Did Karmelo Anthony’s family buy a house with GiveSendGo fundraiser money? Fact-checking rumors after guilty verdict
Karmelo Anthony was charged in the fatal stabbing of 17-year-old Austin Metcalf during a track meet in Frisco, Texas. On Tuesday, a jury found him guilty of murder in the case. As news of the verdict spread, questions about earlier social media claims regarding his family’s fundraiser spending continued to draw attention online. Karmelo Anthony case (Pat Lopez via AP) (AP) There were rumors that started spreading on social media in April 2025 claiming that 17-year-old Karmelo Anthony’s family used donation money to buy a new house and a new car. The claim spread widely on X and Facebook, with some posts alleging the family bought a “$900,000 house” and a brand-new vehicle. One viral X post received nearly 60,000 likes and was later reposted by U.S. Senator Ted Cruz, where it gained tens of thousands of additional likes. Some social media users specifically claimed that the family had purchased a Cadillac Escalade. Did the family receive fundraiser money? Anthony’s family has an official fundraiser on GiveSendGo that had raised nearly $500,000 at the time. …