Launched in 2010, GoFundMe was created as a way for everyday folks to share their stories and hopefully get donations from folks who can’t show their support in person. Now, the platform and others like GiveSendGo have been used and abused by many simply hoping to make a quick buck.
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In a statement to The Root, a GoFundMe spokesperson wrote, “We are guided solely by our Terms of Service, which explicitly prohibit fundraisers for the legal defense of violent crimes. Consistent with this long-standing policy, any fundraisers for the legal defense of someone charged with a violent crime are removed from the platform and fully refunded.”
In many cases, accused racists and alleged killers start their fundraising pages but are quickly shut down by the company. Most recently, Decarlos Brown Jr.’s GoFundMe was axed after he was accused of stabbing a woman in North Carolina. Although his campaign was removed, other controversial ones remain active, as you’ll see. Now, we’re looking at some of the craziest cases involved fundraising campaigns on the platform.
‘I’m a Racist’ Cinnabon Employee
A Cinnabon employee was fired after she was caught on video racially abusing a Somali couple at a Wisconsin store location. She’s since been identified as 43-year-old Crystal Wilsey, according to the Daily Mail. In the now viral video, Wilsey is seen calling the Black guests slurs and throwing up the middle finger at them. After losing her job, a GoFundMe for her was set up, which has raised over $1,000 from 27 donors, according to reports.
Decarlos Brown Jr. Charged with Fatal Stabbing
A Black man named Decarlos Brown Jr. remains in police custody after he allegedly attacked a woman while riding on the Lynx Blue Line in Charlotte in August. According to the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department, Iryna Zarutska sat on the bus right in front of Brown Jr. Four minutes later, police say Brown– and ex-con and homeless man– pulled out a knife and stabbed her multiple times. She died from her injuries. Soon after Brown Jr.’s arrest, a GoFundMe page was created in his honor to “fight against the racism and bias against our people,” as one fundraiser said. It has since been taken down, the New York Post wrote.
Shiloh Hendrix AKA ‘Playground Karen’
As we previously reported, a white woman named Shiloh Hendrix was filmed at a Minnesota playground yelling at a young Black boy. She then called him the N-word. Soon, folks found out her identity and began dragging her online. This, however, prompted Hendrix to create a fundraiser on GiveSendGo, which is similar to GoFundMe. The CFO of the company spoke out in favor of the racist woman, and in total, she has raised $828,217.
Karmelo Anthony, 17-Year-Old Alleged Killer
Two Texas families are still reeling from a fatal stabbing where Karmelo Anthony allegedly killed Austin Metcalf, 17. The case has caused a racial divide across the nation, as many Black folks came to Anthony’s defense while MAGA rallied behind the victim and his family. This eventually led to someone making a GiveSendGo to support Anthony. Over $500,000 was raised before it was taken down. The teen has been charged with murder and is scheduled to go to trial next summer.
Mike Brown’s Killer, Officer Darren Wilson
Michael Brown was only 18 years old when he was shot and killed by Mo. Police Officer Darren Wilson in 2014. The case drew national outrage and sparked the protest chant “Hands Up, Don’t Shoot.” Still, a grand jury decided not to bring forth any charges. Given the national attention plus likely death threats Wilson faced, a GoFundMe was created, and many donors spewed racism aimed at Brown and the Black community in the responses. After the backlash, the company released a statement refusing to take the page down. It read, “Much like Facebook and Twitter, GoFundMe is an open technology platform that allows for the exchange of ideas and opinions within the bounds of our terms of service,” according to the Guardian.
Neo-Nazi James Alex Fields Jr.
In 2017, folks gathered in Charlottesville, Va. for a counterprotest to a far-right demonstration. That same day, a white man named James Alex Fields Jr. drove his car into the crowd of peaceful protesters. He injured dozens and killed a woman named Heather Heyer. Fields Jr. eventually pled guilty and was sentenced to life in prison. Still, several GoFundMe pages were launched to raise money for him. The company has since removed campaigns, according to Reuters.
CEO Shooter Luigi Mangione
After the assassination of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thomas, folks around the world rallied behind Luigi Mangione, who has been charged with the murder. Mangione became somewhat of a pop culture icon, which prompted many to fundraise on his behalf. Back in December, GoFundMe removed several pages in connection to the accused killer, NBC reported. However, a fundraiser on GiveSendGo is still up and has reached over $1.2 million.
Eric Garner’s Killer, Ex-Officer Daniel Pantaleo
In 2014, Eric Garner was choked to death by New York City Police Officer Daniel Pantaleo. He was eventually fired from the department although he never faced any prison time. In fact, he filed a lawsuit hoping to get his job back in 2021, but failed. This led to a GoFundMe page being created on his behalf. It has since been removed but not before it raised more than $60,000, according to Newsweek.
Rodney Hinton Jr. Allegedly Avenges His Son’s Death
Rodney Hinton Jr. was arrested and charged with the murder of a Cincinnati police officer earlier this year. As we previously reported, Hinton Jr. allegedly rammed his car into Hamilton County Sheriff’s Deputy Larry Henderson just one day after his son, Ryan Hinton, was fatally shot by police. Many folks sympathized with the grieving father– although the courts say that is not excuse to deliberately commit murder. Still, a GoFundMe page raised $5,000 in support of Hinton Jr. before it was removed and refunded by the company, WCPO reported. Over 23,000 Ohio law enforcement personnel petitioned against the page. Hinton Jr. will go to trial in January 2026.
Victoria Jackson Allegedly Admits to Killing 10-Month-Old
A mother named Victoria Jackson set up her own GoFundMe page after being arrested for the murder of her 10-month-old son. According to WFTS, Jackson confessed to a friend that she put a pillow over her child’s face, killing him. She was charged with first-degree murder. The GoFundMe made over $4,000, WFTS reported. Now, it’s been taken down and donators were refunded.
George Floyd’s Killer, Ex-Officer Derek Chauvin
In 2020, the world was left stunned when Minneapolis Officer Derek Chauvin kneeled on George Floyd’s neck, killing him. The entire ordeal was caught on camera, and it sparked months of protests globally. Chauvin was eventually fired and convicted of the murder. Still, there are many who defend him. In fact, several social media pages are dedicated to exonerating Chauvin, including @freederekchauvin2022 on Instagram. The account also shared a GiveSendGo page created by Chauvin’s mother. It has raised $221,267.
Bodega Worker and Accused Killer Jose Alba
A 51-year-old New York City bodega worker, Jose Alba, was charged with the murder of a man named Austin Simon. According to Newsweek, surveillance footage shows Simon going behind the counter and attacking Alba. That’s when the 51-year-old grabbed a knife and stabbed Simon at least five times. He later died after being rushed to the hospital. Alba claimed self defense and launched a GoFundMe to help with legal fees, which was removed and refunded by the company for violating their terms of service. All charges against Alba have been dropped.
Kyle Rittenhouse GoFundMe Controversy
Kyle Rittenhouse became a household name after he was charged with the murder of Joseph Rosenbaum and Anthony Huber during a Black Lives Matter protest in 2020, we previously reported. Rittenhouse, who was only 17 years old at the time, was acquitted of all charges. He launched a GoFundMe which expectedly brought a lot of backlash. Still, the company came to his defense saying “Once charges for a violent crime were brought against Kyle Rittenhouse in 2020, GoFundMe removed fundraisers that were started for the defendant’s legal defense.” But now that he’s been acquitted, his GoFundMe page can stay.
Gabriel Davies, Convicted Teen Killer
In 2022, 16-year-old Gabriel Davies disappeared from his home in Washington. Police soon found blood in his abandoned truck, KIRO reported. As the search to find Davies continued, investigators also discovered the body of a relative of Davies, who had been fatally shot. Police quickly connected the dots and charged Davies with the crime. A GoFundMe for legal fees raised $21,000 before the company took it down and refunded donors. Davies and another teen pled guilty to the murder and were each sentenced to 12 years in prison, according to KOMO.
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