In 2020, George Floyd’s memorial GoFundMe raised $14.7 million; six years later, three of his siblings are asking brother Philonise for a full accounting of the fundraiser and its distributions
When George Floyd was killed in Minneapolis in May 2020, donations quickly poured into a GoFundMe campaign created to support his family and help with expenses following his death. The fundraiser became one of the platform’s most heavily supported campaigns that year. Now, six years later, questions have emerged within Floyd’s family over how the money was handled. According to a report by TMZ, three of Floyd’s siblings, Zsazsa Floyd, LaTonya Floyd and Rodney Floyd, are seeking a complete accounting from their brother Philonise Floyd. They are asking for financial records showing how donations were received, managed and distributed.
A fundraiser that drew millions in donations
The GoFundMe campaign was launched in the aftermath of Floyd’s death and quickly attracted support from donors across the United States and around the world. GoFundMe itself later said more than 500,000 people donated to the Official George Floyd Memorial Fund, making it the fundraiser with the most individual donations on the platform at the time. The company’s 2020 year-end report said the campaign had raised $14.7 million from those donors. The amount cited in the family’s latest request is higher. According to TMZ, an August 11 letter sent to Philonise Floyd by a Houston-based lawyer on behalf of Zsazsa, LaTonya and Rodney says the fundraiser collected about $19 million.That difference is worth noting because the two figures come from different points or accounts of the fundraiser. GoFundMe’s 2020 figure was $14.7 million, while the more recent family letter refers to approximately $19 million collected by the campaign.
Three siblings want the financial records
The three siblings are now asking to see documentation connected to the fundraiser and its finances. According to the letter obtained by TMZ, their request includes GoFundMe reports, bank or account statements, transaction histories, tax filings and other financial records associated with the campaign. The family members say they have previously asked for information about how the money was handled and distributed but have not received the documentation they were seeking.The letter reportedly gave Philonise Floyd 20 days from the date he received it to provide the requested records. The attorney representing the three siblings said the matter could be resolved amicably. The siblings also maintain that they are among Floyd’s heirs and say they believe they have not received what they consider their fair share of the money. That is their position as described in the letter and reported by TMZ; the current dispute does not by itself establish how the fundraiser’s funds were legally required to be distributed.
What the money was originally meant to cover
When the campaign was launched, the purpose extended beyond funeral expenses. Philonise Floyd had said the money would help with funeral and burial costs, counselling, travel associated with court proceedings and other needs of the family. He also said that part of the money would go to Floyd’s estate to support his children and their education, according to TMZ’s account of the fundraiser. The campaign’s extraordinary response was evident almost immediately. TMZ reported that it had received nearly $13 million from almost 500,000 donations little more than a week after it began, setting a GoFundMe record at the time. GoFundMe subsequently included the fundraiser among its top campaigns of 2020.
Why the records are now being requested
The latest dispute centres on transparency rather than the original public response to Floyd’s death. The three siblings want to understand how decisions were made about the money and where the funds ultimately went. Rodney Floyd told TMZ that the family wants to see the records and understand how decisions concerning the funds were made. The request also comes against the backdrop of a fundraiser that attracted an unusually large number of individual donors. GoFundMe’s own account shows that more than half a million people contributed, meaning the campaign involved a substantial amount of money and a large donor base.The GoFundMe platform says it has systems for reporting concerns about fundraisers and protecting beneficiaries. Its current Beneficiary Guarantee says people who believe they are owed donations can report the issue to the company for review.
A dispute six years after Floyd’s death
The new request does not change the historical significance of the fundraiser, which became one of the largest individual campaigns on GoFundMe following Floyd’s death. Instead, it brings renewed attention to what happened to the money after it was collected. For now, the three siblings are seeking records and an accounting from Philonise Floyd. According to TMZ, they have also sought answers from attorney Ben Crump but say they did not receive a response.The next step will depend on whether the requested financial records are provided and whether the family can resolve its questions privately. The dispute remains centred on the accounting and distribution of funds from a campaign that, within weeks of its launch in 2020, had already drawn hundreds of thousands of donors and millions of dollars in support.
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