A mega-gift for an HBCU college fell through. Here's what happened — and what's next

A mega-gift for an HBCU college fell through. As the school's foundation and board of trustees held public Zoom meetings to discuss the matter, more details about the donation emerged: While Gerami said the money was "in the bank," Friday-Stroud said the donation was made in the form of 15 million shares of stock in Batterson Farms, Gerami's privately held company. After an initial wealth screening review, she said, "a more expansive second screening" of Gerami made the small circle of FAMU officials aware of potential concerns — "pretty much all of which is what has been put out now in social media," she said, seemingly referring to reports alleging Gerami was linked to failed donations to South Carolina's Coastal Carolina University and another school. Gerami responds to the allegations "The stock was transferred and that's really all that I have to say," Gerami said in an interview with NPR, adding that his gift agreement with FAMU was made public. But, The Sun News reported last year, "Gerami said a planned donation to Miles College was also never made."