Nearly six years after George Floyd’s murder sparked a worldwide reckoning over police brutality, some members of his family are demanding answers about another issue that has been lingering in the background. What happened to the millions of dollars donated in his name?
According to TMZ, George Floyd’s siblings Zsazsa, LaTonya and Rodney Floyd are demanding a complete accounting of the George Floyd Memorial GoFundMe campaign, which reportedly raised approximately $19 million. A Houston-based attorney representing the three relatives sent Philonise Floyd, George’s brother, a letter requesting financial records, including GoFundMe reports, bank statements, transaction histories, tax filings and other documents detailing how the money was handled and distributed.
The relatives say they are George’s heirs and believe they are entitled to a portion of the money, but claim they have repeatedly asked for documentation explaining where the funds went without receiving satisfactory answers. They gave Philonise 20 days to provide the requested records, while their attorney indicated that they hoped the dispute could be resolved without turning it into a bigger legal battle.
And because apparently nothing surrounding George Floyd’s case can happen without another layer of questions, the family members also say they reached out to attorney Ben Crump for answers and received no response. Rodney Floyd told TMZ that the family wants to understand how financial decisions were made and make sure their questions are answered.
“We want to see the records, understand how decisions were made, and make sure the family’s questions are answered. We’re speaking up because transparency matters.”
That demand is particularly significant considering how enormous the fundraiser became. TMZ previously reported that the campaign collected nearly $13 million from roughly 500,000 donations within just over a week, making it a GoFundMe record at the time. Philonise Floyd had previously said the money would help cover funeral and burial expenses, counseling, travel related to court proceedings and other family needs, with some funds going toward George’s estate and his children’s education.
Now, some of George’s relatives are asking to see the receipts. And considering the amount of money involved, “trust us” just ain’t gonna cut it.
