Chyna Whitaker, the mother of Daunte Wright’s son, has sued the deceased Black man’s parents alleging that her son did not receive a portion of over $1 million raised from GoFundMe donations though she was assured that the minor was a beneficiary.
The other defendants named in the lawsuit are attorney Ben Crump and his law firm, CBS News reported. As previously reported by Face2Face Africa, Wright, 20, was fatally shot by former Brooklyn Center police officer Kim Potter during a traffic stop on April 11 last year.
In the wake of his death, Whitaker, who filed the lawsuit on Monday, alleges that a GoFundMe that was set up for the deceased Black man raised about $1,039,260 in donations. Whitaker also alleges that Crump, who was serving as her legal counsel at the time, assured her that the proceeds raised from the Daunte Wright Sr. Memorial Fund will be equally shared between her son and Wright’s family. The minor is said to be Wright’s only heir.
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Whitaker also claims that Crump’s firm managed the fund. But after the aforementioned money was raised, the suit alleges that “not one single penny has been turned over to Plaintiff for the benefit of Daunte Jr.” The plaintiff alleges the entire proceeds were rather given to Wright’s parents, Aubuey Wright and Katie Bryant, per CBS News.
Whitaker said that she did not start a different GoFundMe in the name of her son because Crump assured her that the minor will be given half of the funds raised. Whitaker claims that the defendants have rather “turned their backs” on Wright’s son as well as her.
The plaintiff also alleges that the defendants committed fraud and misrepresentation. And besides demanding that her son be given what is allegedly due to him, she wants authorities to explore the possibility of auditing the fund’s accounting.
But in a statement on Monday, Ben Crump’s law firm distanced itself from the allegations.
“This is strictly a family dispute between the mother of Daunte Wright’s child and Daunte’s parents, who set up the GoFundMe account in question,” the statement said.
“Ben Crump Law never handled or controlled the money from this GoFundMe account, which was under the sole direction of Daunte’s parents. Ben Crump Law did not benefit from any of the funds raised, and we did not accept any fee in this case. Our hearts are always with the family, and we pray that they can find resolution.”
