Attorney General James Sues NYCharities.org For Missing Funds

NYCharities.org Failed to Turn Over Hundreds of Thousands of Dollars 
in Contributions to New York Charitable Organizations

NEW YORK — Attorney General Letitia James today sued NYCharities.org, an online fundraising platform, for failing to distribute more than $750,000 in contributions to charities throughout New York.

“I will not allow greed to profit off of the generosity of New Yorkers without a fight,” said Attorney General Letitia James. “Leaving New York charitable donors uncertain if their donations will ever make it to their intended cause is unacceptable. My office is committed to maintaining the integrity of New York’s charitable sector and protecting those who contribute to it.”  

The lawsuit, filed in New York State Supreme Court today, follows an investigation conducted by the Attorney General’s Charities Bureau, which received more than 125 complaints from New York State charities. The complaints allege that those charities, which had entrusted NYCharities.org;to collect contributions on their behalf, have not received those contributions since May 2019. The claims of unpaid contributions range from $200 to more than $100,000.

The lawsuit seeks a preliminary injunction freezing NYCharities.org’s bank accounts, an accounting of all funds collected on behalf of New York charities, and appointment of a receiver to oversee payment of those funds to the charities to which they belong. The Attorney General is also seeking to bar NYCharities.org permanently from conducting any activity in New York.

This case is being handled by Assistant Attorney General Steven Shiffman, with the assistance of Enforcement Section Chiefs Yael Fuchs and Emily Stern, all under the supervision of Charities Bureau Deputy Chief Karin Kunstler Goldman. James G. Sheehan is the Chief of the Charities Bureau. The Charities Bureau is overseen by Chief Deputy Attorney General for Social Justice Meghan Faux.