HOPEWELL, Va. (WRIC) — A Hopewell City Council Member attended a city council meeting on Tuesday night for the first time since he was accused of misusing GoFundMe donations that were meant to go to the family of an 8-year-old shooting victim.
Hopewell City Council Member Dominic Holloway is facing a lawsuit alleging he misused funds raised last December for the family of 8-year-old P’aris Moore.
Court documents show Hopewell resident Brionna Taylor, the mother of P’aris Moore, filed the lawsuit against Holloway. Taylor claimed in the lawsuit that of the $15,000 that was raised, she only received $5,600 in damages from Holloway.
Taylor further alleged in the lawsuit that Holloway said, “child support took the money out of his account for his personal matters.”
During a city council meeting on Tuesday, July 18, Holloway spoke for the first time since this news came out, but he had little to say about the situation. After the meeting, Dominic Holloway briefly told 8News, “I can’t make comment at this time on and I’ve been legally advised not to.”
Holloway further commented, “people are disheartened about the accusations that come out and just like any human, my heart would extend to pour out and the same expressions.”
A GoFundMe spokesperson said the fundraiser had been removed from their website and Holloway had been banned from using it. That GoFundMe spokesperson also said that if anyone wanted to get their money back from this fundraiser to contact them or fill out a donor claim online.
When asked about his response to the community concerns about his public role now going forward, Holloway said, “I’m doing my best that I can on City Council,” and further explained, “you put it before the hands of God and that’s where we put in it.”
