05/01/2026
Kansas City, MO – May 1, 2026: On Tuesday, April 28, 2026, a jury awarded Operation Liberation and its co-founders, Dawn Oliver-Ramsey (f/k/a Dysart) and Nicole Smith over eight million dollars ($8.1+M) against Diane Burkholder, Cecilia Belser-Patton and One Struggle KC, LLC for fraud, libel, slander, civil conspiracy and abuse of (judicial) process.
On June 21, 2021, Ms. Burkholder authorized a lawsuit filed in Jackson County Circuit Court Case No. 2116-CV13175. In that lawsuit, Ms. Belser-Patton signed sworn affidavits as Ms. Burkholder’s Missouri proxy, alleging Operation Liberation’s co-founders “stole” their own volunteer labor and work to support Kansas Citians from One Struggle KC, LLC, an undisclosed for-profit entity founded by Ms. Burkholder in 2015.
On July 29, 2022, Operation Liberation and its co-founders counter-sued Ms. Burkholder, Ms. Belser-Patton, and One Struggle KC, for the false public statements and lawsuit filed against each of them. On May 15, 2024, the frivolous lawsuit against Operation Liberation and its co-founders was dismissed.
After five (5) years of litigation and seven (7) long days of trial, the jury broke for lunch and returned multiple verdicts (on multiple parties and claims) in under four (4) hours. The jury unanimously found that Ms. Burkholder committed fraud. The jury also found Ms. Burkholder and One Struggle KC committed libel and slander by making statements that Operation Liberation’s and its co-founders stole money and property.
Ms. Oliver-Ramsey and Ms. Smith were each awarded over $1.1 million for damage to their reputation. Operation Liberation received $5.6 million in verdicts against Ms. Burkholder, Ms. Belser-Patton and One Struggle KC for multiple claims.
Operation Liberation thanks the jury for its commitment and service and looks forward to returning to its work to end violence and mass incarceration in Kansas City and beyond! It’s been a long five years, but Operation Liberation is grateful to finally shine the light of truth on the malicious allegations.
Operation Liberation and its co-founders wish to express their deepest gratitude to the legal team that supported them for 5+ years: Karon Ramsey of Wells & Ramsey, LLC, Chekasha Ramsey of Ramsey Law LLC and Andrea Kimball of Kimball Law Group.
We love you, Kansas City! Now let’s go get free!
