US Sen seeks FTC probe on GoFundMe for seizing truckers' funds over Ottawa protest

American senator Ted Cruz on Feb. 6, Sunday urged the Federal Trade Commission to investigate the online crowdfunding platform GoFundMe after it seized almost $10 million in donations for Canada’s truckers’ ‘Freedom Convoy’ against Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s vaccine mandates. “We now have evidence from law enforcement that the previously peaceful demonstration has become an occupation, with police reports of violence and other unlawful activity,” GoFundMe wrote in a statement.

the crowdfunding platform added that the proceeds will be transferred to other established charities as verified by GoFundMe, an announcement that caused a widespread backlash online.  

American and Canadian lawmakers against PM Justin Trudeau’s stringent COVID-19 policies called out the so-called ‘hypocrisy’ of the crowdfunding platform. Several including SpaceX CEO Elon Musk called GoFundMe ‘professional thieves’ for stealing the donations. GoFundMe stated that it was removing the fundraiser for the truckers' efforts due to alleged violent behaviour, and had initially said that would divert the funds to the charities of its choice. Following the public outcry, including from Florida GOP Gov. Ron DeSantis, it backpaddled its decision on Saturday and asked donors to submit a request for a full refund until February 19, 2022. DeSantis had threatened to submit a request to the state's attorney general to investigate the platform for illegally holding the donations. 

Senator Ted Cruz, meanwhile said, that he sent a letter to the Federal Trade Commission and had asked for an official probe into GoFundMe, whether the platform “committed deceptive trade practices.” The Texas Republican said in his televised remarks on Fox News' "Sunday Morning Futures” that GoFundMe’s act was unlawful and that when people gave money, “they gave it under the promise it would go to the Freedom Convoy, not to whatever left-wing political ideology GoFundMe and other Silicon Valley companies support.” Furthermore, Sen. Cruz stressed, that GoFundMe was “deceiving consumers and it is wrong." He also referred to the Canadian cross-border truckers as ‘heroes’ who have been "marching for freedom.”

“They [Canadian truckers] are not only defending Canada, but they're defending America as well,” Ted Cruz told Fox news in televised remarks.

"That is courage on display that the government doesn't have the right to force you to comply to their arbitrary mandates, and they're standing up for freedom. Of course, big government hates it and is trying to crush them."

Elon Musk calls out at GoFundMe's 'double Standards' 

Tesla CEO Elon Musk, who supported the truckers convoy against Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's mandates called out at the ‘double standards’ of the GoFundMe for scrapping the truckers' fundraiser while still running the donations for 'Black Lives Matter' protests. Musk reminded that the platform had widely supported the campaign for the Black Lives Matter  [BLM] protests at the Capitol Hill in Seattle despite reports of violence, damage to public property, arson, and clashes with police. He accused GoFundMe of 'hypocrisy'. SpaceX CEO launched an attack on the crowdfunding platform for stealing $10 million Canadian dollars ($8 million USD or Rs 58 crore) and sending it to other charities. The money, he said, was raised because people donated to the truckers' cause.