A high-profile benefit concert that reportedly raised around $100 million for victims of the devastating Los Angeles wildfires earlier this year is now under scrutiny, as questions mount over where the money actually went.
Investigative journalist Sue Pascoe, who lost her own home in the fires, told a Los Angeles Fox affiliate that despite months passing, there is little evidence any of the funds have reached the thousands of displaced residents. “There’s 12,000 people, 12,000 homes gone. Those people probably want to know where the money is,” Pascoe said.
We’ve learned that of the $100 million raised at the celebrity “Fire Aid” concert, none actually went to LA fire victims. Instead the money went to nonprofits, many that have nothing to do with fire relief.
I’ve asked Attorney General Pam Bondi to open an investigation. pic.twitter.com/BI3T77wlZo
— Rep. Kevin Kiley (@RepKiley) July 22, 2025
Her investigation began after a reader asked how to apply for fire aid. Pascoe contacted the Annenberg Foundation, which oversees the distribution of the funds, but initially received no response. Two weeks later, a staff member referred her to foundation spokesperson Chris Wallace. “I said victims want to know when they can get their money. He said basically, they don’t. All this money [is] going toward nonprofits,” Pascoe recounted.
According to Pascoe, the foundation distributed the first $50 million to approximately 120 nonprofits. But her review found that few of these groups appear to provide direct aid to victims. “So I contacted the people [living in mobile home parks listed as recipients],” she said. “They never received money. They had never heard of that.”
Some of the listed nonprofits, Pascoe noted, were only tangentially related to fire recovery. “Go to the nonprofits listed if you want a good laugh,” she said. “One of the nonprofits cleans preschool bathrooms. Well after the fire, who knows? Maybe there is a preschool bathroom that needs cleaning.”
Fire victims lost everything, but not a single dollar from the $100 MILLION raised ever reached them.
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
— California Republican Party (@CAGOP) July 21, 2025
The Pacific Palisades, one of the hardest-hit areas, remains in varying stages of rebuilding, with officials hoping some residents can return by early 2026. But for those depending on direct aid, Pascoe warned the wait may be far longer.
She also criticized the foundation’s vetting process, describing it as a “simple questionnaire” with just six questions for nonprofits seeking funding. Pascoe further alleged that the Annenberg Foundation has not disclosed how much each organization has received out of the $75 million distributed so far.
When asked whether she knew of any fire victims who had received money, Pascoe’s answer was blunt: “That’s correct,” she said.
