The update we issued earlier enabled all donors to get a refund and outlined a plan to distribute remaining funds to verified charities selected by the Freedom Convoy organizers. However, due to donor feedback, we are simplifying the process and automatically refunding donations.
— GoFundMe (@gofundme) February 5, 2022
Crowdfunding platform says it will automatically refund $10 million in donations
Facing a potential fraud investigation by the state of Florida, GoFundMe reversed a decision to redistribute money given by thousands of donors to the Canadian "Freedom Convoy" protesting COVID-19 regulations.
On Friday, the crowdfunding platform GoFundMe froze the convoy's official campaign, claiming law enforcement convinced the company that the convoy had become violent and unlawful.
GoFundMe encouraged donors to submit a refund form, and said that any funds not properly returned to donors would be donated to a charity chosen by the Freedom Convoy.
Within hours, however, GoFundMe walked back the refund applications, instead announcing it would be refunding donors automatically.
Read more ....
WNU Editor: The backlash has been brutal .... Elon Musk slams GoFundMe for bowing to Trudeau and CANCELING Freedom Truckers - while allowing BLM donations: Site refuses to return $9M and will instead distribute it to charities it deems fit as Canadian PM is branded a 'dictator' (Daily Mail).
And talk about double-standards.
GoFundMe permitted their site to be used in raising funds to bail violent BLM rioters out of jail. GoFundMe also promoted the ANTIFA-occupied CHOP zone in Seattle. But Canadian truck drivers are more violent and unlawful?!?!?!?
And it gets better.
I am still stunned on the audacity of GoFundMe to commandeer $10M in donations sent to support Canadian truckers and then decide to give it to causes of their own choosing. If that is not fraud, I do not know what is.
Not surprising, GoFundMe has reversed their position and is now in damage control. But I think it is too late. The damage has already been done.
Update: The Canadian truckers have set up a new donation site at GiveSendSo (link here). They have already raised over $1.5M USD. Unfortunately they are now experiencing heavy DDOS and bot attacks (see tweet below). My advice is that if you want to donate, you will have to be patient.
Update#2: The best offense against these people and organizations is to mock them (see tweet below):We have been under heavy DDOS and bot attacks. In spite of all of this we still have managed to raise funds 5X faster than the gfm did. GFM raised 10mil in 3 weeks. GSG campaign has already raised over 1.1mil in just over 12 hours!
— GiveSendGo (@GiveSendGo) February 5, 2022
GoFundMe Freezes Funds For Child's Heart Surgery After Finding Out He Supports Trucker Protest https://t.co/kk8EK6UhPl
— The Babylon Bee (@TheBabylonBee) February 5, 2022