AL - Carlethia “Carlee” Russell, 25, faked own abduction, Birmingham, 13 Jul ‘23 #4

[bestill]

To me, that looks like they really do not care how this looks to people.

jmo

Agree. Can only hope that things are soon going to change and LE will get the answers to their questions and the public will also learn what really happened. Stalling is not going to benefit them, in my opinion.

 

[Cindizzi]

For those of you wondering why the SS became involved, it's already been explained in the media & discussed here:

"In a press conference held by the Hoover Police Department Wednesday afternoon, Chief Nicholas Derzis said that HPD had enlisted the help of the United States Secret Service in analyzing data from Carlee Russell’s cell phone. “(The) data includes several internet searches in the days leading up to her disappearance that I think are very relevant to this case,” Derzis said." What Carlee Russell searched on her phone leading up to her disappearance

The SS offers assistance in analyzing tech quite often.
They have the expensive tools and the professionals that are trained on how to use them.

Secret Service was also involved in trying to access phones in the Alex Murdaugh murder case.
From the trial:

https://twitter.com/x/status/1620475824603537415

 

[tlcya]

No, no, the reward money doesn't default go to her because she "found herself", which means she might not even have been missing in the first place, lol.

I mean, I can't imagine why it would... that's fraud.

I don't know why it hasn't gone back to the donors; but it's not because it's de facto being kept somewhere in/as a trust for Carlee.

If anything, I would imagine it (or part of it) would go to the person who exposed her as a hoaxer; like someone who provided Ring cam footage.

I think it's because LE is investigating her for her own abduction and therefore it is still considered an active case. Willing to bet if taht is the case, once they finish that investigation the funds will be returned.

 

[GoBuckeyes]

To me, that looks like they really do not care how this looks to people.

jmo

Sure seems that way.

 

[GoBuckeyes]

I think it's because LE is investigating her for her own abduction and therefore it is still considered an active case. Willing to bet if taht is the case, once they finish that investigation the funds will be returned.

I wouldn't be very happy right now if I were one of the two primary donors to that fund. MOO

 

[Quill]

I do think there was a linked article posted wayyyy back (too far for me to go digging for it) that the two larger donors were reimbursed right away. I assumed that was the reason for the initial reports of refunds. Confusing situation for sure.

I wouldn't be very happy right now if I were one of the two primary donors to that fund. MOO

 

[tlcya]

I wouldn't be very happy right now if I were one of the two primary donors to that fund. MOO

my understanding is that the two primary donors (the anonymous large one and the realty company) have already received a return of their funds.

Bob Copus, the local organization’s executive director, last week said some of the donations had already been returned after Russell reappeared.

The $25,000 donated by the Birmingham Board of Realtors and the $20,000 offered by an anonymous donor were returned, according to the news outlet.

About 60 other donors pledged almost $13,400, much of it through a PayPal account provided by Crime Stoppers, it reported.
$63K raised in Carlee Russell case will not be refunded

It's the smaller donors who haven't been refunded, those who saw the news stories about this young woman and were moved to donate through paypal that haven't been made whole as yet.

 

[SMK777]

I do think there was a linked article posted wayyyy back (too far for me to go digging for it) that the two larger donors were reimbursed right away. I assumed that was the reason for the initial reports of refunds. Confusing situation for sure.

The more than $63,000 donated to Crime Stoppers in the search for Carlee Russell will not be refunded – even though the 25-year-old nursing student reappeared two days after she reported seeing a wandering toddler.

Crime Stoppers of Metro Alabama initially said it would give back the $63,378 donated during the search for Russell, but then reversed itself hours later, according to AL.com.

“This investigation is still ongoing, and accordingly, there is no basis to refund any contributions at this time. Furthermore, the Hoover Police Department has not requested for any donor contributions to be released or refunded,” said the group, which offers anonymous tips about crime.

Bob Copus, the local organization’s executive director, last week said some of the donations had already been returned after Russell reappeared.

The $25,000 donated by the Birmingham Board of Realtors and the $20,000 offered by an anonymous donor were returned, according to the news outlet.

About 60 other donors pledged almost $13,400, much of it through a PayPal account provided by Crime Stoppers, it reported.

$63K raised in Carlee Russell case will not be refunded

The more than $63,000 donated to Crime Stoppers in the search for Carlee Russell will not be refunded – even though the 25-year-old nursing student reappeared two days after she reported seeing a w…

nypost.com

@GoBuckeyes @squareandrabbet

 

[veronica.mars]

To me, that looks like they really do not care how this looks to people.

jmo

Not at all. cra.zy.

 

[stmarysmead]

i wonder what the response in the community will be if smaller donors are not made quickly whole…those who maybe dug deep or have done without, in order to help this family when they sincerely believed their daughter was ‘kidnapped.’

Especially if Carlee is back posting her bikini shots, her lavish vacation/party life, and has never faced a single consequence?

I, for one, would never give again. And that cynicism is 100% Carlee’s fault.

 

[bestill]

The smaller donors are probably the ones that could use the refund. In good faith all of the donations should be refunded and let the donor decide what they want to do with the money, like donate to another missing person. I don't understand why some donations were refunded and the others weren't, anyone know why? The investigation was ongoing when the two big donors were refunded so that excuse doesn't fly. JMO

 

[SMK777]

The smaller donors are probably the ones that could use the refund. In good faith all of the donations should be refunded and let the donor decide what they want to do with the money, like donate to another missing person. I don't understand why some donations were refunded and the others weren't, anyone know why? The investigation was ongoing when the two big donors were refunded so that excuse doesn't fly. JMO

I agree, it doesn’t really make sense. The only thing I can think of would be PayPal policy of not doing so until the investigation has concluded. They likely have this kind of thing happen on a smaller scale quite often [complaints and people wanting their money back in terms of purchasing type payments.]

 

[veronica.mars]

Maybe returning the funds before the police admit she wasn’t kidnapped is just too soon. As of now, on paper, there still could be a Highway Ginger Baldy to be turned in for reward money.

 

[Megnut]

i wonder what the response in the community will be if smaller donors are not made quickly whole…those who maybe dug deep or have done without, in order to help this family when they sincerely believed their daughter was ‘kidnapped.’

Especially if Carlee is back posting her bikini shots, her lavish vacation/party life, and has never faced a single consequence?

I, for one, would never give again. And that cynicism is 100% Carlee’s fault.

IMO all the donation money will be returned. Just not yet. Not until LE resolves the investigation. I think we're all waiting on charges, including the $63,000 holder.

Jmo

 

[lonetraveler]

I think Carlee needs a 'talking to' from a Tyler Perry Madea person.

 

[Chimera]

My .02 is that all of the monies need to be returned.
Or the next time someone goes missing, people may not want to help ?
Omo.

 

[Inthedetails]

IMO all the donation money will be returned. Just not yet. Not until LE resolves the investigation. I think we're all waiting on charges, including the $63,000 holder.

Jmo

Can donors simply cancel the donation, stop payment?

 

[lonetraveler]

Be nice if LE gave an update on this case.

 

[Seattle1]

Sherri Papini at least didn't involve any (real or imaginary) kids in her story.

You're kidding, right? Papini should have been charged with a hate crime after implicating two Hispanic women as her captors, threatening her at gunpoint! She went so far as to provide descriptions of her phantom captors for the FBI sketch artist.

 

[Elliot_Alderson]

You're kidding, right? Papini should have been charged with a hate crime after implicating two Hispanic women as her captors, threatening her at gunpoint! She went so far as to provide descriptions of her phantom captors for the FBI sketch artist.

Agreed 1000%