A fraudster exploited the grief of the Concord-Carlisle community, siphoning $8,000 from well-meaning donors through a fake GoFundMe page for Hannah Wasserman. The page, created on Tuesday, April 22, 2025, falsely presented itself as a vehicle to support the family of the 18-year-old killed in a Florida car crash. It was removed on Wednesday, April 23, after school officials notified the platform.
Dr. Laurie Hunter, Superintendent of the Concord-Carlisle Regional School District, issued a stark warning to families. She confirmed the campaign had no connection to Wasserman’s relatives and was not authorized by any affected family. Her directive was clear: do not donate. The fraudulent page had attracted funds from people who believed they were helping a grieving family, unaware they were funding a scam.
GoFundMe suspended the campaign and froze the collected money while its Trust and Safety team investigated. The platform cited its Giving Guarantee, a protection mechanism for donors in cases of misuse. The funds remain held as the company contacts the organizer for further information. This intervention prevented additional donations from flowing into the unauthorized account.
The tragedy that sparked this fraud occurred on April 21, 2025, when an SUV driven by Jimmy McIntosh struck a tractor-trailer making a U-turn on US Highway 98 in Walton County, Florida. McIntosh, Wasserman, and Maisey O'Donnell died in the crash. A fourth student, critically injured, remains in the hospital. The community is still reeling from the loss of three seniors just weeks before graduation.
Grief counselors are available to students and staff as they return to classes. The school community gathered on Sunday, April 27, to remember the three students. The focus now shifts to supporting the surviving family members and the injured student, while the investigation into the fraudulent fundraiser continues.