Outline:
LEWISTON, Maine (NewsNation) — Victims’ survivors and family members from Maine’s most severe mass shooting claim they were assured that 100% of the donations would be directed to them, but found out a year later that almost $2 million had been given to 29 non-profit organizations, including groups supporting immigrant populations and one that is under investigation for fraud allegations.
In a network exclusive, NewsNation investigated the deceptive tactics that have angered the community.
The Lewiston-Auburn Area Response Fund was created by the Maine Community Foundation following a shooting at a bowling alley in October 2023 that resulted in 18 fatalities and 13 injuries. Those affected and their relatives claim they were repeatedly assured that all contributions would be directed toward survivors and their families.
They informed us that night that 100 percent of the funds would be given to the victims,” said Jennifer Zanca, a nurse who was shot twice during the attack and applied pressure to her own injury to prevent excessive bleeding. “And I also received an email about it.
A message from the Maine Community Foundation indicated that the fund was established “to help ensure survivors and victims are aware that 100% of all contributions are directed to the victims/survivors of this heartbreaking incident.”
However, Amy Sussman, whose nephew Max Hathaway died in the incident, looked into the fund’s allocation a year later and discovered that $1.9 million was directed to non-profit organizations instead of the victims.
“To discover that 29 non-profit organizations receive funds from that source, I didn’t grasp that,” Sussman stated.
Hathaway, 35, was a married father of two, expecting a third child, when he passed away. His wife was seven and a half months pregnant during that time.
He was my sister’s only son, the middle child. He had an older sister and a younger sister. He became the head of the family at the age of 14,” Sussman said. “On that day, he had just received his college degree in the mail. He and his wife, along with their 19-month-old daughter, went to Schmengie’s for dinner to celebrate getting that diploma.
29 non-profit organizations received financial support; nine focus exclusively on immigrant populations
Nine of the 29 funded organizations focus exclusively on immigrant populations, such as Empowered Immigrant Women Unite, Generation Noor, New Mainers Public Health Initiative, the Somali Bantu Community Association, and Gateway Community Services.
Gateway Community Services, which received $65,000 from the fund, has faced allegations of misusing public money and was recently inspected by Homeland Security agents after NewsNation’s coverage. The organization’s executive director, Nathan Davis, was a member of the fund’s oversight committee.
Following the publication of this story by NewsNation, the Maine Community Foundation noted that Gateway consists of two distinct organizations.
Gateway Community Services, an LLC under investigation, has not received any funding from the Maine Community Foundation. Gateway Community Services Maine, the nonprofit organization, has received financial support.
However, our report indicates that the nonprofit is part of the LLC, located in the same building, and founded by Somali-American Abdullahi Ali, who has been identified as a person of interest by the House Oversight Committee, according to a letter addressed to Secretary Scott Bessent. In light of the recent attention, Ali has recently put his home up for sale.
Survivors face challenges with healthcare costs
Zanca, who was given $32,000 from the fund, mentioned that she had a $93,000 medical bill she couldn’t afford as she went through several surgeries.
“It wasn’t until I faced a $93,000 medical bill I couldn’t afford that it truly affected me and caused me emotional distress,” she stated.
When informed that Gateway Community Services received more funding than she did, Zanca stated, “It kind of re-victimizes you, you know, it just doesn’t feel fair, doesn’t feel right.”
“They generated funds for charities by leveraging the tragedies of 18 individuals who were killed, 13 who were injured, and 136 who survived attempts on their lives,” Sussman stated.
Former Governor LePage calls for an audit and the return of nonprofit distributions
The Maine Community Foundation refused to grant an interview but mentioned in a statement that it was evident from the beginning there were two separate funds, and that “communication to those who received the Victims and Families Fund specified that fund exclusively.”
Former Maine Governor Paul LePage is calling for a full audit and wants funds given to non-profit organizations to be returned to the victims.
Approximately $2 million was directed towards non-profit organizations, with many of them being local. The Somali community, in particular, received a significant amount of funding, though I’m unsure of the reason,” LePage stated. “I am extremely angry. I am very upset. No one was aware that the funds would be distributed to non-profits.”
LePage compared the situation to fraud cases in Minnesota connected to Somali-related groups that have caused billions in damages.
The main difference is in Minnesota, they’re taking money from taxpayers,” LePage stated. “In Maine, they’re taking from taxpayers and the victims of a massacre that occurred two years ago, which I find completely horrifying. And we have an administration that isn’t saying anything about it.
Survivors claim donors thought they were supporting victims of shootings, not local community groups.
“People visited that website because they were reacting to people being shot, not because they were responding to a community with nonprofit organizations in need,” Sussman said.
“There are many people in the larger community who are angry, saying, no, we sent our money to the victims. Where did it go?” Zanca stated.
The Maine Community Foundation states that the state’s Attorney General looked into how money was gathered and given out, and found no evidence of any improper actions.
Sussman states that she reached out to the Maine Attorney General’s office and requested an investigation. They conducted one and informed Sussman that there was “no legal violation according to Maine nonprofit or charity law.”
But Sussman said to NewsNation, “They followed the donors’ intention by giving the funds donated for non-profits to those non-profits. The list of non-profits wasn’t provided when the money was given, which is important. And it seems that misleading survivors and family members isn’t illegal.” Sussman is collaborating with VictimsFirst.Org to push for laws that safeguard survivors and family members from non-profits benefiting from a shooting.
The incident took place on October 25, 2023, and resulted in casualties aged between 14 and 76, marking it as the most severe mass shooting in Maine’s history.
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