In an effort to raise funds in support of Luigi Mangione, whom the police have accused as one of the shooters of UnitedHealthcare’s CEO, GoFundMe took quick action to remove all related fundraising efforts, whereas GiveSendGo maintained a fund for legal defense and exposed it, raising more than $75,000.
The response of GoFundMe was unequivocal. “GoFundMe’s Terms of Service prohibit fundraisers for the legal defense of violent crimes,” a platform representative stated. The company has been actively refunding donors who contributed to Mangione-related campaigns, effectively shutting down any financial support through their platform. NBC News confirmed the removal of three separate fundraisers targeting this specific case.
GoFundMe or GiveSendGo
In contrast, GiveSendGo, a Christian alternative crowdfunding platform, has embraced the fundraising effort. Alex Shipley, the platform’s communications director, articulated their stance: “We believe every person is entitled to due process in a court of law — not in the court of public opinion.”The platform emphasized the importance of ensuring fair legal representation, regardless of public sentiment.
GiveSendGo has been the host to many divisive campaigns that other platforms will refuse to support. They previously hosted legal defense funds for several controversial high-profile figures including Kyle Rittenhouse, participants of the Canadian trucker convoy, and people associated with the January 6th Capitol events. This fundraiser for Mangione continues the trend of supporting divisive legal defense efforts.
Interestingly, however, the support cuts across the traditional political divides. The fundraising group may seem like an outfit of one ideological bent, but it comes from all manner of progressive critics of the healthcare industry sympathetic to Mangione’s apparent frustrations with the for-profit healthcare systems.
Complex Digital Landscape of Support and Moderation
The digital response to Mangione’s case reveals a complex online moderation landscape. Platforms like Reddit and Meta have removed his accounts and associated content, but others like X (formerly Twitter) are more permissive. X reinstated Mangione’s account and verified it under their new verification policy.
The December 4th Legal Committee, a group of 15 volunteers spread across the United States, organized the GiveSendGo fundraiser. Spokesperson Sam Beard explained their motivation: “Some of us are people who experience the pain and brutality of for-profit healthcare daily, and others of us are experienced providing support to people facing trial.”
The fundraising campaign promises to either send proceeds directly to Mangione or use the funds to support other individuals they describe as “American political prisoners” if he declines the offer. However, in a CNN interview, Mangione’s attorney suggested he would likely not accept unsolicited funding.
Nuanced Support and Platform Principles
Mangione’s digital persona seems complex. His online was characterized by the propensity to follow right-of-center authors, share ‘anti-woke’ content, and make opinions about societal issues related to birth trends, gender issues, and digital media consumption. Such depth makes it difficult to categorize the reasons for following him.
GiveSendGo’s CEO, Jacob Wells, positioned the platform’s decision as a principled stand beyond political labeling. “We have been dragged through the media as far-right extremists, but what can they say now after allowing a legal defense fund for Luigi Mangione?” he wrote, suggesting the platform’s commitment extends beyond political stereotyping.
The ongoing saga highlights the evolving challenges of online content moderation, fundraising ethics, and the tension between protecting platform integrity and ensuring fair legal representation.
