Monica Cannon-Grant once stood in the spotlight as a celebrated activist, even earning the title of Bostonian of the Year in 2020.
But her fall from grace has been swift and dramatic.
This week, the 44-year-old was sentenced to just 18 months in prison after admitting to a string of fraud-related crimes that prosecutors say turned her nonprofit into a personal piggy bank.
The Charges and the Plea Deal
Cannon-Grant and her late husband, Clark Grant, were first federally charged in 2022 with 27 counts connected to fraud and tax violations.
Facing overwhelming evidence, she struck a plea bargain that dropped nine mortgage fraud allegations in exchange for her guilty plea to 18 counts — including conspiracy to commit wire fraud, mail fraud, and tax offenses.
A Nonprofit With a Dark Secret
The couple launched Violence in Boston Inc. in 2017, pitching it as a nonprofit designed to uplift disadvantaged communities and improve lives.
The group raised over $1 million and even secured nearly $60,000 in pandemic relief funds intended to provide meals for struggling families.
But investigators uncovered a very different story.
The funds allegedly went toward personal luxuries: meals at Bubba Gump Shrimp Co., salon trips, vacations, car payments, and even rent for the family’s apartment.
Money Meant for Families Went Elsewhere
Prosecutors detailed how Cannon-Grant and her husband concealed income to fraudulently claim $12,600 in rental assistance — all while buying a new home.
In another example, a $10,400 grant intended to feed children was laundered through a church and used to pay overdue rent instead.
She also reportedly paid herself nearly $2,800 a week starting in October 2020, despite publicly claiming she drew no salary from the organization.
Text Messages Expose the Scheme
Investigators even revealed text messages that pointed to her concerns about being caught.
In one message to her husband, Cannon-Grant wrote:
“Unemployment caught my a**.
Asked me to provide documents by June, unless I’ll have to pay it all back.”
Grants Spent on Vacations Instead of Communities
Assistant US Attorney Adam Deitch told the court that prosecutors were ready to prove how Cannon-Grant diverted nonprofit funds.
For instance, a $6,000 grant from the Suffolk district attorney’s office was supposed to fund a retreat for at-risk young men in Philadelphia.
Instead, prosecutors allege, the couple used it for a vacation in Maryland, along with fine dining and shopping sprees.
Explosive Reactions to Media Inquiries
When questioned by the press about her actions, Cannon-Grant didn’t hold back.
In a furious email response, she wrote:
“Respectfully Fk You! … You wasn’t reaching out or interested in my side of the story when I caught this case 4 1/2 years ago and you wasn’t reaching out when my deceased husband was murdered so yeah fk you.”
Tragedy and Sentencing
Her husband Clark was killed in a motorcycle accident in Easton, Massachusetts, in March 2023, leaving Cannon-Grant to face trial alone.
On Monday, she finally admitted guilt to the fraud charges laid out by prosecutors.
Now, with her sentencing date set for January 29, she faces the consequences of a scandal that not only ruined her reputation but also betrayed the communities she once claimed to serve.