A Times Square Billboard Seeks Aid for LA Fire Victims. Is It for Real?
Not Organized as a Charity
As Los Angeles wildfires have incinerated homes and displaced families, a campaign across billboards in Times Square and thousands of taxi cabs is soliciting New Yorkers to help. The glowing digital advertisements are not to boost any charity providing fire relief — instead they direct passersby to donate to the private company of a Los Angeles-based tech entrepreneur, DJ and talent manager.
Last week, a six-sided billboard cube under the famous Coca-Cola ad at West 47th Street and Broadway began promoting a donation link to a newly-launched company of Alec Celestin, a 27-year-old self-described “entertainment and tech disruptor.” On his X account, where his two-word bio is “mini elon,” Celestin posted, “I have found a way to SAVE LOS ANGELES.” His website and recent posts describe sweeping commitments to fire relief, including organizing emergency evacuations, deploying search and rescue teams and rebuilding communities.
As relief efforts have ramped up around the country in response to the overwhelming destruction, law enforcement officials in California and New York have warned consumers to be vigilant about potential scams in the midst of a crisis. Guidance from the Office of the New York State Attorney General advises that people research organizations’ histories and ask about how donations will be used to avoid sending money to grifters.
The Lineo Relief Fund is not organized as a charity or a nonprofit organization. Either designation allows donors to claim tax exemptions. Instead, Celestin confirmed, the funds are paid directly to his company, as specified in terms outlined on his site. And though it is not unusual for private companies to make charitable donations in the wake of a natural disaster, it is unusual for a firm to use such a crisis as an opportunity to solicit donations to itself with vague promises of assistance.
Potential donors who want to know how their money may assist the fire relief efforts are likely out of luck: “Specific details regarding the allocation of individual donations may not always be available,” his website says, adding, “contributions are made at your own discretion and risk.”
Influencers and Canned Cocktails
Celestin started posting under his handle @nofhotos while still a student at the University of Arizona. His content has a type of rowdy frat boy appeal — spraying champagne in his own face or smashing cans of beer on his head often from behind a DJ booth. In some posts he grins next to popular influencers like Logan Paul. He’s also worked with the creator Bryce Hall on the launch of a canned cocktail.
In 2022, he started working as a brand manager for Fanfix, a platform for creators to post paid content for their subscribers. Celestin left the company a year later and teamed up with a 30-year-old entrepreneur named Lucy Guo who launched a similar company called Passes. The company made headlines when model and influencer Blac Chyna joined the platform after leaving OnlyFans as a top earner on the site.
However, the founders of FanFix charged that while employed, Celestin allegedly stole internal financial metrics and handed them to Guo, according to court records. Fanfix sued Celestin in San Diego County for breach of contract, as well as other claims. The company filed suit against Passes and Celestin’s company No Fhotos, named after his Instagram handle, in Los Angeles Superior Court last year as well. Both lawsuits are pending.
Buying out Musk?
While still sparring with his former employers, Celestin formed Lineo.io as a limited liability company in California last May. An archived version of the site from August advertises the company as a service for content creators that uses AI to crawl the web for any unauthorized use of their content in order to get it taken down. By December, the home page had been removed and replaced with a simple white background and the text “May or may not be coming soon :)”
The day before the fires started, on Jan. 6, Celestin relaunched his site with a donation page for an unspecified charity event to support LA’s underprivileged youth, according to posts on X. By the end of the week, Celestin had reworked the site again — this time to dedicate his efforts to wildfire relief in Los Angeles.
Conclusion
As concerns have risen about the credibility of fundraising efforts, it is essential to be cautious when donating to causes, especially during times of crisis. While Celestin’s efforts may be well-intentioned, the lack of transparency and the fact that the funds are paid directly to his company raise questions about the legitimacy of his fundraising campaign.
FAQs
Q: Is the Lineo Relief Fund a registered charity or nonprofit organization?
A: No, the Lineo Relief Fund is not a registered charity or nonprofit organization.
Q: Where do the funds donated to the Lineo Relief Fund go?
A: The funds donated to the Lineo Relief Fund are paid directly to Celestin’s company, as specified in terms outlined on his site.
Q: Is it unusual for a private company to solicit donations to itself with vague promises of assistance during a natural disaster?
A: Yes, it is unusual for a firm to use such a crisis as an opportunity to solicit donations to itself with vague promises of assistance.
Q: Can I claim a tax exemption for my donation to the Lineo Relief Fund?
A: No, since the Lineo Relief Fund is not a registered charity or nonprofit organization, donors cannot claim a tax exemption for their donations.
