Let me be clear about the Karmelo Anthony fundraiser. Because the speculation is traveling and the facts aren't.
FACT: The fundraiser was created by Karmelo's mother, Kala Hayes, on April 15, 2025 less than two weeks after the incident. Stated goal: $1,396,725.
FACT: As of his sentencing, the fund had raised approximately $629,724 less than half the original goal.
FACT: In 2025, GiveSendGo's co-founder confirmed to multiple outlets that the family had NOT withdrawn any money from the fund at that time. The claim that they'd already bought a house and car with donations was rated FALSE.
FACT: GiveSendGo's official June 2026 statement says funds were disbursed over the past year for "lawful purposes, including legal defense and family relocation."
FACT: The relocation happened because the family was doxed and received threats. GiveSendGo's founder told Fox News in 2025 that funds would go toward a "secure location for them to live." This was a safety measure, not a luxury purchase.
FACT: GiveSendGo's founder told TMZ that no money was used toward Karmelo's bond.
FACT: The day after the conviction, GiveSendGo unpublished the page citing their policy that a fundraiser's stated purpose must stay accurate, and the case was now resolved.
FACT: Donations continued pouring in even AFTER the guilty verdict and 35-year sentence the fund grew by over $4,000 overnight post-sentencing before it was shut down.
FACT: A NEW fundraiser has reportedly been started by Dominique Alexander, a Dallas civil rights activist serving as the family's spokesman.
FACT: Karmelo Anthony himself filed his appeal by hand, describing himself as "penniless, destitute, and indigent" despite the public narrative about hundreds of thousands of dollars.
So what's the truth? The family received money for legal defense and for relocating after being doxed and threatened. The claims of misappropriation that spread in 2025 were rated false at the time. What happens with the new fund going forward is worth watching, but the smears about the original fund don't hold up against what GiveSendGo and the family have actually stated on record.
THOUGHTS: The roughly $630K raised was reportedly spent on legal defense and relocation over the past year and Karmelo’s own appeal filing describes him as penniless. Whatever cushion existed appears to be gone.
Karmelo Anthony. Say his name.
Stay Dangerous.
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