Man’s hard-luck story questioned

$184,000 raised online for Fred Barley has been frozen.

The woman who started a stunningly successful GoFundMe campaign for Fred Barley, the young man who said he rode his bike 50 miles to register for a Georgia college, said Wednesday night that she now has “multiple questions about Fred’s story.”

Consequently, GoFundMe officials said they have frozen the account of $184,000 raised for the young man, and have started an inquiry into his claims. If they are not satisfied by the answers, officials said they will refund the money to donors.

The inquiry marks a stark turn in a story that had grabbed the hearts of people across the country — and prompted them to send in money — even as it illustrates the challenges of online fundraising campaigns.

Neither Barley nor Casey Blaney, the Barnesville area woman who took up his cause, could be reached for comment on this development.

Barley had told people that he was homeless when he embarked on a 6-hour bicycle ride about two weeks ago from Conyers to Barnesville to register for his second semester at Gordon State College. When the story emerged on the internet that police officers found him living in a tent on the campus, and spent their own money to put him up in a motel for days, people embraced a feelgood story about cops helping a young black man.

Blaney started the GoFundMe campaign that received some 5,700 donations over 12 days. Blaney posted Facebook messages and even videos of a thankful Barley.

But days ago, the bond between them strained when the 19-yearold posted a message on Facebook saying he objected to her plans to place the money in a trust. He indicated that he would only place the money in a trust if he could choose the attorney and the trustee.

On Wednesday evening, Blaney herself posted the following on the Facebook page called Success For Fred: “Unfortunately, multiple questions have been raised about Fred’s story,” she wrote. “We’ve received conflicting information about his initial story . ... We’ve asked for the campaign to be reviewed.”

It remains unclear exactly what questions she said have been raised.

A GoFundMe spokesman, Bobby Whithorne, said in a statement that “the funds raised are placed on hold and cannot be withdrawn until all the questions have been answered . ... If they are not, we will refund the donors.”

CONTRIBUTED Fred Barley and Casey Blaney are seen in an image captured from a video Blaney made in her car. Blaney started a GoFundMe campaign for Barley that received some 5,700 donations.