Iowa AG Warns of Scam Fundraiser for Fallen Soldier

Deceitful website falsely claims to raise money for Declan Coady, a West Des Moines Army reservist killed in Kuwait.

Mar. 16, 2026 at 8:53pm

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The Iowa Attorney General's Office is warning residents about a fraudulent fundraising website called DeclanCoadyFoundation.com that falsely claims to raise money for Declan Coady, a West Des Moines Army reservist who was killed this month in Kuwait. Officials are urging people to only donate to legitimate memorial funds set up by Drake University and the family's verified GoFundMe campaign.

Why it matters

Scams that exploit the deaths of military members and their families can cause significant harm by diverting donations away from authentic fundraising efforts. This warning aims to protect Iowans from falling victim to this deceptive scheme and ensure funds reach the intended recipients.

The details

The Iowa Attorney General's Office says the DeclanCoadyFoundation.com website is a scam that falsely claims to raise money for Declan Coady, a West Des Moines Army reservist who was killed this month in Kuwait. Officials are urging Iowans to only donate to the official memorial fund set up by Drake University and the family's verified GoFundMe campaign.

  • Declan Coady, a West Des Moines Army reservist, was killed this month in Kuwait.

The players

Declan Coady

A West Des Moines Army reservist who was killed this month in Kuwait.

Brenna Bird

The Iowa Attorney General who is warning Iowans about the scam fundraising website.

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What they’re saying

“We must make sure Iowans donate only to legitimate fundraisers for Declan Coady and his family.”

— Brenna Bird, Iowa Attorney General

What’s next

The Iowa Attorney General's Office is investigating the fraudulent website and urging Iowans to report any suspicious fundraising efforts to their office.

The takeaway

This scam highlights the importance of verifying the legitimacy of any fundraising campaigns, especially those related to tragic events, to ensure donations reach the intended recipients and support authentic efforts to honor fallen service members and their families.