GoFundMe has removed multiple fundraising campaigns supporting Decarlos Brown Jr., the ex-convict now charged with the fatal stabbing of Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska aboard a Charlotte light-rail train. The campaigns had raised significant public uproar, as they portrayed Brown as a victim of systemic injustice and invited financial support for his defense.
In response, the platform issued a firm statement: its rules explicitly prohibit raising money for anyone facing charges related to violent crimes. Consistent with policy, all funds raised were refunded to donors, and no exceptions were made.
The move followed widespread online condemnation, with many branding the fundraisers as deeply offensive to the memory of the deceased victim.