ATLANTA — A former Atlanta-based activist, Sir Maejor Page, who is accused of creating a bogus Black Lives Matter group to steal $500,000 from donors to fund his lavish lifestyle, is now on trial in federal court.
An investigation by the FBI concluded that Sir Maejor, also known as Tyree Conyers-Page, had created a Facebook page called Black Lives Matter of Greater Atlanta and had been soliciting money through the page through a GoFundMe account.
Page is facing charges of money laundering and wire fraud in Ohio after he allegedly used money through his Black Lives Matter nonprofit for personal purchases.
The FBI also said Page responded to several messages through the Facebook account in telling people that their “funds had been donated to be used to fight for George Floyd and that none of ‘the funds have been used for personal items. All movement related.’”
Page was arrested in Toledo, Ohio in 2020 as authorities raided the home that he bought there.
In the federal complaint against him, it said Page bought the home under the name of Hi Frequency Ohio, an organization for which he was listed as treasurer and general counsel for.
The complaint outlined several purchases, including a security system which cost $1,310, tailored suits and accessories totaling $2,065, furniture purchases totaling more than $12,000, Walmart purchases totaling more than $4,000, and Home Depot charges of $2,125.67.
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The property is also listed as his personal address on several public documents, including an application form for the purchase of a pistol and two rifles. The complaint said Page bought the firearms using a personal bank account which he had transferred the money into from the BLMGA account.
“Numerous videos and livestream videos were posted to Page’s personal social media pages showing himself in what appeared to be newly purchased clothing, hotel rooms, and office space in Atlanta. Several audio statements are made by Page in the videos boasting about the money he has, his tailored suits, his nice cufflinks and ‘$150 ties’ and boasting about ‘my room way up at the top….at the top top...they put the bottom feeders on these floors…” a news release said.
According to records from Ohio’s North District Court, Page’s trial started on Wednesday. On Thursday, jurors heard from Abelino Ruiz, who organized demonstrations in the wake of George Floyd’s death in Minneapolis in May 2020, the Toledo Blade reported.
Ruiz testified that distanced himself from Page after his “true colors” began to show.
“Ruiz said he started hearing that Mr. Page was using charitable funds for personal purposes. He said that when Mr. Page then accused him of using money from the GoFundMe account for personal purposes, he refunded all of the money to the donors rather than turn that money over to Mr. Page’s Hi Frequency Ohio organization,” the newspaper reported.
Page then issued a statement saying Ruiz was removed from the organization “over problematic behavior in the community.” Ruiz testified Thursday saying it was his decision to leave the organization.
Ruiz said he then went to the FBI because, “I am a man who works for justice, and Sir Maejor had become the oppressor,” the Toledo Blade reported.
The jury also heard from several out-of-state Facebook users, who described setting up Facebook donation portals for what they thought was Page’s “Atlanta-focused group managing social-justice rallies or support programming.”
Shawn Stoner, who lived in Atlanta in 2020, said he relied on Facebook to vet the nonprofit candidates it invited its users to support.
“It didn’t cross my mind that it [BLMGA] wasn’t legitimate,” Stoner said before denying he had ever heard of Sir Maejor Page nor planned to donate to Hi Frequency Ohio, the newspaper reported.
The judge in the case said the prosecution was expected to rest on Friday, and the defense would pick up their part of the trial.
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