$20 MILLION RAISED IN GOFUNDME FOR BORDER WALL BEING RETURNED
GoFundMe is returning more than $20 million in donations that was raised from over 325,000 people to build a wall on the border with Mexico after the goal of the fundraiser was changed.
Iraq war veteran Brian Kolfage started the "We the People Will Build the Wall" fundraiser on December 16th with a goal of $1 billion, and it raised more than $20.2 million. But while the original intent was to give the money to the government, Kolfage told donors Friday that the campaign would instead move to a newly-founded nonprofit. Because that wasn't what the fundraiser's stated intent, the money will have to be returned.
Kolfage said he'd changed direction because political and security specialists told him the government wouldn't be able to accept the donations, quote, "anytime soon," so he created a nonprofit called We Build the Wall, Inc. He said he believes his new group can build a wall in less time and for less money than the government, and asked donors to redirect their GoFundMe contributions to the new nonprofit.
If donors want to redirect their money that way, they have to indicate that, otherwise the money will be returned to them.
(Pulse Networks)