The Johnny Depp and Amber Heard trial has had almost every corner of the internet abuzz for weeks now. The verdict, which found that Heard had in fact defamed Depp and owes him over $10 million in damages, has only increased the online furor. Both Depp and Heard have issued statements on the courts' conclusion, and many celebrities have weighed in to take sides.
The massive publicity of the trial has seemed to attract fraudsters looking to make some money off of the divisive issue. GoFundMe recently cracked down on a campaign which popped up on its site shortly after the verdict. The fundraiser, which claimed to be in support of Amber Heard, was found to have no association with Heard or her legal team.
Stuart C. Wilson/Getty Images
The $1 million campaign, labelled "Justice for Amber Heard," was started by a woman named Kimberly Moore, who claimed that she had direct contact with Heard's team and promised that the money raised would go to them. The page's description voiced strong support for Heard: "The trial was a disgrace. I believe Amber and social media protected the abuser. The judgement exceeds her net worth," Moore wrote.
"It's so sad that he was able to get away with the abuse," she continued. "The judgement furthers that abuse." Moore assured donors that she was for real: "She will have the direct access to the money. I also contacted her attorney so they can loop her in." GoFundMe came to a different conclusion, finding that Heard and her team had nothing to do with the fundraiser. The site quickly shut Moore's page down.
Though this GoFundMe was a fake, Heard's lawyers have said that the actress will be unable to afford the steep penalty she's been saddled with.
[via]