As reported earlier… On Friday, GoFundMe announced that they would not give the $10 million to the freedom-fighting Canadian truckers that was raised for them on the GoFundMe fundraising platform.
In their statement to the truckers, GoFundMe called the peaceful protest an “occupation” and claimed the protest included “acts of violence” and “other unlawful activity.”
In their public statement, GoFundMe also explained that they would not automatically refund the donors. Instead, they said they would allow the truckers to keep the $1 million they collected earlier in the week, and the remaining $9 million would be donated to groups GoFundMe considers “credible,” and “established.”
GoFundme later this morning announced they will now give the donations back to their donors. But they are still canceling the Freedom Convoy fundraiser.
That’s when Florida Governor Ron DeSantis stepped in.
On Saturday morning Florida Governor Ron DeSantis announced he will launch an investigation into GoFundMe following their attempt to commandeer donations and give them to charities.
It is a fraud for @gofundme to commandeer $9M in donations sent to support truckers and give it to causes of their own choosing.
I will work with @AGAshleyMoody to investigate these deceptive practices — these donors should be given a refund.
— Ron DeSantis (@GovRonDeSantis) February 5, 2022
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Governor Ron DeSantis says it is “fraud GoFundMe to commandeer donations” from the truckers. The governor promises to work with Flordia’s attorney general to investigate GoFundMe’s “deceptive practices.”
— Election Wizard 🚛 (@ElectionWiz) February 5, 2022
UPDATE– The Georgia AG will also investigate GoFundme.
Just spoke with Georgia Attorney General @ChrisCarr_Ga who said he will have his team look into GoFundMe’s theft of millions of dollars from hardworking Americans supporting the #FreedomConvoy.
Good on him. This is how we fight back.
— CJ Pearson (@thecjpearson) February 5, 2022