Dealing with a fundraiser con-artist / fraudster

Question

A group of us are aware of someone with a history of fraud/deception. We're seeing ongoing acts of fraud that we want to stop. Key facts about the person:

• Currently running a fundraiser for Louisiana (following the hurricane)
• Only $3,000 out of $24,000 raised has been given to the cause
• The fundraising site (GiveSendGo) seem uninterested in stopping the campaign
• Arrest warrants (hit and run, check fraud) in Orange County, from several years ago but still active
• Convictions for bribery, check fraud, vandalism
• Filed for bankruptcy in 2018
• Falsely claimed on social media to have law qualifications
• Ran a fundraiser in 2020 that had fraud complaints
• Claims to have been abused by many people, including many members of the clergy
• When asked questions on social media, she almost always blocks people
• Her family state that she is a pathological liar
• Many other deceptive acts to gain followers
• Orange County said her charges are not exdraditable
• Colorado fugitive task force said they couldn't extradite her

She changes address often. I believe she's in a hidden address identity program after claiming her ex-husband abused her, though the state she's in must know where she is from her PO box (I think I know which state, but won't specify it here).

I don't have time or money to invest into pursuing her, so I'm hoping there might be organisations or government departments etc. who might take on something like this. How to proceed?

Answer 1

The FBI provides guidance on how to Report Fraud:

If you're a victim of charity or disaster fraud or have information about these types of schemes, you can:

• Contact your state consumer protection office

• Report fraud to the FBI at tips.fbi.gov

• Report online fraud to the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3)

• File a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission ​(FTC)

• Report suspected disaster-related fraud to the National Center for Disaster Fraud

Answer 2

Usually, the FBI only takes on cases involving $75,000 or more (as of late 1990s, it may be higher now) as a matter of resource allocation priorities.

Usually, local DAs are too busy with blue collar crime cases to take something like this on unless it is really, really big, or very influential people politically want to do something about it.

The best bet in terms of getting someone to take on the case other than a private attorney would be the state attorney general's office, as that office generally has supervisory authority over charities in the state, and handles more white collar crime cases. This said, it is often hard to get any public official to take action in a case like the one that you describe.