- A GoFundMe spokesperson told TMZ that it “turned off” a fake $1 million fundraiser for Amber Heard.
- The fundraiser was created to help Heard, 36, pay $10 million in damages to Johnny Depp, 58.
- The spokeswoman said neither Heard nor her legal team initiated the fundraiser.
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GoFundMe removed a fake $1 million fundraiser claiming to help Amber Heard pay $10 million to Johnny Depp.
TMZ reported Saturday that the GoFundMe page went live after the bombshell trial between Heard, 36, and Depp, 58, ended this week. Insider reported that the jury ruled that Heard would pay Depp more than $10 million in damages.
According to screenshots shared by TMZ, the GoFundMe page claimed to be in contact with Heard’s legal team and that Heard would have direct access to all of the funds.
The fundraiser, titled “Justice for Amber Heard,” said: “The trial was a disgrace. I think Amber and social media protected the perpetrator. The verdict is beyond their means. It’s so sad that he was able to get away with this abuse. The judgment encourages this abuse. If you can please help her.”
Amber Heard Testifying During Her Defamation Trial With Johnny Depp IHAEL REYNOLDS/POOL/AFP via Getty Images
A spokesperson told TMZ that the GoFundMe page was flagged and removed before a “significant” amount of money was raised. Neither Heard nor her legal team created the fundraiser, the outlet added.
A GoFundMe representative told Insider that it would “remove all fundraisers unless there is a direct connection and the fundraiser was authorized by the recipient of the funds.” The statement added that GoFundMe’s “top priority is to protect our community and protect the generosity of our donors.”
On Wednesday, Insider reported a jury found Depp and Heard liable for defamation after a six-week trial in Virginia. The jury awarded Depp $15 million in damages after finding that Heard defamed him when she described herself as a victim of domestic violence in a 2018 Washington Post op-ed, Insider reported.
They ruled that Heard should pay $10 million in compensatory damages and $5 million in punitive damages, though the punitive damages were reduced to $350,000 under Virginia law, Insider reported.
Johnny Depp testifies at the Fairfax County Circuit Courthouse in Virginia. Jim Watson/Pool via REUTERS
The jury awarded Heard $2 million in damages. The trial began in April after Depp filed a $50 million defamation lawsuit against Heard, and Heard filed a $100 million counterclaim.
A day after the trial, Heard’s attorney Elaine Bredehoft told the “Today” show that Heard would not be able to pay the damages.