Florida woman Amanda Brown allegedly impersonated the families of three murdered men to collect more than $11,000 through fake GoFundMe pages

A fundraising page created in the aftermath of a triple murder in Florida was meant to provide financial support to three grieving families. Instead, the donations became the subject of a police investigation after relatives discovered that someone had been collecting money using their names and photographs without their knowledge. Amanda Brown, a 32-year-old Florida woman, was accused of setting up a fraudulent GoFundMe campaign and taking nearly $12,000 from people who believed they were helping the victims' relatives. The investigation eventually traced the money to a series of purchases, cash withdrawals and household payments, leading to Brown's arrest in September 2020.Florida triple murder sparks unauthorised fundraising campaignAs reported by the WFLA, the case began with the deaths of Brandon Rollins, Damion Tillman and Keven Springfield, who were killed on July 17, 2020, near Lake Streety in Frostproof, Polk County, Florida. The three men, aged 27, 23 and 30 respectively, had gone fishing when they were attacked. Their deaths prompted an investigation and left their families facing the practical and emotional consequences of losing relatives in a violent crime.The killings attracted attention in the local community, and the victims' relatives became the focus of public concern. As news of the deaths spread, people were willing to contribute towards helping the families. Online fundraising offered a straightforward way for supporters, including those outside Florida, to send financial assistance.Fake GoFundMe campaign allegedly raises nearly $12,000Amanda Brown was accused of creating a GoFundMe page that presented itself as a way to raise money for the relatives of the three murdered men. According to reports, “The booking photographs of the subject was reviewed at which time, I noticed the subject seen on the surveillance images resemble Amanda Brown.”The deception came to light when relatives noticed the unfamiliar fundraising page. “She used my name, used my son’s picture to gather money that these people thought they were giving to my family,” Dottie Payton, the mother of victim Brandon Rollins.Payton said she had not given permission for her identity or her son's image to be used in this way. The discovery raised concerns about where the donations were going and whether the money had reached any of the people it was supposed to help.The amount involved was reported to be close to $12,000. People who had contributed believed they were supporting families dealing with the aftermath of a triple homicide, while investigators were examining allegations that the money had instead been diverted for Brown's personal use.Investigation traces GoFundMe donations to Walmart and ATM withdrawalsThe investigation led deputies to examine how the collected money had been spent. According to Polk County authorities, surveillance footage showed Brown making transactions at different locations around the county, including Walmart and several ATM machines.Steve Lester, then a chief with the Polk County Sheriff's Office, described the spending activity in an interview with WFLA. Among the payments investigators identified was a $1,300 water bill in Frostproof. Authorities said the donations had been used for personal purchases and expenses rather than being passed on to the victims' relatives.The transactions helped investigators build a picture of how the money had been handled after it was collected. As reported by The New York Post, surveillance images also became important in identifying the person suspected of operating the fraudulent fundraising page.For the families, the investigation brought a separate concern to an already difficult period. Their loss had prompted strangers to offer financial support, but the unauthorised appeal meant that donations made in good faith were allegedly being used by someone with no connection to the intended beneficiaries.Amanda Brown arrested over alleged GoFundMe donation fraudBrown was arrested on September 20, 2020, according to the September 28 report by The New York Post. She was 32 at the time and faced allegations involving fraud, grand theft and the unauthorised use of the identity of a deceased person.Authorities said Brown admitted to the conduct during the investigation. Her identification was also linked to surveillance photographs collected as deputies looked into the false donation campaign.Her arrest reportedly came after she had been detained in connection with separate methamphetamine charges. Investigators examining that matter recognised her in images obtained during the GoFundMe inquiry, according to the local reporting cited at the time.Victims' relatives expressed anger over the alleged deceptionFor Dottie Payton, the discovery was particularly upsetting because her son's identity had been used to attract donations. Speaking to WFLA, she said people had been led to believe they were contributing directly to her family when that was not the case.Payton also voiced her anger towards Brown after the allegations emerged. Her comments reflected the frustration of a relative who had already lost a son and then discovered that his death had allegedly been used as the basis for a fraudulent appeal.Polk County Sheriff's Office Chief Steve Lester also criticised the alleged conduct, describing it as despicable. The investigation highlighted how online fundraising pages can be used to collect money in the aftermath of a tragedy, even when the people named as beneficiaries have no involvement in setting them up.For donors, the case raised questions about checking who controls a fundraising campaign and whether the named beneficiaries have confirmed their involvement. A page carrying a victim's photograph or a relative's name does not, by itself, establish that the family has authorised the appeal.Florida triple murder case remains separate from GoFundMe fraudThe investigation into the deaths of Rollins, Tillman and Springfield proceeded separately. Three people were charged in connection with the killings: brothers Tony, also known as TJ, Wiggins and Robert Wiggins, along with Tony Wiggins' girlfriend, Mary Whittemore.Their arrests were reported in July 2020, shortly after the three men were found dead near Lake Streety. The homicide allegations and the subsequent fundraising investigation involved different individuals and distinct sets of charges.The GoFundMe case centred on money raised in the victims' names, with investigators alleging that Brown had taken nearly $12,000 intended to assist their relatives. The discovery of the unauthorised campaign came from the families themselves, whose concerns prompted police to investigate how the donations had been collected and spent.You use AI every day. Now get your AI Quotient. Take the AIQ test.