New Report Details How FireAid Diverted Charitable Donations to Left-Wing Pet Projects & Illegal Aliens Instead of California Fire Victims
January 6, 2026
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the House Judiciary Committee released an interim staff report titled "FireAid Apparently Misused Charitable Donations by Funding Illegal Aliens, Podcasters, and Non-Profits' Administrative Costs." Based on internal documents obtained by the Committee, the report details how FireAid—a fundraising initiative created to provide direct relief to wildfire victims in Southern California—diverted donations intended for fire victims to left-leaning pet projects, illegal aliens, and administrative costs for various non-profit organizations.
FireAid advertised that all donations raised during its benefit concert would go directly to victims of the California wildfires. Unfortunately, this was not the case. To date, FireAid has granted $75 million of the $100 million raised to a total of 188 non-profits, including $100,000 for voter participation efforts for Native Americans, $550,000 to groups involved in political advocacy, an unknown amount of money toward illegal aliens, $100,000 to podcasters, and over $500,000 for bonuses, salaries, and consultants for non-profit organizations.
According to an internal report commissioned by FireAid, Altadena Talks Foundation received $100,000 in grants to support victims of the California wildfires. Instead, the foundation used the relief funds to support podcasts discussing the California wildfires on the show, despite being tech focused.
A grant report dated February 2025 included a list of the Community Organized Relief Efforts' (CORE) "priority groups" that it sought to help using money received from FireAid. Among those priority groups were "Undocumented Migrants," who CORE asserted are "at high risk of housing instability, economic hardship, exploitation, and homelessness."
While the documents and information received to date shed light on some of the recipients of the millions of dollars raised during the FireAid benefit concert, more information is still needed to understand the full story. The Committee will continue to follow the facts to help advance legislative reforms that protect benevolent Americans from fraud and safeguard the integrity of charitable donations following federal disasters.
Read the full interim staff report here.
Read Chairman Jordan and Rep. Kevin Kiley's letter to Altadena Talks Foundation CEO Brian Baccus here.
Read Chairman Jordan and Rep. Kevin Kiley's letter to CORE CEO Ann Lee here.
FireAid advertised that all donations raised during its benefit concert would go directly to victims of the California wildfires. Unfortunately, this was not the case. To date, FireAid has granted $75 million of the $100 million raised to a total of 188 non-profits, including $100,000 for voter participation efforts for Native Americans, $550,000 to groups involved in political advocacy, an unknown amount of money toward illegal aliens, $100,000 to podcasters, and over $500,000 for bonuses, salaries, and consultants for non-profit organizations.
According to an internal report commissioned by FireAid, Altadena Talks Foundation received $100,000 in grants to support victims of the California wildfires. Instead, the foundation used the relief funds to support podcasts discussing the California wildfires on the show, despite being tech focused.
A grant report dated February 2025 included a list of the Community Organized Relief Efforts' (CORE) "priority groups" that it sought to help using money received from FireAid. Among those priority groups were "Undocumented Migrants," who CORE asserted are "at high risk of housing instability, economic hardship, exploitation, and homelessness."
While the documents and information received to date shed light on some of the recipients of the millions of dollars raised during the FireAid benefit concert, more information is still needed to understand the full story. The Committee will continue to follow the facts to help advance legislative reforms that protect benevolent Americans from fraud and safeguard the integrity of charitable donations following federal disasters.
Read the full interim staff report here.
Read Chairman Jordan and Rep. Kevin Kiley's letter to Altadena Talks Foundation CEO Brian Baccus here.
Read Chairman Jordan and Rep. Kevin Kiley's letter to CORE CEO Ann Lee here.
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