Billionaire Bill Ackman recently reiterated his stance on contributing a $10,000 donation to a GoFundMe campaign in support of the federal immigration agent involved in the fatal shooting of activist Renee Nicole Good. Ackman acknowledged that he made the donation without thoroughly researching the case beforehand.
Ackman, 59, confirmed that he was the highest donor on the GoFundMe page for Jonathan Ross, the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent who fired three shots at Good, resulting in her death. He made this admission in a post on X, where he also expressed regret over the backlash he has faced from both social and mainstream media following his donation.
In a detailed statement, Ackman explained that he initially sought to contribute to a GoFundMe campaign for Good’s family. However, that campaign had already exceeded its goal, raising $1.5 million before it closed.
“My intention in supporting Ross and attempting to aid Good was not politically motivated,” Ackman clarified. “It was part of my ongoing dedication to helping those accused of crimes by contributing to their legal defenses.”
He further questioned the narrative around Ross’ involvement in Good’s death, suggesting that a thorough forensic investigation by experts is necessary to uncover the facts of the case.
He cast doubt on Ross’ culpability in Good’s caught-on-camera shooting death, and said that “only a detailed forensic investigation by experts” will reveal the truth.
He also, bizarrely, cited the 2003 Securities and Exchange Commission investigation into his collapsing hedge fund Gotham Partners, which allegedly employed abusive trading tactics. He said the probe led to his “[conviction] in the headlines,” though the investigation didn’t turn up anything meaningful.
He wrote that he was “fortunate” to have financial support from his family during the investigation and emphasized his choice to give Ross “funds needed for his defense.”
Ackman laid out each specific experience, including his support for the Innocence Project and a stint as a juror in a date rape case, in an attempt to communicate his “real-life perspective on what life is like for the accused.”
Ackman noted that “the social media era” has warped the public’s notion of the presumption of innocence.
“In a typical case, the entire world believes you are guilty. You quickly become unemployed and unemployable. You and your family suffer from extreme public scorn in addition to severe financial pressure,” he wrote.
“You are immediately doxed. You receive hundreds of death threats. You and your family’s safety is seriously threatened, some of your friends and family abandon you, and your public life basically ends while you wait years to have an opportunity to defend yourself in court,” he added.
Ackman ended his essay-style statement, warning his critics that they could someday “find yourself accused of a crime you did not commit without the financial resources needed to defend yourself.”
“From that moment on, you will strongly regret the times you have rushed to judgment on the basis of a headline and the then-limited available evidence about a case, and you and your family will pray that someone will be open to believing you are innocent and will be willing to help you pay for your defense,” he said.
“A world in which the accused cannot afford to pay for their defense is not a world any of us should want to live in.”
Ackman boasts a staggering $9.3 billion net worth — making $10,000 approximately 0.0001075% of his total worth.
