GoFundMe account for boy whose bullying story went viral suspended

 

A GoFundMe account which was set up for the Tennessee boy, Keaton James, who in a teary video said that he was being bullied at school has been suspended by GoFundMe.

The account, was created on Saturday by a Joseph Lam from New Jersey, to help Keaton have a nice Christmas and by Monday, it had already raised over $57k.

The Facebook video, which was posted by Keaton’s mother, Kimberly Jones, on Friday and garnered over 18 million views, has since been deleted after an alleged Facebook post on Monday, showed her posing with a Confederate flag.

Many celebrities, including Demi Lovato, Chris Evans and Snoop Dogg, had tweeted their support for the boy.
But that account was immediately shut down by GoFundMe due to fraud concerns -- namely, whether it was really started by Kimberly.
MMA fighter Joe Schilling said he had exposed a woman claiming to be Kimberly Jones.
Schilling said in an Instagram video that he reached out to Jones offering to take her son to a Los Angeles show, but said she just “wants money” and wanted him to share a GoFundMe page.
Despite the backlash against Kimberly Keaton for posing with a confederate flag, Lam who created the GoFundMe account later posted, “THIS IS NOT ABOUT THE MOM!!” and added that he didn’t personally know the family but just wanted help Keaton. It’s also unclear where the funds will go.

A GoFundMe spokesman said the funds raised on Lam’s page so far are being suspended until the company verifies a campaign beneficiary. The company is working to make sure the money goes to Keaton, the spokesman said. So far, the company's been unable to reach his mom, Kimberly Jones.