Wyclef Jean Warns People To Avoid Scammers When Donating to Bahamas Relief

BYErika Marie1441 Views
Link Copied to Clipboard!
Tommaso Boddi/Getty Images
Wyclef Jean

There's always someone ready to take advantage of the vulnerable.

Whenever there are natural disasters around the globe, people band together to help relief efforts with various fundraisers. Charitable foundations and organizations do their best at raising money for those affected by tragedies as people lose their homes, belongings, and even loved ones. However, not everyone who claims to be a helping hand is truly out to assist the less fortunate, and Wyclef Jean is warning givers to be wary of malevolent scammers.

While he made his way through the baggage claim of an airport, a TMZ cameraman caught up with the artist and asked about his thoughts regarding the recent devastation in the Bahamas. Hurricane Dorian has wreaked havoc on the islands, and in turn, many celebrities are donating money to worthy relief efforts, including Michael Jordan who recently pledged to give $1 million.

Wyclef praised Jordan for offering up such a hefty donation but advised him, and others, to proceed with caution. "But what I would like to say, which is the most important thing is, we watch these reliefs, whether if it's Haiti, whether if it's New Orleans, whether if it's the suffering that continues in Puerto Rico, and now in the Bahamas," Wyclef began. "There's gonna be a lot of money given through relief. The most important thing for me is that the money is really allocated right and we really don't use distractions. Don't use people for patsies. Don't distract the crowd, have them looking another way, and at the end of the day..."

The cameraman interrupted him and asked how this seems to happen so often. "One man's disaster is another man's gain," Wyclef stated. "So, I pray for the people in the Bahamas and I pray that everyone in the Bahamas within the parliament structure would say very diligent [with] what's about to happen. And my heart goes out to y'all."

About The Author
Erika Marie is a seasoned journalist, editor, and ghostwriter who works predominantly in the fields of music, spirituality, mental health advocacy, and social activism. The Los Angeles editor, storyteller, and activist has been involved in the behind-the-scenes workings of the entertainment industry for nearly two decades. E.M. attempts to write stories that are compelling while remaining informative and respectful. She's an advocate of lyrical witticism & the power of the pen. Favorites: Motown, New Jack Swing, '90s R&B, Hip Hop, Indie Rock, & Punk; Funk, Soul, Harlem Renaissance Jazz greats, and artists who innovate, not simply replicate.