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Ohio Clean Water Fund charity scam: Over $138,000 coming back to Second Harvest

By Kelcey Norris Mahoning Matters

November 11, 2023 4:00 AM

Mike Iberis, executive director of Second Harvest Food Bank of the Mahoning Valley, wants to thank the Attorney General’s Dave Yost’s office for helping the Mahoning Valley community. Justin Dennis Mahoning Matters

Second Harvest Food Bank wants to thank the Attorney General’s Dave Yost’s office for helping the Mahoning Valley community.

Executive director Mike Iberis said because of the attorney general’s investigation, over $138,000 was recovered from a fraudulent train derailment charity organization.

It was called the Ohio Clean Water Fund, led by Mike Peppel.

Now that money’s coming back to the food bank to actually help people in need in East Palestine, according to Second Harvest.

How was the Ohio Clean Water Fund a scam?

Peppel’s Ohio Clean Water Fund claimed they’d use donated money from the community to help people in East Palestine with the help of the food bank.

Peppel said the money would go to Second Harvest Food Bank to supply water and emergency aid equipment after the train derailment.

Second Harvest Food Bank went to the Attorney General’s Office because they never authorized a partnership with Peppel.

The investigators discovered Peppel and his associates took at least $131,000 of the $141,000 raised from over 3,000 donors for their own personal gains.

“I extend my sincerest praise and gratitude to Second Harvest for their diligent support in identifying and shutting down the Ohio Clean Water Fund. The fraudulent charity shamelessly exploited the food bank’s name and reputation, taking advantage of Ohioans’ generosity in the wake of an environmental disaster,” said Yost.