Weeks after the devastating Eaton and Palisades Fires, Hollywood and the music industry boasted about their multi-million-dollar fundraising effort called FireAid to support the victims. Yet, six months later, almost none of that money has actually reached the people who desperately need it. This delay raises serious questions about the whereabouts of the donations.
In January, top Hollywood stars came together to raise an impressive $100 million for wildfire victims. Yet, many of the people affected by the fires are now questioning where that money actually ended up. Investigative reporters Li and Sue Pascoe from Circling The News uncovered that the funds, intended to help victims rebuild their lives, were instead diverted to nonprofits selected by a charity based across the country.
Pascoe reported that the Annenberg Foundation was responsible for managing the FireAid donations. She reached out by email asking how much of the funds were specifically allocated to the Palisades area and which local nonprofits were receiving the money. However, she received no response and had difficulty getting through when she tried calling multiple extensions. Eventually, Pascoe managed to speak with someone at the foundation and was passed on to Chris Wallace, the foundation’s chief communications officer. To her surprise, Wallace told her that the FireAid funds would not be given directly to residents affected by the fires. Instead, the money was being distributed to several nonprofits connected to the Annenberg Foundation.
Pascoe pressed Wallace for more details, asking why none of the funds had been directed to residents living in rent-controlled apartments or the nearly 700 people residing in mobile home parks. However, she never received an answer.
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🚨 Fire victims lost everything, but not a single dollar from the $100 MILLION raised ever reached them.
— California Republican Party (@CAGOP) July 21, 2025
California Democrats funneled it to nonprofits instead.
This is what corruption looks like. Thank you @FOXLA, @MarlaTellez, and Sue Pascoe for exposing it. pic.twitter.com/FbYTzjdq8I
In May, Li said he was "following the money," which he called "a shadowy nonprofit." According to Li, the Annenberg Foundation allocates just 33 percent of its annual expenses towards charity.
"This FireAid money is not helping the people,” Pascoe told FOX 11. “It’s helping nonprofits, many of which have executives who are getting a six-figure salary.”
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