Tessica Brown’s hair is finally free of Gorilla Glue, but she’s dealing with issues stemming from the poor decision. Brown claims she cannot access the $24,000 raised on her behalf through a GoFundMe fundraiser, established to pay expenses that she acquired from the hairy ordeal.
On Wednesday, Brown revealed that the online pledge is being investigated by the crowdfunding site, following allegations of fraud.
“They won’t even release it to me because that many people have called and said it was a fraudulent account,” she told the New York Post of the money. “Every time you look at it it says it’s under investigation.”
The public showed sympathy for Brown by sending $24,000 to her GoFundme account. The initial goal was $1,500.
Though Brown originally created the fundraiser to help pay medical bills from the harrowing ordeal, she now plans to donate the bulk of the money to the Restore Foundation, a nonprofit which provides plastic and reconstructive surgery to those in need, and St. Bernard Parish, her local church. The woman once known as “Gorilla Glue girl” said the false claims of fraud are especially frustrating after everything she’s been through, as she simply wants to pay the money forward.
“That’s going to be pretty upsetting because who are y’all to say, you know, this was a fraudulent account?” she told the Post of the holdup.
“Prior to the withdrawal, she must clearly state on the campaign page how she intends to use the funds,” a GoFundme spokesperson said.
As of this writing, Brown’s fundraiser page explains the account was created “to help with any expenses related to this unfortunate ordeal.”