Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger has filed a lawsuit against Sarah Koeppen, the founder of The Hope Box, accusing her of charity fraud. FOX 5 Atlanta reports that Raffensperger alleges Koeppen misused tens of thousands of dollars in donations for personal expenses, including family celebrations, salon visits, and dining, between January 2018 and June 2023, while claiming they were for the charity.
The lawsuit, prompted by an investigation into The Hope Box's misregistration as a charitable organization, seeks full reimbursement of the misused funds and a $100,000 fine from Koeppen. Despite agreeing in June 2023 to shut down The Hope Box and stop collecting donations, Raffensperger accuses Koeppen of ignoring the order and continuing to solicit donations, as reported by Atlanta News First.
The lawsuit, filed Wednesday last week in Fulton County Superior Court, states that The Hope Box was never properly registered as a charitable organization. The complaint reveals that Koeppen misused donor funds for personal expenses, including her son's wedding photo session and thousands of dollars spent at restaurants and liquor stores between January 2018 and June 2023.
When FOX 5 attempted to contact Koeppen for a response, they found the listed address for The Hope Box led to a postal office in Acworth. Koeppen has not made any public statement about the allegations, and Raffensperger has declined to comment on the lawsuit's details.
