Mass. Launches Portal to Report Misconduct by Federal Agents

BOSTON – Governor Maura Healey and Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell announced a new portal on the state website where residents can report unlawful actions or misconduct by ICE and other federal agents in Massachusetts.

According to Campbell’s office, the design of the portal will help the state track and identify patterns of potential misconduct, support affected residents, and inform possible legal or policy actions by the state.

“The people of Massachusetts deserve to know that their rights will be respected, their safety protected and their concerns about misconduct taken seriously,” said Governor Healey. “This new reporting portal will help us gather information, support residents and ensure federal agents operating in our state are following the law.”

The form for submitting reports also accepts both photos and videos.

See the portal for reporting misconduct by federal agents

Campbell’s office also announced the release of an updated version of her officer’s “Know Your Rights” guidance. The guidance includes updated information about holding federal officials accountable, the role of the Customs and Border Patrol agency, the rights of protestors, and other information.

Campbell’s office also maintains a page on the state website with information and resources for immigrants living in Massachusetts.

Image Credit: “Gov. Maura Healey” by Office of Governor Healey is licensed under CC BY 2.0

O’Connor’s Restaurant in Worcester Closes After 36 Years

WORCESTER – O’Connor’s Restaurant and Bar, at 1160 West Boylston St. in Worcester, announced through its social media accounts that it has closed.

Brendan and Claire O’Connor opened the restaurant in 1989, a year after immigrating from Ireland. In 2021, Taste of Massachusetts named O’Connor’s the most popular Irish pub in Massachusetts

In 2022, after over 30 years of operating the restaurant, the O’Connor’s sold the business and retired. It has since been owned by Dennis and Jennifer Maxwell and their son, Kyle.

Last week, a pipe burst inside the restaurant, causing it to close for several days. First announced as a temporary closure, a message posted to its social media accounts on Wednesday, March 11, said restaurant announced it would not reopen, citing the burst pipe and rising business costs.

See the full O’Connor’s farewell message below.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by O’Connor’s Restaurant & Bar (@oconnorsrestaurant)

Opioid Settlement Payouts for Every Municipality Released

BOSTON – A new dashboard on the official website of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts provides details on the distribution of over $45 million from opioid settlements expected to reach Worcester County municipalities. The state also made expected payouts to each municipality available.

The dashboard shows that from 2021 to 2025, the state received nearly $340.8 million in opioid settlement funds. Of that sum, the state distributed $114.3 million to municipalities, with $13.9 million distributed to Worcester County. The remaining $226.4 million remains at the state level.

Worcester received the largest share of distributions to Worcester County through 2025, with the city receiving $4.4 million. The next largest recipient, Leominster, received $910,627 over the same time.

The state’s data also shows projected payouts through 2039. From 2026 to 2039, the state projects $31.8 million coming to municipalities in Worcester County. Those projections show Worcester receiving $9.9 million and Leominster receiving just over $2 million.

The two largest annual payouts to municipalities have already passed. In 2023, the state distributed over $42 million to municipalities. In 2025, that total increased to over $50 million in before dropping to just under $22 million in 2025.

Find the full list of Worcester County municipalities and the current and projected payouts to each below. Each column is sortable on desktop, or you may search for a specific municipality using the search feature.

Massachusetts, 25 Other States to Continue Fight Against Ticketmaster

BOSTON – Despite a pending settlement agreement between the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and Live Nation, the owner of Ticketmaster, Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell says she will join with attorneys general of 24 other states and Washington D.C. to continue antitrust litigation against the company.

“For years, Live Nation’s illegal monopoly has driven up prices, squeezed out competition, and left consumers with few choices and little recourse, said Campbell.. “The DOJ’s settlement falls far short of protecting consumers, artists, and venues from the harms that Live Nation and Ticketmaster have caused.”

Campbell said she will “continue to pursue litigation against Live Nation and keep fighting to protect consumers, restore competition, and hold Live Nation accountable for its illegal behavior.”

In 2024, Campbell joined the DOJ and 39 other attorneys general in an antitrust lawsuit against Live Nation, claiming it monopolized the live entertainment industry. The lawsuit alleged that Ticketmaster’s market dominance led to higher consumer fees, fewer choices, and less innovation in the industry. The lawsuit alleged Live Nation:

• Forced venues to agree to restrictive long-term agreements that require these venues to exclusively use Ticketmaster for ticketing;
• Threatened that venues would lose access to Live Nation-controlled tours and artists if they sign with a ticketer that is not Ticketmaster;
• Used its extensive network of amphitheaters to coerce artists into selecting Live Nation as a promoter instead of its rivals;
• Threatened rival promoters to attempt to prevent their entry into the United States market; and
• Serially and strategically acquired promoters, venues, and festivals to eliminate competition in the live entertainment industry.

According to Campbell’s office, LIve nation owns or controls 265 concert venues across the United States and manages over 400 musical artists. Ticketmaster controls primary ticketing for roughly 80 percent of major venues.

The DOJ and Live Nation agreed to the terms of a settlement on Monday, a week after the antitrust trial began in New York. The judge in the case must approve the terms of the settlement.

The Federal Settlement Agreement

The pending settlement agreement between the DOJ and Live Nation includes an extension of a consent decree the two reached in 2010 as part of the approval of the merger between Live Nation and Ticketmaster. The DOJ sought to modify that agreement in 2019 after it claimed repeated violations by Live Nation. It extended the agreement into 2025 and added an automatic penalty of $1 million for each future violation.

The DOJ and 39 states filed the antitrust lawsuit in 2024.

Teh settlement agreement between the DOJ and Live Nation announced on Monday includes:

• Eight-year extension of the consent decree;
• A cap on service fees of 15 percent of face value;
• Ticketmaster will provide a ticketing platform that allows third-party companies (i.e. Seatgeek, Stubhub) to offer primary tickets.
• Live Nation would divest 13 exclusive booking agreements with amphitheaters nationwide;
• Live Nation must divest ownership or control of 13 major amphitheaters across the U.S.;
• Live Nation-controlled amphitheaters must allow competing promoters to book shows and distribute up to 50 percent of tickets through other marketplaces;
• Live Nation agrees to strict prohibitions on retaliation against venues that choose a competing ticket service.

The states that did not join the DOJ settlement agreement and will continue litigation against Live Nation are Massachusetts, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Illinois, Kansas, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.

Exclusive Interview: Potathan, Worcester’s Most Famous Pothole

(Editor’s Note: This article contains satire)

A local resident’s satirical posts on Reddit as Potathan, the pothole at the corner of Salisbury Street and Park Avenue in Worcester, has received attention from several city residents across social media. Some have posted some of Potathan’s content from Reddit to other social media sites, expanding the reach of the pothole’s first-person narrative.

You can follow their journey on Reddit here: Potathan Speaks.

This Week in Worcester secured an interview with the pothole that everyone is talking about. Here is the complete interview with Potathan.

1. What inspired you to get into holing?

I was born into it, really. But even if I hadn’t been, how could I have looked at these beautiful, neglected roads and not felt compelled to hole? I never would have pursued holing at UT-Divot if I hadn’t seen the private roads of Worcester. What kind of city even has private roads at this point? It’s a truly special place.

2. What are your goals for your career?

I’m focusing on acting at the moment (be sure to look for me in Yorgos Lanthimos’ adaptation of Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel!), but it’s my hole work in Worcester that keeps me grounded and most of my career goals concern ruining people’s alignments around town. This is where I feel like I’ll make a real difference.

3. How much do you think Worcester’s leadership has played a role in your growth?

I absolutely would not be the hole I am today without the city’s leadership seemingly being surprised every year when it snows here and never feeling any peer pressure to maintain Worcester’s roads as well as its neighbors’. I think they do a great job, though. I understand if residents don’t feel the same way, given that I get a lot more love and consideration from the city than they do.

4. Who are your inspirations?

A lot of holes look down to the Darvaza gas crater or Golly Hole, but I feel much more inspired by real dirt of the earth local guys. The holist who works on that low section of Webster St. underneath the bridge? Amazing stuff. It’s incredible holers like that guy who get me excited to open up each day and ruin someone’s morning.

5. What do you want the people of Worcester to know about you?

I want them to know that I really care about them: they’re the most important people in the world to me. There’s no greater joy in the world than hearing someone curse you and the city they live in after destroying their car’s alignment in you, and Worcester provides more opportunities for destruction than any other place I’ve known. Also, no, not all potholes are related, even if we look the same; we’re just peers who share a love of holing.

Potathan studied at UT-Divot (thesis was on the increasing the weight of vehicles and its impact on pavement vulnerability). They have acting credits that include Hole #3 in Michael Bay’s reimagining of Louis Sachar’s Holes and Field Hole in Goodfellas. Potathan resides and works at the corner of Salisbury St and Park Ave, where you can visit anytime throughout the day.

Image Credit: Google

As Gasoline Prices Explode, See 30 Ways to Increase Vehicle Efficiency

WORCESTER – As American and Israeli attacks on Iran continue, the price of crude oil, and by extension, gasoline prices are exploding.

Crude oil prices increased by around 30 percent last week, the biggest weekly gain since 1983. On Sunday, crude oil prices surpassed $100 a barrel.

Increases in gasoline prices followed, with the national average for a gallon of regular unleaded increasing over 15 percent in the last seven days. That increase is the highest since 2022, when gasoline prices increased 60 cents in the week following the Russian invasion of Ukraine in March.

One week ago, on March 2, consumers paid an average of $2.91 per gallon of regular unleaded in Massachusetts. That price only increased a single penny over the prior month.

On March 9, the average price of a gallon of regular unleaded rose 40 cents to $3.31 per gallon. Nationwide, the average increased 48 cents since a week ago. In the Worcester metro area, prices have increased at nearly the same rate as the statewide average, from $2.91 a week ago to $3.32 on March 9.

Tips to Maximize Your Miles Per Gallon

With the increased financial burden on drivers and commuters, AAA Northeast provides the following tips to maximize the efficiency of the fuel you use in your vehicle.

• Avoid buying gas when there’s a delivery truck at the station. Recent deliveries stir up sediment, which can clog your fuel filter.
• Annual tuneups and inspections are vital. Check your vehicle’s owners manual for recommended maintenance intervals and be sure to inspect suspension and chassis parts for possible misalignments. Problems such as bent wheels, axles, bad shocks and broken springs all create engine drag (and are unsafe when traveling at high speeds).
• Avoid overfilling your gas tank, which can cause spills and waste. Never fill the gas tank past the first “click” of the fuel nozzle.
• After filling up, make sure the gas cap clicks three times. Improperly sealed gas caps allow fuel to vaporize and could even trigger your check engine light.
• Properly inflated tires are safer, last longer and can improve your gas mileage by more than 3%, according to the Department of Energy. Check your tire pressure at least once a month and compare it with the recommended pressure listed in your owners manual and on the placard in your car door. Inflate your tires as needed and be sure to check tire pressure when your tires are cold. A good time to check is early in the morning after your car has been idle overnight.
• Save money with self-service whenever possible and choose to pay in cash if there is an extra charge to use a credit card.
• Keep your eyes open to find good prices at the pump. You could even apply for a credit card which offers gas savings when using the card for purchases.
• Keep windows closed when traveling at highway speeds. Open windows cause aerodynamic drag, which consumes fuel.
• Think ahead when approaching hills. Only accelerate before you reach the hill, not while you’re on it.
• Slow down! Although vehicle reach their optimal fuel economy at different speeds, gas mileage usually decreases rapidly over 60 mph.
• Both acceleration and deceleration waste fuel. Try to drive at a constant speed and avoid tailgating. The driver in front of you could be unpredictable, making you brake or speed up more than necessary. Plus, it’s dangerous.
• Use cruise control whenever possible. The small, more precise adjustments made by the car’s cruise control system will keep your speed constant and save you fuel.
• Even on cold mornings, avoid warming up your engine at idle. Today’s cars are designed to start and go, saving you gas.
• If you have a manual transmission, don’t keep your left foot on the clutch pedal while driving. The slightest pressure puts mechanical drag on components, wearing them down prematurely.
• Avoid driving along rough roads whenever possible. Dirt and gravel can cost you on gas mileage.
• Use alternate roads when they prove to be safer, shorter and straighter. Corners, curves and lane jumping all require extra gas. The shortest distance between two points is always a straight line.
• Traffic lights are generally timed for your motoring advantage. By traveling steadily at the legal speed limit, you increase your chances of getting more green lights throughout your trip. Pay attention to the lights on your daily commute and try to anticipate whether they’ll turn green or red by the time you get there.
• Gas stations near major highways often charge more for gas because land is generally more valuable in these locations, increasing overhead costs. Those higher costs are passed on to consumers. Before a road trip, fill up at your local station. If you must fill up near the highway, try stations near state border lines, which tend to price their gasoline less aggressively.
• Remove snow tires during good weather seasons; traveling on deep tire treads hurts your fuel economy.
• Operating the air conditioner on the maximum level can reduce your mpg by 5% to 25%, compared to not using it. Try to park your car in the shade so you won’t have to keep the AC working as hard. Turn off the air conditioning five minutes before you reach your destination.
• Remove excess weight from the trunk or inside of the car: extra tires, child seats, unnecessary heavy parts, etc. Extra weight reduces mileage, especially when driving up inclines.
• On large sport-utility vehicles and minivans, one of the simplest gas saving tips is to remove unneeded third-row seating. Some third-row seats weigh over 100 pounds. This is extra weight your engine has to deal with, which can waste gas.
• Carpools reduce travel monotony and gas expenses. They also reduce traffic congestion.
• Combining errands into one trip saves you time and money. Several short trips taken from a cold start can use twice as much fuel as a longer multi-purpose trip covering the same distance with a warm engine. Trip planning ensures that traveling is done when the engine is warmed-up and efficient.
• Turn off your engine when your car is just sitting. Idling burns 1 gallon of gas per hour and will earn you zero mpg. You’ll not only save fuel, but you’ll also help the environment by not releasing more emissions from your car than absolutely necessary.
• Wax your car and keep it clean. This will reduce aerodynamic drag, thus providing better mileage.
• Walk between stops. Once you get into town, some of your stops may be near each other. Park between some or all of them and walk or park in the first spot you find. If you wander all over the parking lot looking for a really close parking space, you’ll use more gas.
• Track your mileage in real time. You may know what your consumption looks like from tank-to-tank, but that’s really not enough. Knowing the mileage you’re getting in real time and comparing it to what you got yesterday is one of the most useful gas saving tips you can practice.
• Run errands during off-peak traffic hours. These days, many offices offer more flexible hours, so errands can be run at almost any time. Avoid being stuck in traffic if all you have to do is leave 30 minutes earlier or come in 30 minutes later.
• Try to purchase vehicles that get good gas mileage. The difference between 20 and 40 mpg can be big for your wallet.
• Don’t use premium fuel if it’s not necessary. If your car specifies regular fuel, don’t buy premium under the mistaken belief that your engine will run better. Most cars are designed to run just fine on regular gasoline. Check your owners manual to find out what grade your car requires.
• Use your garage. Parking there will help your car stay warm in winter and cool in summer, so you don’t have to depend as much on your air conditioning when you drive.
• Try to avoid traffic on busy days or times when it is raining, windy or barometric pressure is high. Rain and high barometric pressure create extra air drag that uses more fuel to create and maintain forward motion.

Exclusive: AI Error Likely Led to Girl’s School Bombing in Iran

This Week in Worcester spoke with multiple sources who confirmed that the military’s deployment of AI led to the missile strike against the Shajareh Tayyebeh girls’ school in Minab, a city in southern Iran, on Saturday. Ali Bahreini, Iran’s ambassador to the U.N. in Geneva, said ​the strike killed 150 students. There has been no independent confirmation of that death toll.

The Pentagon is currently investigating the matter, and according to a report from Reuters, officials within the military confirmed the US’s potential responsibility for the attack. There is no evidence at this time that the U.S. military intentionally targeted the school. A compound near the school was previously associated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

This Week in Worcester spoke with a Department of Justice appointee on the condition of anonymity, citing an ongoing and active investigation. “The immediate theory is that the AI program included the school’s position based on older, archived intelligence. The logic behind the launch, and the mechanics of who authorized it is unclear.”

This Week in Worcester spoke with a logistics programmer in the Department of Defense (DOD), who said that the department rapidly scaled up its use of a Claude-based system over the past year, integrating it with many core operational decisions.

“They are gung-ho about this program, and want to use it for everything. Most of their operational planning is done using this software, although there is some things we have designed in-house,” said the appointee.

The incident in Iran is currently under investigation by military investigators.

Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a statement to Reuters, “While the Department of War is currently ​investigating this matter, the Iranian regime targets civilians and children, not the United States of America.”

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said in response to being asked about the incident: “We’re investigating that. ​We, of course, never target civilian targets. But we’re taking a look and investigating that.”

Multiple news agencies reported on the military’s use of Claude AI, made by Anthropic.

This week, the Trump Administration declared Anthropic a supply chain risk over the company demanding that the government not use its technology for mass surveillance of Americans or autonomous vehicles. The military has six months to eliminate Claude usage. The administration signed a contract with OpenAI, the maker of ChatGPT, after the announcement about Claude.

This Week in Worcester previously reported that AI errors led to delays in the release of the Epstein files, with many files being either mistakenly redacted or unredacted without human supervision. The same source there says that some of the files being moved on and off the DOJ’s Epstein website are, “being double-checked by human attorneys.”

Image Credit: Touch Of Light, The Pentagon, Headquarters of the US Department of Defense (cropped2), CC BY-SA 4.0

Grafton Man with Significant Disabilities Scheduled for Eviction March 5

GRAFTON – An eviction due to a mortgage foreclosure in North Grafton, approved by the Massachusetts Housing Court and scheduled for Thursday, March 5, will send a significantly disabled man and his sister into homelessness if it moves forward.

Esther Ngotho lives with her brother, Sam Gichuhi, at 10 Valley View Drive in Grafton. The home has modifications to accommodate Gichuhi’s disabilities, which require the use of a motorized wheelchair. He lives on one floor of the home, which accommodates his needs.

That floor is not at ground level. In the uncommon occurrence that Gichuhi leaves the home, he uses the backyard of the home, up a hill, to get to ground level and access to street level.

During eviction proceedings in housing court at the Worcester District and Superior Courthouse, at 225 Main Street, the housing court judge hasn’t appeared to consider Gichuhi’s disability in decisions.

In an effort to avoid her and her disabled brother becoming homeless on March 5, Ngotho, representing herself as the “next of friend” to Gichuhi, filed an emergency motion to cancel the eviction as life-threatening to her brother.

Ngotho decided to bring her brother to court for the hearing on her motion so that the judge could see the challenges Gichuhi’s disabilities present. A Grafton police officer and multiple Grafton firefighters helped dig through snow and ice to enable Gichuhi to reach a specialized van that accommodates his wheelchair.

The motion, made available to This Week in Worcester, appears to have merit.

Part of the motion relies on MGL Ch. 239 § 9, which allows for stays of judgement and execution for 12 months “in the case of premises occupied by a handicapped person.” The motion also argues that the court has already endangered Gichuhi’s life by failing to issue such a stay, as he has postponed life-sustaining radiation treatment for five months for uncertainty about his living situation.

The motion cites the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Massachusetts Equal Rights Act in requesting reasonable accommodations for Gichuhi’s disabilities. It also cites MGL Ch. 239 § 10, which says that if the applicant for a stay of eviction “cannot secure suitable premises for himself and his family elsewhere,” then “the court may grant a stay.”

While the stay is not mandatory, § 10 also says that “upon application for such a stay of proceedings, the court shall hear the parties.”

After the effort to enable Gichuhi to get to the courthouse, and despite the apparent requirement to hear arguments on the motion, Judge Jeffrey Winik denied the motion without a hearing.

Suspended Due Process Rules

The Massachusetts Alliance Against Predatory Lending (MAAPL) issued a report in 2025, “Due Process Rights Rescinded in MA Housing Court’s Eviction Cases.” The report argues that in anticipation of the reopening of housing courts across the state in October 2020, after pandemic-related closures, “the Housing Court Division suspended for itself the Due Process Rules unique to eviction cases (Uniform Summary Process Rules).”

The official state website page for the Massachusetts Trial Court’s Uniform Summary Process Rules has the following note:

Note: Any provisions that are inconsistent with Housing Court, District Court, or Boston Municipal Court standing orders are suspended by Trial Court Administrative Order 21-2: Trial Court Order Suspending Certain Provisions of Trial Court Rule I: Uniform Summary Process Rules, effective June 15, 2021.

The report highlights 41 areas, over 121 pages, where the authors say the housing courts have eroded the due process rights of homeowners and tenants, as due process rights remain indefinitely suspended.

Grace Ross, a co-founder of MAAPL, says those due process rights remain indefinitely suspended.

Ross has assisted Ngotho in her defense against foreclosure. Ross also founded the Worcester Anti-Foreclosure Team, which provides assistance to residents and homeowners facing foreclosure and eviction proceedings.

Like Ngotho, most defendants in housing court represent themselves. The MAAPL report says that 75 percent of defendants represent themselves in housing court, while landlords represent themselves in 25 percent of cases.

In mortgage foreclosure cases, the plaintiffs are typically banks or investors. In almost all cases, these defendants have attorneys experienced in housing law..

Worcester Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug Distribution Charges

WORCESTER – A local man pleaded guilty to drug distribution charges in federal court in Worcester on Wednesday, March 4.

Tong Tran, 35, of Worcester, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute controlled substances. Charges were filed against Tran in April 2025. U.S. District Court Judge Margaret Guzman scheduled sentencing for June 4.

According to federal prosecutors, in September 2024, Tran shipped a package from a Worcester Post Office. A search of the package found 2.4 kilograms of orange pills with methamphetamine included. The pills were concealed inside a children’s toy.

The wrapping material inside the package contained a partial fingerprint matching Tran.

Law enforcement searched Tran’s home in April 2025. That search revealed a pill press, binding agent and additional equipment used to manufacture pills, including pill dyes.

The search also located 3.3 kilograms of methamphetamine and around $8,000 in cash.

The charge of possession with intent to distribute controlled substances provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at least three years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $1 million.

21 Attorneys General Demand Action from GoFundMe on Unauthorize Fundraising

BOSTON – Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell joined 20 other attorneys general in a letter to GoFundMe, a crowdsource fundraising platform, to express concern over allegations that the website created fundraising pages for over 1.4 million charities without their prior knowledge or consent.

The letter cites a report by an ABC affiliate in California about the pages being created.

The attorneys general said that GoFundMe creating the pages left the charities unable to have control of their fundraising or brand. The letter also said that included within GoFundMe’s created pages with the following issues:

• Inaccurate Charity Information: some pages provided inaccurate names, logos, social media sites, and charitable purposes of many charities were displayed on the pages created by GoFundMe.
• Disclosure about Donor-Advised Fund (DAF) Structure: some pages did not clearly disclose that contributions were made to a DAF sponsor rather than the featured charity, explain the nature of a DAF vehicle or its implications for donor intent and fund distribution, and thereby risked deceiving and confusing the public.
• Impression of Charity Affiliation: the overall page presentations likely gave donors the impression that the pages were operated by, or directly affiliated with, the named charities.
• Default Tip: GoFundMe’s donation pages may have applied a default “tip” of approximately 16.5% intended to pay GoFundMe directly.

The letter also says that GoFundMe may have violated various laws related to charitable solicitation and consumer protection in multiple states, including failing to obtain required consent, deceptive or misleading conduct, and insufficient or omitted disclosures.

They demanded that within 14 days the company provide proof it has removed all unauthorized donation pages, demonstrate the takedown procedures to remove the pages, and explain how it would modify its search engine optimization practices to ensure the fundraising and websites by the charities are not disadvantaged.

Along with Campbell, the attorneys general that signed onto the letter are from the states of California, Delaware, Illinois, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Vermont, Washington, and Wisconsin.

GoFundMe provided the following statement to This Week in Worcester:

“GoFundMe is committed to helping nonprofits reach new donors by making it easier for the millions of people on our platform to discover and support the causes they care about. Nonprofit Pages were created using publicly available information to help people support nonprofit organizations, with donations going to the intended nonprofit.

After hearing feedback from nonprofit leaders in October, we acted quickly to make Nonprofit Pages fully opt-in, removed and de-indexed unclaimed pages, and turned off search engine optimization by default. The immediate changes we made in October directly addressed the concerns outlined in the letter received today from the state Attorneys General, and reflect our continued commitment to transparency, accountability, and partnership with the nonprofit sector. We welcome the opportunity to share with the Attorneys General the concrete steps we have already implemented in response to the issues raised.”

Editor’s note: This article was updated on March 6 to include the statement from GoUndMe.