Ben and Jerry’s Gave $170,000 in Grants to Board Trustee’s Anti-Israel Foundation

The Ben & Jerry's Foundation steered over $170,000 in grants to an anti-Israel nonprofit group run by one of its board directors, a potential violation of self-dealing laws, according to an ethics watchdog organization.

Anuradha Mittal is a trustee at the Ben & Jerry's Foundation, which has awarded $170,500 in grants to the Oakland Institute, an advocacy group that Mittal founded and where she serves as the paid executive director. The Oakland Institute has published articles defending Hezbollah and supporting U.S. funding to Hamas, the Washington Free Beacon reported in July.

Mittal also serves as chairwoman of the Ben & Jerry's independent corporate board and was a driving force behind the ice cream company's decision to boycott Israel.