A fundraising campaign on GiveSendGo, a crowdfunding platform, has garnered over $15,000 for Mo Khan, a Temple University student embroiled in a public dispute with Dave Portnoy, the founder of Barstool Sports. Khan intends to use the funds for legal representation in the escalating feud.
The controversy began after Portnoy accused Khan of posting an Instagram story featuring a waitress at the Barstool Sansom Street bar holding a sign with an antisemitic message. Portnoy initially proposed sending Khan on a trip to Auschwitz to educate him about the Holocaust, an offer Khan declined. Instead, the 21-year-old student initiated a fundraising campaign on GiveSendGo, seeking financial assistance for his legal defense.
The situation intensified when Khan posted a video on X (formerly Twitter) promoting the fundraising campaign. Portnoy challenged Khan’s version of events, leading to the addition of a community note on Khan’s post, questioning the accuracy of his account.
Jacob Wells, the co-founder of GiveSendGo, has stated that the company will investigate the validity of the campaign. Wells emphasized the importance of truthfulness in campaigns hosted on the platform and acknowledged that GiveSendGo takes reports of disputes seriously. While admitting he was previously unaware of Portnoy’s dispute and the community note on Khan’s post, Wells assured that the company’s verification team would review the situation.
Wells clarified that GiveSendGo’s role is not to fact-check every campaign exhaustively, but rather to ensure campaigns are as truthful as possible. He stated the company would commit to its verification process and examine the campaign to ensure its accuracy. He further added that misrepresentation of events in the campaign summary could be grounds for removal of the campaign from the platform. However, Wells refrained from making definitive statements, acknowledging the numerous variables involved in such situations. He asserted that egregious examples of outright lies in campaign stories would constitute a violation of the platform’s terms of service and could lead to removal.
In his video, Khan claimed he had no involvement in bringing the antisemitic sign to the bar and was merely reporting on it. He also expressed anti-Israel sentiments, stating that the sign was provocative because it reminded people of the perceived injustices committed by Israel. Khan further claimed that Israel kills thousands of people daily.
Portnoy responded to Khan’s video by reposting it and accusing Khan of being a liar. Portnoy asserted that he had spoken to Khan and his friend on the phone, during which they admitted to their involvement and expressed remorse. Portnoy alleged that Khan subsequently sought legal counsel after consulting with his family.
Khan has since refuted Portnoy’s claims on X, denying that he has retained a lawyer or cried during the phone conversation.
The initial community note on Khan’s post highlighted the discrepancy between his current narrative and his initial account to Portnoy, citing Portnoy’s accusation of lying and linking to a New York Post article covering the exchange.
Subsequently, a new community note was added to Khan’s post, pointing to past instances of alleged antisemitic behavior by Khan, including throwing quarters at Jewish students at Temple University. The note linked to an NBC Philadelphia article, which, however, did not mention any previous antisemitic actions by Khan.
The new note also highlighted Khan’s interview on a podcast hosted by Stew Peters, who has a history of promoting antisemitic beliefs and operating the website "dontbeajew.com."
Temple University President John Fry issued a statement seemingly condemning Khan’s interview, stating that the university was aware of a student’s participation in an interview with a media personality known for producing extreme antisemitic and racist content. Fry described the interview’s content as appalling and deeply offensive, reiterating that antisemitism is not tolerated at Temple. Temple University has confirmed it suspended two students as part of its investigation into the matter, and Khan has stated that he is among those suspended.
Khan has not been charged with any crime. The Philadelphia police department has stated that they are gathering information about the incident.
The unfolding situation has drawn significant attention, raising questions about freedom of speech, accountability for online content, and the responsibilities of crowdfunding platforms in addressing disputes related to the campaigns they host. The GiveSendGo’s investigation into Khan’s campaign will likely be closely watched as it navigates the complex issues surrounding the case. The incident continues to fuel debate on social media and within the Temple University community.
