The Grifting Dilemma: A Case Study in Crowdfunding for Criminal Defense
Let’s be clear: I’m not outright accusing Karmelo Anthony’s family — the teenage murder suspect at the center of a racially charged controversy — of engaging in a nefarious grift with the crowdfunding they’ve amassed for his defense and related expenses.
However, if they aren’t grifting, we might need to have a serious discussion with Merriam-Webster and several esteemed dictionary publishers about redefining the term “to grift.” Perhaps we could shift its meaning to something innocuous, like flipping pancakes or executing a flawless skateboard trick. You know, something that doesn’t raise eyebrows.
For those who may not be up to speed, Karmelo Anthony is a 17-year-old from Frisco, Texas, who is facing first-degree murder charges for the fatal stabbing of another 17-year-old, Austin Metcalf, during a track meet. The family has been raising funds at an astonishing rate, which is unexpected given that there’s scant evidence suggesting Anthony is being unfairly persecuted — aside from the fact that he is Black and Metcalf was White. Anthony confessed to stabbing Metcalf, claiming self-defense, yet his explanations to police didn’t remotely fit the legal criteria for such a defense. Instead of adopting a low-profile legal approach, he has enlisted a parade of activists from the Dallas-Fort Worth area, essentially attempting to cast himself as the modern-day equivalent of Tawana Brawley.
What’s even more shocking is the rapid pace at which Anthony’s family appears to be spending the money they’ve raised. As of April 30, reports from the U.K. Daily Mail indicate that over $500,000 has been collected. Initially, there were claims that they purchased a home in a gated community and several luxury vehicles, but those were later debunked as misinformation; in reality, they were merely renting these items for safety concerns related to Anthony’s newfound notoriety.
Karmelo Anthony is SAFE at home.
This moment is a reminder that a community united can never be divided.
The journey ahead is long, but today—we celebrate a victory for justice, for family, and for the power of people coming together to protect our youth.
Thank you to everyone… pic.twitter.com/CjLTkhbIiL
— Minister Dominique Alexander (@niquealex) April 14, 2025
According to the fundraiser’s description on GiveSendGo, “The funds raised will also support a range of urgent and necessary needs that have emerged as a result of this situation, including — but not limited to — the safe relocation of the Anthony family due to escalating threats to their safety and well-being, as well as basic living costs, transportation, counseling, and other security measures.”
It seems, however, that more “community care” is needed to stave off these alleged injustices, particularly since they’ve relocated due to… children armed with water guns:
The Anthony family reportedly vacated their $900,000 rental home in a gated community and sought refuge in an undisclosed location due to threats against their safety.
On April 15, DailyMail.com revealed that at least one of the threats prompting the move stemmed from teenagers who passed by their home, firing water guns.
Frisco police were summoned to the residence at 7:51 PM after Andrew Anthony, Karmelo’s father, reported the incident, which was captured by their doorbell camera.
During his initial interaction with police, Andrew acknowledged that the weapons involved were merely “play guns.”
Can we take a moment to reflect on how rare it is for parents to pack up their entire household because kids are playing with water guns nearby? “Quick, everyone! We need to move!” I can almost hear my own mother saying. “There’s a kid outside with a Super Soaker!”
Yes, this is an unprecedented reaction. And while I concede that I’ve never been embroiled in a murder trial, I can’t help but think that such a response seems excessive, especially if the family has security measures in place.
Additionally, the Jeep-driving miscreants wielding “play guns” were a mix of both Black and White youths, and at no point did the elder Anthony claim the “weapons” were aimed at them.
Let’s not forget that in today’s world, where even the gun emoji has been replaced by a water gun emoji, actual water guns hardly resemble real firearms. Thus, the threat was non-existent.
This stands in stark contrast to the genuine threat posed by Karmelo Anthony when, by his own admission, he brandished a knife at Austin Metcalf on April 2 because Metcalf asked Anthony, who was not a student at his school, to leave the premises.
Metcalf sadly lost his life due to a stab wound to the chest.
One could have hoped that the controversies surrounding figures like Patrisse Cullors would have put an end to a certain type of BLM fundraising — you know, the “Buy Large Mansions” variety of soliciting donations. Yet, here we are, in a world where the grift remains alive and well, even in the context of accused murderers. Perhaps we should brace ourselves for a future where “grift” means something as benign as pancake flipping, and any suggestion otherwise is simply an act of latent white supremacy.
This article was originally published on The Western Journal.
