Execs at Sidney Powell's nonprofit quit over concerns about how $14 million in donations was handled, report sys

• A nonprofit led by Sidney Powell raised $14M on election-fraud claims, The Washington Post said.
• Staff concerned about a lack of financial transparency resigned in April, according to the report.

Executives at a nonprofit led by election-fraud conspiracy theorist Sidney Powell resigned in April because they were concerned about the lack of transparency about the use of funds, The Washington Post reported.

On Monday The Post, citing financial disclosure documents in Florida, reported that Powell's Defending the Republic nonprofit raised more than $14 million from donors.

The sum shows the fundraising power of that election-fraud conspiracy theories have, despite the lack of evidence supporting them.

According to the report, staff and board members at the group grew concerned about the use of donation, with several resigning on April 9.

Among them was Robert Weaver, who quit only days after becoming chief financial officer at the group.

According to The Post, he wrote in a memo at the time that he had "no way of knowing the true financial position" of Defending the Republic because some of its bank accounts were off limits even to him.

Powell rose to prominence last year as one of the key figures in the bid to overturn Joe Biden's victory in the 2020 presidential election. The bizarre nature of some of her claims led then-President Donald Trump to fire her from his legal team.

According to the Post report, concerns about the use of funds at the nonprofit left Powell isolated from other key figures in Trump's orbit seeking to change the electoral system on the basis of groundless claims that victory was stolen from Trump.

The Post reported that Powell remained in control of around $9 million in funds as recently as this summer despite concerns over her leadership.

The finances of Defending the Republic, and Powell's own activities, are currently being scrutinized by the US attorney's office for the District of Columbia, the Post reported last week.

A lawyer listed as representing Defending the Republic and Powell did not immediately respond to a request for comment.