Work to distribute victims fund starts

Lawyer faces challenge figuring out complex system and protocols to dole out $10M-plus

Millions of dollars in contributions for the Las Vegas shooting massacre’s victims and their families are still pouring in, but authorities already are making plans to distribute the money.

A GoFundMe campaign kicked off by Sheriff Joe Lombardo of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police and Clark County Commission Chairman Steve Sisolak has raised almost $10.5 million. It’s one of several campaigns created in the days following Stephen Paddock’s bloody assault, which killed 58 people and wounded hundreds more.

Sisolak and other officials say they hope to merge the funds and start paying out the money as soon as possible.

Camille Biros is a lawyer with the firm of Ken Feinberg, which has helped dole out compensation funds for major disasters from the 9/11 terror attacks to last year’s assault at an Orlando nightclub. Biros has been charged with helping leaders in Las Vegas set up a distribution system for donations from the GoFundMe campaign, casinos and other efforts.

It is difficult now to determine when money could start flowing, Biros told USA TODAY. She said it might take a month to set up protocols. In Orlando, payments went out about 90 days after protocols were set, she said.

Biros said she held a conference call with leaders of the fund- ing campaigns, and she came away impressed.

“I was encouraged — every- one’s heart is absolutely in the right place,” she said. “Everybody is doing their best to make sure this is done properly.”

Sisolak told the Las Vegas Review-Journal that some casino representatives were hesitant to support the one-fund plan. He said he planned to meet with ex- perts and representatives of the hotel-casinos again this week to press the case.

“We’re trying to do everything we can to ensure every single penny is distributed to the indi- viduals whose lives are impacted,” he said.

The distribution is complicat- ed, Biros told USA TODAY. Be- cause so many people were wounded, more than 500 people and families could obtain com- pensation. Determining who gets how much can be tricky.

Biros said it could take a month to devise a workable plan.

“We want something that is to- tally transparent, fair and allows us to go forward with payments as soon as possible, she said.

WILL HEATH, NBC, VIA AP Jason Aldean performs I Won’t Back Down on the opening of Saturday Night Live as a tribute to the victims of the Las Vegas shooting and rock superstar Tom Petty.