TOLEDO, Ohio — Editor's note: The above video first aired in September 2020.
A Toledo civil rights activist accused of starting a non-profit organization to defraud donors will not be accepting a plea deal in his case.
Tyree Conyers-Page, also known as Sir Maejor Page, appeared in federal court Friday for a change of plea hearing. However he decided not to change his original plea of not guilty to charges of wire fraud and money laundering.
In September 2020, the FBI and Toledo police raided Page's home in the 2000 block of Glenwood and arrested him.
Page is accused of fraudulently utilizing a Black Lives Matter non-profit organization by way of misrepresentations and by posing as a Black Lives Matter leader.
Police said an investigation showed Page had created and operated a social media page with the name Black Lives Matter of Greater Atlanta (BLMGA) as a non-profit organization capable of accepting monetary donations. BLMGA was also listed as a non-profit organization with GoFundMe.
Officers said a bank account named "Black Lives Matter of Greater Atlanta, Inc." was opened in 2018 with Page being the only signatory on the account. The FBI said from April 2018 to May 2020, the account balance ebbed and flowed, but never had a balance that exceeded $5,000; at one time, the account had a balance of -$12.42.
The FBI said Page purchased over $200,000 worth of personal items with donated money.