Fraudsters Exploit Slain Deputy's Family with Fake Fundraisers

Tulare County Sheriff's Office warns public of scammers creating unauthorized GoFundMe pages after deputy's line-of-duty death.

Apr. 15, 2026 at 12:34am

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An extreme close-up photograph of a crumpled, torn donation page, lit by a harsh, direct camera flash against a pitch-black background, conceptually representing the exploitation of a tragedy by fraudsters.Scammers attempt to capitalize on the death of a sheriff's deputy through fake online fundraisers, undermining public trust in legitimate charitable efforts.Tulare Today

Scammers have created fake GoFundMe pages claiming to raise money for the family of Tulare County Detective Randy Hoppert, who was killed in the line of duty during a deadly standoff with an armed suspect. The sheriff's department has warned the public that these pages are unauthorized and the family has not approved or benefited from any of the donations.

Why it matters

Exploiting the tragedy of a fallen officer's death for financial gain is a despicable act that undermines public trust and compassion. This case highlights the need for increased vigilance against scams targeting vulnerable victims, as well as the importance of verifying fundraising campaigns to ensure donations reach the intended beneficiaries.

The details

According to the Tulare County Sheriff's Department, multiple fake GoFundMe pages have been created by scammers claiming to raise money for Detective Hoppert's wife Ashley and their two sons. The department shared a screenshot of one such page set up by a user named Vance Bookour, which had a goal of $8,000 and had raised $340. Another unauthorized page had a $3,500 goal and had raised $840. The sheriff's office made it clear that the family has not authorized any of these GoFundMe campaigns, and urged the public to only donate through verified channels such as the Deputy Sheriff's Benevolent Fund and a Meal Train page.

  • Last week, Detective Randy Hoppert was killed in a deadly standoff with an armed suspect who had been served an eviction notice in Porterville.
  • On April 14, 2026, the Tulare County Sheriff's Department warned the public about the fake GoFundMe pages.

The players

Randy Hoppert

A Tulare County detective who was killed in the line of duty during a standoff with an armed suspect.

Ashley Hoppert

The wife of Detective Randy Hoppert, who is the intended beneficiary of the unauthorized fundraising campaigns.

Austin Hoppert

One of the two sons of Detective Randy Hoppert, who is the intended beneficiary of the unauthorized fundraising campaigns.

Vance Bookour

The user who created one of the fake GoFundMe pages claiming to raise money for the Hoppert family.

Mike Boudreaux

The sheriff of Tulare County, who announced the funeral arrangements for Detective Hoppert and warned the public about the fraudulent fundraisers.

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What they’re saying

“Sheriff Boudreaux wants to remind the public to look out for fake GoFundMe Pages claiming to be created on behalf of Fallen TCSO Deputy Randy Hoppert's family.”

— Tulare County Sheriff's Department

“Please know- Deputy Hoppert's family has NOT authorized any GoFundMe Pages and is NOT benefiting at all from those donations.”

— Tulare County Sheriff's Department

“Don't shoot at cops. You shoot at cops, we're going to run you over. He got run over. He got what he deserved.”

— Mike Boudreaux, Tulare County Sheriff

What’s next

GoFundMe has stated that it is working to verify the intended beneficiaries and ensure that all funds raised are safely transferred to the Hoppert family.

The takeaway

This case highlights the need for increased vigilance against scams targeting vulnerable victims, as well as the importance of verifying fundraising campaigns to ensure donations reach the intended beneficiaries. The public should only donate through official channels authorized by the Hoppert family to ensure their support reaches the family in their time of grief.