Scam charity claiming to benefit East Palestine to repay donations

BEYOND. IN OTHER NEWS TONIGHT, EAST PALESTINE, OHIO IS GETTING A NEW PERMANENT HEALTH CLINIC AFTER FEBRUARY’S TOXIC TRAIN DERAILMENT. SO WANT TO GIVE YOU A LOOK HERE AT GOVERNOR MIKE DEWINE CUTTING THE RIBBON TODAY DURING A CEREMONY. THIS ACTUALLY WAS FROM THIS MORNING. THE CLINIC REPLACES A TEMPORARY ONE. THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH HAS BEEN RUNNING. GOVERNOR DEWINE SAYS THE STATE WILL PROVIDE FUNDING TO KEEP THE NEW CLINIC FREE FOR THOSE WHO DON’T HAVE HEALTH INSURANCE. AND HE ALSO SAYS IT WILL HELP COMMUNITIES WITH THEIR LONG TERM RECOVERY. MANY OF THE PEOPLE WHO I HAVE TALKED TO, YOU KNOW, HAVE A CONCERN WHERE AM I GOING TO BE IN A YEAR? WHERE AM I GOING TO BE IN FIVE YEARS? AND TEN YEARS? AND HAVING A CLINIC HERE BACK BY THE HOSPITAL? I THINK GOES A LONG WAY TO ANSWER THAT CONCERN. THIS IS A CLINIC THAT WILL THAT WILL BE HERE. THIS IS A CLINIC WHERE PEOPLE CAN GO IN RIGHT NOW AND GET A BASELINE. IF THEY WANT TO. AND A CLINIC THAT THEY CAN THEY CAN GO BACK TO AS WE GO AS WE GO FORWARD. GOVERNOR DEWINE PLEDGING TO OPEN THE PERMANENT OR TO OPEN THE PERMANENT CLIN

The "Ohio Clean Water Fund" will have to pay back more than $130,000 in donations after settling with the Ohio Attorney General's Office on Wednesday.The organization pocketed money from donors, all while claiming it would benefit residents in East Palestine after the massive train derailment sent dangerous chemicals into the air and water.Attorney General Dave Yost said about 90 percent of the donations never went to people in need.As part of the settlement, the fund has to pay back the money taken from donors, and the organization has to dissolve.Yost's office says the creator of the phony charity, Michael Peppel, claimed to be collecting donations on behalf of Second Harvest Food Bank of the Mahoning Valley.“This scam capitalized on a disaster and took advantage of good-hearted givers,” Yost said in a statement last month. “I’m still fuming about it, and we’re going to hold him accountable."The AG's office plans to give those recovered funds to a food bank in the area.

EAST PALESTINE, Ohio —

The "Ohio Clean Water Fund" will have to pay back more than $130,000 in donations after settling with the Ohio Attorney General's Office on Wednesday.

The organization pocketed money from donors, all while claiming it would benefit residents in East Palestine after the massive train derailment sent dangerous chemicals into the air and water.

Attorney General Dave Yost said about 90 percent of the donations never went to people in need.

As part of the settlement, the fund has to pay back the money taken from donors, and the organization has to dissolve.

Yost's office says the creator of the phony charity, Michael Peppel, claimed to be collecting donations on behalf of Second Harvest Food Bank of the Mahoning Valley.

“This scam capitalized on a disaster and took advantage of good-hearted givers,” Yost said in a statement last month. “I’m still fuming about it, and we’re going to hold him accountable."

The AG's office plans to give those recovered funds to a food bank in the area.

Scam charity claiming to benefit East Palestine to repay donations

GET LOCAL BREAKING NEWS ALERTS

Top Picks