A report from a group of House Democrats alleges that a Trump-backed organizer of America’s 250th birthday events may have duped donors. The report claims that donors who intended to support a bipartisan nonprofit, America250, were redirected to a separate nonprofit, Freedom 250, without their knowledge.

Allegations of Fraud

The report, compiled by Democratic staff on the House Natural Resources Committee, includes accounts from unnamed sources about donors who wanted to give to America250, but were given incorrect wire instructions so that their money would flow to Freedom 250. If true, the actions could constitute ‘potential wire fraud and charitable solicitation fraud,’ according to the report.

Freedom 250’s activities are largely overseen by top Trump aides, and it has taken steps to brand itself as the ‘nonpartisan’ group ‘leading the celebration’ of America’s birthday. However, the report echoes complaints from outside watchdog groups about a lack of transparency around the finances and operations of Freedom 250.

Events and Sponsors

Among the events organized by Freedom 250 are Trump’s Great American State Fair on the National Mall, an IndyCar race in Washington, DC, and the Patriot Games, a youth athletic contest. The group has also taken steps to secure sponsorships, with companies like Palantir, Lockheed Martin, and Oracle listed as sponsors on its website.

The report details an ongoing struggle between Freedom 250 and America250 over taxpayer funds, with committee Democrats alleging that the bipartisan nonprofit has been left with a shortfall of $100 million. The report also mentions Freedom 250 sponsorship packages that include V.I.P. event access, speaking roles at the national Fourth of July celebration, and an ‘historic photo opportunity’ with Trump for those who meet donation benchmarks.

Original reporting: KTVZ (Central Oregon) — read the source article.