The plot thickens

[Pea-n-Me]

Anyone else following this story? What are your thoughts about it?

https://abc7news.com/society/homeless-man-suing-couple-over-$400000-gofundme-campaign/4088687/

 

[nkereina]

If its true the couple spent part of the money for themselves, that's disgusting. But I don't fault them for holding the money until he can show he wants to be off drugs and turn his life around. As a friend and relative of two drug addicts, I know firsthand that this kind of windfall would send them into a downward drug induced spiral. I'm hoping the couple can or does hold the money in some kind of a trust, and if the man wants help, it can be used to pay for a rehab center and eventually a down payment on an apartment or something like that. I'm sure those who donated would rather see it this way too, even if it means the man doesn't have direct access to the money right away.

 

[wenrob]

I have no idea of the legalities for Go Fund Me accounts but I can’t see where this guy has a case. The people who donated maybe. $400,000 would go a long way in helping a lot of homeless.

I watched a 20/20 on Skid Row the other night. My overall take away is that a good majority of these people do not want to be “saved.” It doesn’t sound like this guy wants to be saved either. I certainly wouldn’t hand over $400,000 to him all at once.

 

[FlightlessDuck]

My biggest problem with GoFundMe campaigns like this is you don't always know who started it. You get suckered into donating money to someone like this man, only to find out the campaign was started by somebody else who probably has a decent amount of money to begin with. It's super unethical and just plain crappy.

 

[TheIncredibles!]

The money was raised for the man as a result of his act of kindness. The couple just started the fund, it's not their money and they should not be controlling it at all. If the guy wants to spend his money on drugs that's his choice.

 

[robinb]

They have been told to hand over the money to the homeless man's lawyer:

https://abcnews.go.com/US/judge-orders-couple-hand-remainder-400k-raised-homeless/story?id=57500762

 

[gotomu212]

This whole thing seems really sketchy to me. They seem to want to be in control of everything. I don’t get why they would have any problems handing it over to a court appointed trustee or to his lawyer if they don’t want to give to him directly. Their arguments that he spent some of the money to send to his family or pay legal bills seems odd. Why can’t he make the choice to do that?

At the same time they took a ton of trips, bought a used (but luxury) car, and did some major home improvement during this period on what doesn’t sound like overly large salaries. They even admit to using some money to gamble, although they claim they paid it back. Why would they ever think they could touch this money for that?

 

[BLAZEY]

The money should be put in some sort of trust. Doled out to cover living and or medical expenses. I'm sure that was the reason people donated in the first place to help him get started again with a roof over his head, clothes and food in his belly.

 

[nkereina]

The money was raised for the man as a result of his act of kindness. The couple just started the fund, it's not their money and they should not be controlling it at all. If the guy wants to spend his money on drugs that's his choice.

I hear this. But if the man were to blow a large sum of money on drugs and die of an overdose, could the couple be culpable for putting the money in his hands? Just asking the question, I have no idea. And even from a moral standpoint, this couple would (hopefully) feel horrible if that happened. I didn't contribute to this campaign, but if I had, I would want to know the money was going towards getting him on his feet. I can't imagine a single person would want it turned over knowing it would go straight to drugs.

The money should be put in some sort of trust. Doled out to cover living and or medical expenses. I'm sure that was the reason people donated in the first place to help him get started again with a roof over his head, clothes and food in his belly.

Yes, this! Exactly what I said as well. Couldn't agree more.

 

[smokeyblue]

There are wildly different accounts of the situation from various different sources out there. The long and short is that the couple has no legal claim to the money. They need to give it back and hope that what they've done isn't constituted as fraud because they could be looking at some criminal proceedings as well.

The lesson, don't fundraise without a trust in place.

 

[Cannot_Wait_4Disney]

They have been told to hand over the money to the homeless man's lawyer:

https://abcnews.go.com/US/judge-orders-couple-hand-remainder-400k-raised-homeless/story?id=57500762

What is left of it anyway.

 

[marcyleecorgan]

Good grief these crowdfunding things never go well... aside from the fact that the companies take a 30% cut of the money...

 

[gotomu212]

Despite being told by the judge to turn the money over to an attorney to be held in a client trust on Friday, the couple didn’t. The lawyer is now stating there’s nothing left...which is really interesting since the couple told Megan Kelly that at least $150k was left. I think this couple is in big time trouble at this point.


https://6abc.com/society/all-gofundme-money-is-gone-attorney-for-homeless-man-says/4144230/

 

[smokeyblue]

Despite being told by the judge to turn the money over to an attorney to be held in a client trust on Friday, the couple didn’t. The lawyer is now stating there’s nothing left...which is really interesting since the couple told Megan Kelly that at least $150k was left. I think this couple is in big time trouble at this point.


https://6abc.com/society/all-gofundme-money-is-gone-attorney-for-homeless-man-says/4144230/

These people are going to prison.

 

[ronandannette]

I have no idea of the legalities for Go Fund Me accounts but I can’t see where this guy has a case. The people who donated maybe. $400,000 would go a long way in helping a lot of homeless.

I watched a 20/20 on Skid Row the other night. My overall take away is that a good majority of these people do not want to be “saved.” It doesn’t sound like this guy wants to be saved either. I certainly wouldn’t hand over $400,000 to him all at once.

My DH volunteers at a rehab/shelter and oh my, most of the clients are a far-cry from just being down on their luck. A simple and sincere hand-up will not reintegrate them back into productive society. Heck, many of them never came from that in the first place. In addition to addiction and frequently mental illness, they often have extremely anti-social personalities and were raised in such dysfunction they don't even comprehend "normal life" as we'd recognize it, much less truly desire it.

However well-intentioned, the donors to that fund made a mistake in thinking no-strings-attached money would magically change this man. Give it to him or don't, but realistic expectations should be that it's basically going to be "wasted" from the point of view of most donors. As to the fund organizers? Clearly they deserve whatever legal consequences can be brought to bear for their theft/fraud. Does anybody know if Go-Fund-Me donations can be returned to the donors? I think that's what's in order here with whatever is left.

 

[teller80]

I see that Go Fund Me said any money misspent will be guaranteed by the company. Is that normal? That just seems like they're opening themselves up to a whole lot of future claims of mismanagement.

 

[tvguy]

There is a reason may people call Go Fund Me.......Go Fraud Me

 

[Heidict]

Gee, why am I not surprised that there is now no money left of the $400,000 raised? They have been living it up, all the while trying to justify their theft. Hope they are charged. I don't know with what, but they need to be made to pay back all the money they can't account for at least.

What he does with the money that was donated to him is his business.

 

[North of Mouse]

Go Fund Me has gotten totally out of hand. No matter what happens, the first thought seems to be - oh, let's set up a Go Fund Me to pay our bills!! People can be so gullible.

I'm all for helping legitimate situations/people. But the amounts I can give will be given on a local level where I can 'see' the situation and know what the money is truly going for.

I know someone personally that said they were going to set one up for a sudden illness (they didn't have to have the money) but thankfully rethought the situation and didn't.

 

[focusondisney]

These people are going to prison.

Let’s hope so.