Black Lives Matter activist on trial for fraud; accused of using George Floyd's death to buy real estate, guns, and luxuries

Tyree Conyers-Page, a middling 35-year-old albino actor who calls himself Sir Maejor Page, appears to be another Black Lives Matter activist who realized that George Floyd's death could be exploited as something more than just an excuse for wanton destruction — it could also serve as a means to self-enrichment.

Page, previously arrested on multiple occasions for impersonating a police officer, decided to impersonate a philanthropist in 2020, "fraudulently utilizing a Black Lives Matter non-profit organization by way of misrepresentations," according to the FBI.

Although based in Toledo, Ohio, Page created a Black Lives Matter of Greater Atlanta fundraising campaign, bringing in hundreds of thousands of dollars. He allegedly used that cash to live the high life, buying himself tailored suits, guns, a security system, and a "new cribo-o" that Page's defense lawyer suggests might have been opened to battered women.

The BLM activist went on trial this week, and it quickly became clear that his defense lawyer faces an uphill battle.

High life

The FBI Cleveland Division announced Page's arrest on Sept. 25, 2020. The bureau indicated that investigators were alerted by a complaint to the social media page for Black Lives Matter of Greater Atlanta, which had been set up by Page as a nonprofit organization.

Contrary to Page's suggestions online, BLMGA lost its tax-exempt status as a charity in May 2019. The IRS revoked its status on account of Page's failure to submit IRS Form 990 for three consecutive years.

Page allegedly failed to notify Facebook of this change, such that the social media company continued to list BLMGA as a nonprofit organization with a donation button until September 2020. BLMGA was also listed as a nonprofit with GoFundMe.

A bank account named "Black Lives Matter of Greater Atlanta, Inc." was reportedly opened in 2018 with Page being the only signatory on the account. There was little activity in the account until the weeks immediately following George Floyd's death in May 2020. By June, BLMGA had received more than $36,493 in donations. By July 2020, it had brought in well over $370,000.

According to the FBI, all of these donations were transferred into the bank account for which Page was the only signatory.

Page allegedly told donors and other inquiring minds that the funds had been donated for use in the "fight for George Floyd" and that none of "the funds have been used for personal items."

In his supposed fight for George Floyd, Page allegedly lived luxuriously, treating himself to fine dining, tailor-made suits, new furniture, a home security system, and some new real state, according to the FBI. Page even allegedly transferred funds from the BLMGA account to his personal account to buy two rifles and a pistol.

Despite telling critics that everything was aboveboard, he reportedly bragged on social media about his exploits, showing off his new cuff links, $150 ties, and penthouse suite. In one instance, he even boasted about his "room way up at the top ... at the top top ... they put the bottom feeders on these floors."

The FBI suggested "Page has spent over $200,000 on personal items generated from donations received from the BLMGA social media page with no identifiable purchase or expenditure for social or racial justice."

Following the alleged fraudster's arrest, GoFundMe indicated it would refund donations.

Indictment

A federal grand jury in Cleveland indicted Page with three counts of money laundering and one count of wire fraud in March 2021.

"These allegations involve fraudulent misrepresentations that the donations received would support Black Lives Matter (Atlanta, Georgia) when, as stated in the indictment, those funds were actually used by the defendant for personal expenses he incurred in Toledo and elsewhere," said U.S. District Judge Bridget Brennan, then the acting U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio.

"Page is accused of using unprecedented tensions and uncertainty due to widespread civil unrest and a global pandemic to fill his own bank account," said FBI Special Agent in Charge Eric Smith. "Page allegedly purchased homes, traveled, and spent other people's money to buy luxury items for himself, all on the backs of hardworking people believing they were donating to a worthy cause. The FBI will continue efforts to root out fraudsters who victimize our fellow citizens for personal gain."

Page was accused of defrauding roughly 1,000 donors collectively out of more than $467,000.

Trial

The Toledo Blade reported that during his testimony in Page's trial this week, FBI agent Matthew Desorbo detailed how Page had blown the donation money on himself. For instance, the agent claimed Page made multiple purchases at the Pyramid Lounge in Toledo, buying 16 blue suits using money transferred over from the BLMGA account.

Desorbo noted that Page's defunct charity received a great deal of money in the summer of 2020 and that its expenses in July included a $108,499.83 wire transfer to a Toledo title agency for the purchase of a house.

Page's defense lawyer Charles Boss claimed the house was not intended for his client's use but rather for charitable use as a BLM "community House," possibly for sheltering homeless people or as a battered women's shelter.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Melching greatly undermined that narrative by playing video of Page celebrating his new "crib-o" and luxury outfits, reported the Blade.

Other activists testified Wednesday, suggesting they had fallen for Page's con, reported the Blade.

"I assumed Black Lives Matter of Greater Atlanta was operating as part of Black Lives Matter," said Mike Johnston of Watsonville, California. "I assumed it was operating there and was a nonprofit."

The defense attempted to suggest that Page had not personally solicited charitable donations by way of advertising or direct contact. Desorbo noted that Page "did mislead donors by not providing answers to their questions" after they had coughed up money.

A pattern

Page is not the only leftist to have allegedly used BLM as a vehicle for self-enrichment.

In November, BLM activist Xahra Saleem was sentenced to more than two years in jail for similarly defrauding donors. She raised more than $40,000 in donations, promising to help BLM protesters and to send excess funds to a youth charity. Instead, she blew the money on herself.

Blaze News previously reported that BLM activists Monica Cannon-Grant and her husband, Clark Grant, were charged with 18 federal counts in connection to their nonprofit organization, Violence in Boston. They apparently raised more than $1 million but spent a significant portion on themselves, on everything from personal travel and hotel reservations to nail salon appointments. Cannon-Grant's trial is scheduled for Dec. 2 in Boston.

The National Desk reported last year that only 33% of the national Black Lives Matter group's donations ultimately went to charity: $22 million reportedly went to expenses; $1.6 million went to BLM cofounder Patrisse Cullors' father for security service; and $2.1 million went to BLM board member Shalomyah Bowers for consulting.

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