Hollywood Stars Raise $5.4M for Alleged Hamas-Linked Charity
Bella Hadid and Pedro Pascal hosted the third 'Artists for Aid' concert on Saturday, raising $5.4 million for PCRF, a charity holding $130 million in assets with alleged Hamas ties
Multiple A-list celebrities attended the third ‘Artists for Aid’ concert at Los Angeles’ Shrine Auditorium on January 10 to raise $5.4 million for the Palestine Children’s Relief Fund (PCRF) and the Sudanese American Physicians Association. According to IRS filings PCRF held approximately $130 million assets as of 2024.
Findings from NGO Monitor show that PCRF allegedly operates the pediatric cancer unit inside a Gaza hospital where Hamas military infrastructure was reportedly discovered. The organization maintains partnerships with Islamic Relief Worldwide, which Israel's Defense Minister declared illegal for alleged Hamas financing and which the U.S. State Department cut ties with over antisemitism concerns. PCRF also allegedly directly cooperates with Hamas-controlled government ministries in Gaza for program implementation.
An investigation into public tax records reveals PCRF raised $166 million in 2023-2024 but spent only $71 million, banking 57% of donations. During this period, the organization appears to have maintained partnerships with multiple entities linked to Hamas.
The Post-October 7 Financial Boom
PCRF’s revenue jumped from $10.7 million in 2022 to $71.7 million in 2023, a 570% increase. Yet the organization spent only 32.6% of what it raised in 2023. In 2024, it raised another $94.8 million but spent only half, adding $47 million more to reserves.
The charity now earns $3.65 million annually from investment income alone, an 847% increase from 2023, meaning it generates more from its portfolio than most charities raise in total donations. The Artists for Aid concert’s $5.4 million represents just 4% of PCRF’s existing assets.
PCRF’s Alleged Terror Ties
PCRF’s 2024 Schedule F shows the organization spent $42.7 million on “Program Service & Grant” activities in the Middle East and North Africa region, operating through 10 offices with 135 employees. The funds supported “Medical/Humanitarian” services across the region.
Reporting from NGO Monitor revealed PCRF’s partnerships with several alleged terror-affiliated organizations. These include Islamic Relief Worldwide (IRW), which former Israeli Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon banned from operating in Israel in June 2014 for allegedly channeling funds to Hamas, which the UAE designated as a terrorist organization in 2014, and which the U.S. State Department cut ties with in 2021 following controversies over antisemitism concerns.
In May 2021, the PCRF allegedly collaborated with the Hamas-run Ministry of Social Development - Palestine on aid distribution projects. In 2019, Ghazi Hamad officially recognized by the U.S. Treasury Department as a "Senior Hamas Official", was appointed to lead the Ministry of Social Development in Gaza.
Additionally, in 2019 PCRF opened a Pediatric Cancer Department at Al Rantisi Children’s Hospital in Gaza. In November 2023, the Israeli Defense Forces released raw footage from a subterranean Hamas tunnel, with an exit into the Al Rantisi hospital showcasing weapons, explosives, suicide vests, and a motorcycle used in the October 7 attacks hidden within the facility’s infrastructure.
In November 2023, weeks after the deadly October 7, 2023 attack, PCRF Tampa held a fundraiser featuring Hatem Naji Fariz, who pleaded guilty in 2006 to conspiracy to make or receive contributions of funds to Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ), a designated terrorist organization.
PCRF founder Steve Sosebee departed from the organization in December 2023 following increased media focus on PCRF after the October 7 Hamas attacks, during which his social media posts came under scrutiny. His documented social media history included posts describing U.S. policy as supporting “genocide” and sharing content from alleged Hamas-affiliated accounts.
Whether the celebrity performers and attendees, including Bella Hadid, Pedro Pascal, Shawn Mendes, Lewis Hamilton, Chappell Roan, and others were fully aware of PCRF’s $130 million in reserves and documented partnerships with Hamas-linked entities remains unknown. With no professional fundraising fees reported in 2024, the celebrities appear to have effectively volunteered their services to an organization that appears to be already awash in cash that it has not distributed to Palestinians.
This is disgusting. Hollywood directly linked to Hamas terrorists. Ban this NGO! A and freeze their funds
Fascinating deep dive into the financial side of nonprofit operations. The gap between funds raised and actually spent (57% banked) is the kind of detail that often gets overlooked in coverage of these events. I've seen similiar patterns with other orgs where post-crisis fundraising spikes create huge reserves. The transperancy question here is legit, whether people are aware of an org's existing asssets before donating changes the whole calculus.