New York fire fundraiser topped $100,000; state AG seeks $71,539 in unpaid funds

In Watertown, New York, a tragic house fire claimed the lives of Hailey Bodah's father and four sisters on February 14, 2019. Hailey, who was 13 at the time, was the sole survivor of the disaster. In response to the devastating loss, the local community rallied together to support Hailey through various fundraising efforts. A GoFundMe campaign spearheaded by Kenneth Bodah raised $25,680 from 523 donors, while other supporters organized community fundraisers and contributed to memorial funds and union-related initiatives.

The New York Attorney General's office later became involved in the case when they discovered that the donations were not handed over to Hailey or her mother by the deadline specified by state law. The state accused the relatives of improperly spending $71,539.29 of the raised funds, which they alleged were to be used exclusively for Hailey's benefit.

According to court documents, the relatives were asked to provide financial records, identify the location of the money, and explain how the funds would be transferred. However, investigators found that over $97,199.29 was deposited into an account called the Bodah Family Memorial Fund between February and September 2019. The state also identified purchases from retailers like Lowe's and an online home furnishings store, as well as payments to a church and monument company, which they believed were unauthorized expenditures.

In October 2019, the Attorney General's office petitioned the New York State Supreme Court for the return of the remaining $71,539.29 to Hailey and her mother, along with penalties for non-compliance and a full accounting of the funds. Kenneth Bodah Jr., Beth Ann Bodah, and Travis Bodah were accused of failing to turn over the donations as required by law, while Kenneth and Beth were separately accused of making false statements to investigators.

Despite the allegations, WWNY-TV reported that they were unable to reach the three relatives for comment. The case shed light on the challenges that can arise when collecting donations for a named individual following a tragedy, especially when intermediaries control the funds before they reach the intended beneficiary.