Yellowhammer Times

Steve Marshall and 13 other state Attorneys General are demanding FireAid explain how it spent the $100 million raised for LA wildfire victims, citing reports survivors haven’t received promised direct relief.

A coalition of 14 state Attorneys General, led by Oklahoma AG Gentner Drummond, has launched a multi-state inquiry into FireAid’s handling of the $100 million raised during its January 30 celebrity-studded benefit concert for Los Angeles wildfire victims, according to an August 6 press release from Drummond’s office. Citing widespread reports that survivors have yet to receive promised “direct relief,” the AGs are demanding that FireAid disclose detailed donation data by state, its relationship with the Annenberg Foundation, vetting procedures for grant recipients, and safeguards to ensure funds directly benefit victims. The letter, sent to FireAid President Gillian Zucker, gives the organization 10 business days to respond with full documentation, including grant agreements, audit plans, and outreach efforts to connect fire victims with available aid.

President Trump posted on Truth Social about FireAid calling it a “total disaster.” He said, “Looks like another democrat inspired scam. 100 million dollars is missing. Was supposed to go to the Los Angeles fire victims, fires that, with proper management, would never have even happened.”

Rep. Kevin Kiley (R-CA) has urged U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi to investigate FireAid, according to a press release. He said the $100 million was for Los Angeles wildfire victims but allegedly directed much of the money to nonprofits unrelated to fire relief: “Americans generously opened their wallets to help the people impacted by the wildfires. Every penny should go towards helping those people rebuild their lives.”

Kiley posted on X that Trump referred his investigation to the U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi.

FireAid was launched in response to the devastating Palisades and Eaton wildfires, which scorched Los Angeles County in January 2025, destroying homes, displacing thousands, and causing loss of life, according to CBS News. The benefit concert, organized by the Annenberg Foundation and held at Inglewood’s Intuit Dome and Kia Forum, featured performances by major artists and was streamed across 28 platforms to an estimated 50 million viewers. Organizers promoted the event as a way to provide “direct relief” to victims, but subsequent reports have questioned whether the funds have reached survivors as promised.

FireAid is a California-based charitable initiative created to raise emergency funds for victims of the January 2025 Palisades and Eaton wildfires in Los Angeles County, according to its website.