Fraudster Jailed for Fake Memorial Fund Scam
A man has been slapped with 26 months behind bars after running a fake online donation page in memory of four young men killed in a tragic car crash near Chippenham.
Jason MacDonald Caught in Double Crime
Jason MacDonald, 38, from Wellingborough, Northamptonshire, was convicted on Friday 28 October for owning criminal property linked to the fraudulent GoFundMe page. He also faced charges of possession with intent to supply class A drugs.
Tragedy Exploited for Cash
The bogus GoFundMe titled ‘Jordan, Corey, Matt, Ryan Memorial’ appeared soon after the fatal collision on the A4 in August 2020. Four friends — Jordan Rawlings (20), Corey Owen (19), Matthew Parke (19), and Ryan Nelson (20) — lost their lives when their car crashed off the road.
Investigating Officer DC Kevin Golledge said: “We hope this result sends a strong message to others that we take such incidents seriously and we won’t hesitate to take action. This was a despicable crime that saw someone try to capitalise on the deaths of four young men.”
Police Sergeant Rich Marshall added: “This is a crime that has impacted the four children’s family and the people who paid into the donation account. We hope the sentencing will show that justice has been done and I hope this brings some closure for the families of the four young men.”
Justice has been served, and this chilling scam shows the lengths crooks will go to cheat grieving families out of their dignity and funds.
