Hold onto your hats, folks—$100 million raised for wildfire victims in Southern California might have taken a detour to some eyebrow-raising destinations.
According to the Daily Caller, a recent House Judiciary Committee report, the FireAid benefit concert, intended to aid survivors of the Pacific Palisades and Altadena wildfires in early 2025, has instead funneled funds to unauthorized migrants, podcasters, and nonprofit overhead rather than directly to those who lost homes and livelihoods.
Let’s rewind to the start: after devastating wildfires tore through Southern California, the FireAid concert—a star-studded event featuring Gracie Abrams, Lady Gaga, Katy Perry, and Red Hot Chili Peppers—promised hope and help.
FireAid’s initial pitch was crystal clear: every dollar donated would go straight to wildfire victims, not a penny to administrative fluff.
Yet, as the House Judiciary Committee dug deeper, they found a different story—many victims reported seeing no direct aid, despite the staggering sum raised.
FireAid later backtracked, admitting they lacked the means to pay individuals directly and claiming that was never the plan, which smells like a classic bait-and-switch to anyone paying attention.
Of the $100 million, $75 million was doled out to 188 nonprofits, but the committee alleges the priorities were skewed toward pet projects rather than fire-ravaged families.
A quarter-million bucks went to Community Organized Relief Efforts (CORE), which, per their own website, rushed in with hygiene kits, debris cleanup, and shelter support, but also listed “undocumented migrants” as a key focus for aid.
While disaster relief should be blind to status, funneling funds meant for wildfire survivors to specific demographic agendas raises valid questions about misplaced priorities over those who lost everything in the flames.
Then there’s the $100,000 that allegedly landed with the Altadena Talks Foundation, supporting local podcaster Toni Raines and other shows—hardly the “direct relief” advertised.
Another $500,000 reportedly went to the Black Music Action Coalition for racial equity initiatives in the music industry, and over half a million more paid bonuses and salaries at nonprofits like the California Charter Schools Association, which called these “recognition for extraordinary contributions.”
“Based on internal documents obtained by the Committee, the report details how FireAid… diverted donations intended for fire victims to left-leaning pet projects, unauthorized migrants, and administrative costs,” the House Judiciary Committee press release stated, painting a picture of mission drift that’s tough to ignore.
Other groups, from Neighborhood Legal Services to the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank, also used FireAid grants for labor and salaries, totaling hundreds of thousands, while $550,000 reportedly supported political advocacy and voter participation efforts.
An independent review by global law firm Latham & Watkins in late 2025 gave FireAid a clean bill of health, insisting funds aligned with their mission, but with $25 million still unspent and victims still waiting, that reassurance feels like a hollow pat on the back.