An increasing number of campaigns are being hosted by one of the nation’s leading crowdfunding platforms claiming to be collecting money on behalf of the family of Renee Good, the woman killed by an ICE agent this week in Minneapolis.
As of Jan. 9, one effort among the 30 or so leads the way with a tally topping $1.5 million, and it is the only one so far that GoFundMe has verified as legitimate.
“We are here brokenhearted and in awe of your generosity,” wrote Becka Tilsen, one of the organizers of the fast-growing fundraising effort.
On Friday, the organizers updated the page: “Thank you for your generosity. We’ve closed this GoFundMe and will place the funds in a trust for the family. If you’re looking to donate, we encourage you to support others in need. We’re truly grateful.”
The other GoFundMe campaigns had yet to get that stamp of approval as of midday Jan. 9, with at least two using images mistakenly presented as being of Good and many of them still waiting for a first donation.
GoFundMe’s Trust and Safety team is reviewing all fundraisers related to the shooting in Minneapolis, a spokeswoman for the company told the Minnesota Star Tribune.
At the same time, GoFundMe hopes to put at ease anyone considering donating to Good’s survivors.
All funds remain safely held by payment processors during the verification process, the spokeswoman said.
