Boston activist Monica Cannon-Grant faces federal sentencing after guilty plea in Violence in Boston fraud case

Sentencing scheduled in long-running case tied to donations, pandemic aid, and tax violations

Monica Cannon-Grant, the founder and former chief executive officer of the now-defunct nonprofit Violence in Boston, is scheduled to be sentenced Thursday, Jan. 29, 2026, in federal court in Boston after pleading guilty to a wide-ranging set of fraud and tax charges.

Cannon-Grant, 44, of Taunton, pleaded guilty on Sept. 22, 2025, to 18 counts that include wire fraud conspiracy, wire fraud, mail fraud, filing false tax returns, and failing to file tax returns. The case centers on allegations that money raised in the nonprofit’s name and public funds intended for pandemic and housing relief were instead used in ways inconsistent with the stated purposes of the programs and fundraising appeals.

What Cannon-Grant admitted to in court

Federal authorities have described Cannon-Grant’s conduct as involving multiple schemes over several years. Violence in Boston was established in 2017 and publicly described as an anti-violence organization serving Greater Boston through community causes and social awareness initiatives.

In the plea, prosecutors said Cannon-Grant made misrepresentations to obtain donations for Violence in Boston and then diverted thousands of dollars to personal expenses. The case also includes allegations that she defrauded the City of Boston through COVID-19 relief and rental assistance programs and obtained grant funds from the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office through misrepresentations.

The plea also covered tax-related conduct: authorities said Cannon-Grant filed false tax returns for 2017 and 2018 and did not file tax returns for 2019 and 2020, omitting income that prosecutors said she received in salary and consulting work.

• 18 total counts to which Cannon-Grant pleaded guilty
• Allegations involving donations, pandemic-related funds, rental assistance, grant funding, and tax filings
• Sentencing set before U.S. District Judge Angel Kelley

How the case evolved and what remains disputed

Cannon-Grant was initially charged in March 2022 in an 18-count indictment. A superseding indictment filed in March 2023 expanded the case to 27 counts. Her husband, Clark Grant, had been charged alongside her; his charges were later dismissed following his death in 2023.

While Cannon-Grant’s guilty plea resolves the question of criminal liability on the 18 counts, sentencing typically turns on disputed issues that can include loss calculations, the defendant’s role in the offense, acceptance of responsibility, and other factors under federal sentencing rules. Prosecutors and defense attorneys have filed competing sentencing positions, with prosecutors seeking a term of incarceration and the defense urging a non-prison sentence.

Sentencing is expected to address potential prison time, supervised release, and financial penalties, including forfeiture and restitution where applicable.

Potential penalties

The fraud counts each carry statutory maximum penalties that can reach up to 20 years in prison per count, while the tax charges carry lower maximums. The final sentence, however, will be determined by the judge after considering federal sentencing guidelines and the record in the case.

The sentencing hearing is scheduled for the afternoon of Jan. 29, 2026, at the federal courthouse in Boston.