Fourteen state attorneys basic within the US have launched an investigation into FireAid, demanding solutions about how its organizers distributed the $100 million raised throughout a profit live performance for Los Angeles wildfire victims.
The inquiry, led by Oklahoma Lawyer Basic Gentner Drummond, facilities on rising complaints that fireside victims have acquired no direct help regardless of public guarantees that donations would go “on to the individuals who want it now.”
Drummond mentioned: “In Oklahoma and throughout the nation we witnessed the devastation inflicted on Los Angeles County by these large wildfires. Oklahomans are at all times fast to supply assist. It’s no shock that many donated to Hearth Assist to offer direct aid to victims, however now we’re seeing questions on whether or not these donations are getting used as meant.”
The January 2025 profit live performance collection was held on the Intuit Dome and the Kia Discussion board in Inglewood, California, drawing 50 million viewers.
As MBW beforehand reported, the full funds raised embrace ticket gross sales for the 2 live shows, sponsorships, merchandise gross sales, and donations from the general public, together with “beneficiant personal items” from the Azoff household, the Eagles, Andrew Hauptman and Ellen Bronfman Hauptman, and U2.
“Oklahomans are at all times fast to supply assist. It’s no shock that many donated to Hearth Assist to offer direct aid to victims, however now we’re seeing questions on whether or not these donations are getting used as meant.”
Gentner Drummond, Oklahoma Lawyer Basic
Republican Congressman Kevin Kiley has already pushed for a Division of Justice investigation, whereas US President Donald Trump labeled the hassle “a complete catastrophe” on Reality Social.
In response to the criticism, FireAid mentioned it has $75 million has been distributed throughout two phases to greater than 160 nonprofit organizations, colleges, and native teams that have been vetted by Goldman Sachs.
The remaining $25 million is predicted to be distributed by year-end, with all outcomes topic to an unbiased audit by KPMG in December 2025.
In a letter despatched August 6 to FireAid President Gillian Zucker, the attorneys basic gave the group 10 enterprise days to offer details about the way it distributed the funds, the way it vetted the organizations that acquired or will obtain grants, in addition to its relationship with The Annenberg Basis, amongst others.
“A big variety of latest stories have raised issues that fireside victims have but to obtain any funds or help from Hearth Assist or the frontline nonprofits and native organizations it partnered with to distribute direct help.”
Gentner Drummond, Oklahoma Lawyer Basic
The attorneys basic’s calls for embrace donation breakdowns by state, copies of grant agreements with recipient organizations, details about restrictions positioned on grant recipients, measures to make sure funds profit victims straight, and whether or not audit outcomes shall be made public.
Taking part attorneys basic signify Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, South Carolina, Texas, and Virginia.
Drummond mentioned: “A big variety of latest stories have raised issues that fireside victims have but to obtain any funds or help from Hearth Assist or the frontline nonprofits and native organizations it partnered with to distribute direct help.”
In his letter to Lawyer Basic Pam Bondi two weeks in the past, Rep. Kiley, who represents California’s third congressional district, mentioned a number of the nonprofits listed as beneficiaries of the FireAid live performance “don’t even function within the LA space.”
Citing an unbiased report by Fox11 in Los Angeles and Circling the Information, Rep. Kiley mentioned “have uncovered that these donations have been as an alternative diverted to quite a few nonprofits, a lot of which have a tenuous connection (at finest) to fireside aid and restoration.”
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