Scammers attempt to profit off death of daughter, father says

LOWER FRUITLAND

Gary Mike is asking community members to be careful how they donate.

Mike, father of 11-year-old Ashlynne Mike, said scammers are trying to profit from his daughter’s death by setting up unauthorized fundraising accounts. Ashlynne Mike was kidnapped May 2 and found dead the following day. Nearly 2,000 people turned out for her funeral May 6, and fundraising efforts soon cropped up to help the family with expenses.

But many of those accounts are shams, Mike said during a special San Juan Chapter meeting last week. The chapter approved a resolution seeking to curb fraudulent activities associated with Ashlynne Mike’s name, and Mike has asked that all fundraising efforts be approved by him first.

“People are taking advantage of Ashlynne’s passing for their benefit,” San Juan Chapter President Rick Nez said. “We got word that people were going around selling burritos in her name, selling stuff at flea markets. We learned that GoFundMe accounts were active without the family’s approval. Bank accounts were set up and after a couple of checks were deposited, all of a sudden the accounts were closed.”

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