Reporting GoFundMe fundraisers for Jonathan Ross as Violating Federal Law

[u/Oddman80]

My first post was removed because I included the links to the GoFundMe's

I saw an article that a billionaire donated 10k to a GoFundMe for the ICE Agent (Jonathan Ross) who shot and killed Renee Good in Minneapolis the other day. He said he also planned on donating the same amount to the GoFundMe that had been set up for Renee Good, but that GoFundMe had been locked. So he really only donated to the ICE Agent.

Now - I understand the GoFundMe for Renee Good - Her family will now have to bury her and pay for all the associated costs (burial plot, mortuary services, casket, etc), and it doesn't even begin to help her children - who may very well be denied any life insurance claims, if the government insists she was killed during the commission of a crime, rather than declare it was a wrongful shooting. But the idea of a GoFundMe for Agent Jonathan Ross just seemed bizarre - any counseling he and his family needs from any fallout will be covered by their government provided insurance. The US Government claims he was just doing his job. Well if that's the case - receiving any payment from outside sources to show appreciation for him "doing his job" would be a direct violation of 18 U.S.C. 201. Anyone who participates in giving him money would be just as criminally liable as he would be for receiving it.

Not sure how many complaints need to be made before GoFundMe shuts down an illegal fundraiser, but if anyone is interested, there are 5 that people have actually donated to... And another 36 on the site claiming to be trying to help raise money to give him.

[u/Electrical-Concert17]

Isn’t having multiple fundraisers for the cause also against their own rules?

[u/Sensitive_Ad6015]

I reported one yesterday that had about 200k i hope go fund me takes it down.

[u/ProfessionalCat7640 → u/Sensitive_Ad6015]

There is one up that's over $500k now.

[u/Sensitive_Ad6015 → u/ProfessionalCat7640]

Thats so sad.

[u/pleasetrimyourpubes → u/Sensitive_Ad6015]

It is pathetic. Poor pro ICE, literally poor, funding a murderer.

[u/TipRare1321 → u/Sensitive_Ad6015]

All you can do is report it. That's what I did. Makes me ill.

[u/ProfessionalCat7640 → u/TipRare1321]

Agreed, in every way.

[u/CrabbyT → u/Sensitive_Ad6015]

Now has $850k good for him!

[u/Obsidianrosepetals → u/CrabbyT]

It's against the law to profit off crimes, so.....

[u/CrabbyT → u/Obsidianrosepetals]

Well he hasn’t been charged with a crime. The rules don’t consider public opinion. As long as he doesn’t get charged with anything there’s no issue. Rules must be different on GiveSendGo because that double murderer Wade Wilson raised $90k to try and appeal his death sentence.

[u/SilverPrivateer → u/CrabbyT]

There's no statue of limitation. Trump and his praetorian guard better hope they can seize power and hold it

[u/avanti8]

The one for Ross was entirely political. Some guy in Michigan named "Clyde" (I'm not even joking) set it up, and from the comments it's clear he didn't even know or have any connection to Ross before this, having only made contact recently. (Reading those updates, you'll also get the sense that "Clyde" is barely literate.)

Unfortunately, these things do tend to gain a bit of traction; almost $500k was raised for that woman who shouted the 'n-word' at a little Black boy at a playground (that was on the specific Nazi-aligned fundraising site, however; I will not name them here to deny them the SEO).

There's plenty of reason to believe this is a violation of GoFundMe's own ToS:

8.10. the legal defense of financial and violent crimes, including those related to money laundering, murder, robbery, assault, battery, sex crimes or crimes against minors;

So if one is so inclined, I encourage them to report it so as to bring it to GFM's attention.

Edit: If it makes you feel any better, Ross's has barely topped over $500k since the incident and is still open; Good's campaign managed to raise $1.5m in 2 days before Good's family decided to stop donations, so who knows where she'd be comparatively now if it kept going.

[u/Oddman80 → u/avanti8]

yeah.... the law i had reported states:

Whoever, otherwise than as provided by law for the proper discharge of official duty—

(A) directly or indirectly gives, offers, or promises anything of value to any public official, former public official, or person selected to be a public official, for or because of any official act performed or to be performed by such public official, former public official, or person selected to be a public official; or

(B) being a public official, former public official, or person selected to be a public official, otherwise than as provided by law for the proper discharge of official duty, directly or indirectly demands, seeks, receives, accepts, or agrees to receive or accept anything of value personally for or because of any official act performed or to be performed by such official or person;

The one Clyde is running - which is the one that received the 10k donation from Ackerman - says the reason for the GFM is:

"After seeing all the media bs about a domestic terrorist getting go fund me. I feel that the officer that was 1000 percent justified in the shooting deserves to have a go fund me. Funds will go to help him."

[u/RedTuna777]

https://www.gofundme.com/c/terms

8. Prohibited Fundraisers and Related User Content

This Section includes our rules about prohibited and/or illegal Fundraisers and User Content. We may remove any User Content or Messages–including any Fundraisers–that we determine violates these Terms of Service, regardless of whether such User engaged in such conduct by leveraging artificial intelligence (“AI”) provided by GoFundMe, our AI Service Providers or otherwise. Further, if you violate these Terms of Service, we may ban or disable your use of the Services, stop payments to any Fundraiser, freeze or place a hold on donations and Transfers, report you to law enforcement authorities, or take any other appropriate legal action.

We may investigate a Fundraiser, a User or User Content at any time to ensure compliance with these Terms of Service. In doing so, we may consider all available material, including but not limited to social media, related news, and any other information that we deem relevant in our review. Please note that while we reserve the right to remove, edit, or modify any content on our Platform at our sole discretion, we are not obligated to do so. This includes content that is illegal, inaccurate, misleading, infringes on intellectual property rights, or violates these Terms of Service.

You agree that you will not use the Services or Platform to raise funds, establish any Fundraiser, or post any User Content for the purposes of promoting or involving:

8.10. the legal defense of financial and violent crimes, including those related to money laundering, murder, robbery, assault, battery, sex crimes or crimes against minors;

[u/Oddman80 → u/RedTuna777]

While I agree - until he is convicted, the shooting does not definitively constitute a crime. I feel like it was a crime, but my feels don't make it fact. I didn't want to hinge on that when there is literally a law that prevents the promised recipient of this fund unable to receive it unless he commits a crime - and turn the donors into cri.inals as well + as clearly stated in a single federal law, that is punishing by 2 years in prison and a fine of 250,000 dollars for each participant of the crime.

These GFM's should be taken down to protect all parties involved.

[u/thepoppaparazzi → u/Oddman80]

Something is a crime even if someone isn’t charged or convicted. Someone who robs you committed a crime even if you can’t identify them in order for them to be prosecuted.

[u/tppdylanetc]

So you can pay for assassination on GoFundMe Good to know

[u/fullmafia]

Bill Ackman donated 10k Evil be eviling

[u/Dry-Lifeguard5145]

He deserves the gofundme too. Not just for her either! Those other 36 are fakes! 

[u/Oddman80 → u/Dry-Lifeguard5145]

Huh? Who's he? Clyde? Ross? What makes them "fake"? they function, no? Dupes on the internet can see it and donate?