$34,000 Worth Equestrian Charity’s Mastermind Faces Jail Time After Major Fraud

The sport of equestrian has been in the news for the past few weeks for various sweet and sour reasons. There have been numerous great events that have captured the hearts of the world in the past few days. Meanwhile, the sport has also witnessed some great upsets these days. From horse deaths to the stealing of horses, equestrian racetracks are facing backlash, and fans are calling for the ban of certain race courses. There are so many things going on with equestrians in recent times; one more chaotic adventure has been added to the list of these saddening events.

The news is about a woman who initiated an equestrian-themed online auction. She ran an online fundraising campaign on Facebook to support the wildlife affected by bushfires in Australia. It was reported that she spent a significant amount of this fund on herself and donated only a pinch of it to charity. A case was filed against her for committing this online fraud.

Online fraud in the shadow of equestrian charity

According to the reports published in Horse and Hound, Kerry Palin raised over $34,000 for the victims of the Australian bushfires but instead of donating the amount raised, she spent it on her clothes and makeover. Reportedly, she only donated $5 AUD to four charities, and the rest of it went to her personal benefits. Pemberton Street, Rushden, Northamptonshire-based Palin later admitted to charges including fraud by false representation, concealing criminal property, and acquiring criminal property. The court gave its final verdict on August 11, 2023, and as a consequence of her actions, Palin received a prison sentence of one year and four months from Peterborough Crown Court. As per the reports, she used to live in Peterborough in 2020, when she decided to have an online auction on Facebook.

With this auction, she aimed to contribute to raising funds for the rehabilitation of wildlife affected by the devastating bushfires. The page that she created for the auction had over 7,000 members, of whom 300 were contributors to her noble campaign. All funds raised from the bids used to go directly to her bank or PayPal account. Later, she allocated five dollars to four charities and manipulated the receipts of these donations to make it look like a larger sum was being donated. According to Police “When donors raised their concerns, Palin would block them so they were unable to contact her.” However, all this didn’t go unnoticed for long and eventually came to light.

How was she caught?

According to a spokesperson, when donors started to question the utility of these funds, her PayPal account also faced complications due to the large sum of money. Palin herself reached out to the police, and during the investigation, she admitted that she used a portion of these funds for personal indulgences, which included purchasing luxury items like a treadmill, hair extensions, and a new rug. Her husband, David Collins, was also held liable for the possession of criminal property in relation to the case. All the gift parcels were delivered in his name; however, he was given a conditional discharge as part of his sentencing.

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In the world of equestrians, where noble endeavors and passionate efforts often shine, a disturbing incident of online fraud has cast a shadow. The tale of Kerry Palin’s misappropriation of funds meant for a bushfire charity auction serves as a reminder of the need for integrity and accountability in all aspects of the equestrian community.

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