new pest to our continent, and Texas is once again on the front lines,” Miller said. “If the pasture mealybug spreads across Texas grazing lands like it has in eastern Australia, it could cost Texas agriculture dearly in lost productivity and reduced livestock capacity.”

The Texas Department of Agriculture says it is working with Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service and the USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service to evaluate how far it is spreading and to determine the best emergency response strategy.

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The pasture mealybug was first described in Australia in 1928, according to AgriLife Extension publications, and was known to be responsible for millions of acres of lost pasture due to “pasture dieback.” The publication describes the condition as when the insect feeds at the soil level and within plant tissues, weakening and eventually killing grass essential for grazing and hay production.

While the species is believed to be new to North America, researchers suspect the insect has been present since before 2022.

So far, state and extension experts have documented the following 20 counties as being infected, with possibly more: Brazoria, Galveston, Wharton, Matagorda, Colorado, Austin, Washington, Cameron, Hidalgo, Willacy, Refugio, Calhoun, Victoria, Goliad, Dewitt, Lavaca, Fayette, Jackson, Burleson, Brazos and Robertson.

COLORADO UTILIZING GRAZING CATTLE TO HELP PREVENT WILDFIRES IN AT-RISK AREAS

According to a Pest Incident Worksheet from AgriLife entomologists, the most significant pasture losses are in Victoria County.

It’s also noted that the most susceptible grasses to infestation are Bermudagrass, Bahia grass, Johnsongrass, haygrazer (sorghum–sudangrass), St. Augustine grass, bluestem varieties and other tropical or subtropical grasses.

Damage can be difficult to detect early because the insects feed low on the plant and beneath surface debris. Warning signs include yellowing within a week of infestation, purpling or reddening of leaves, stunting despite adequate moisture, weakening root systems and patchy areas of thinning or dead grass. The bugs appear as small white fuzzy clusters on grass or plant matter.

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As of now, there are no insecticides labeled for the control of the pest in the U.S.

Anyone who believes they are affected and notices symptoms or insect clusters resembling mealybugs is being asked to contact the Texas Department of Agriculture at 1-800-TELL-TDA. State and federal officials say ongoing reporting will be essential to mapping the pest’s spread and preventing widespread economic losses.

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“We need every producer’s eyes on the ground,” Miller emphasized.

TDA, AgriLife Extension and USDA APHIS are continuing to jointly investigate the pest and develop response strategies to safeguard Texas livestock and hay industries.