U.S. Representative Kevin Kiley (R-CA) called for a Department of Justice (DOJ) investigation into the distribution of over $100 million raised by FireAid, a celebrity benefit concert held on January 30, 2025, to aid victims of devastating Los Angeles wildfires.
In a letter to U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi, Kiley raised concerns that the funds, intended for direct relief to fire victims, were instead funneled to nonprofits with questionable ties to wildfire recovery, potentially violating donor intent and federal charity-fraud statutes.
The January 2025 Los Angeles wildfires destroyed over 18,000 structures, displaced thousands, and claimed at least 29 lives, prompting widespread relief efforts.
FireAid Concert was organized by the Annenberg Foundation, the star-studded event at the Intuit Dome and Kia Forum raised an estimated $100 million, with pledges that funds would support “immediate needs and long-term recovery” for affected Angelenos and not be used for administrative purposes.
Kiley’s letter, cited in reports from TicketNews, Digital Music News, and RedState, alleges that much of the $100 million was allocated to nonprofits with “tenuous connections” to fire relief. Examples include:After the Fire, a Sonoma-based group (hundreds of miles from LA) focused on “coaching, convening, and collaborating” rather than direct aid.
Kiley argues that these allocations diverge from FireAid’s promise of “direct relief,” potentially misleading donors who expected funds to aid fire victims. He wrote, “Americans’ generosity should not be the second victim of this tragedy,” urging the DOJ to trace where the money went and who benefited.
Kiley requested a DOJ probe to examine donor records, grant agreements, and communications among FireAid producers to determine if funds were misallocated or if fraud occurred. He emphasized the need for transparency before Congress considers additional disaster aid for California.