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Far-Right Activists ‘Looted’ Corporate Assets to Buy a Castle, NY AG Says in Lawsuit
The New York Attorney General alleges the Brimelows misused over $2 million from VDARE, including castle purchase and soliciting donations after declaring the charity inactive.
- In 2024, New York’s top legal official, Letitia James, initiated legal action against the VDARE Foundation and its leadership, accusing them of improperly using over $2 million in nonprofit funds, including $1.4 million spent on purchasing a castle in West Virginia.
- The investigation began in 2022 after reports questioned the 2020 castle purchase, and the AG alleges the Brimelows improperly funneled assets for personal benefit and obstructed the inquiry.
- Peter and Lydia Brimelow, who established VDARE, purchased the 9,300-square-foot Berkeley Springs Castle and moved in, subsequently transferring ownership to family-controlled entities and charging the nonprofit organization inflated rent for the property.
- James emphasized that charitable organizations exist to benefit the community rather than to finance extravagant lifestyles or enrich individuals. She aims to shut down VDARE, prohibit the Brimelows from involvement in any nonprofit activities, and reclaim funds that were misappropriated.
- Peter Brimelow resigned and suspended VDARE in 2024, blaming the AG's ongoing investigation for the closure, while the organization ceased operations with only $150,000 remaining.
14 Articles
14 Articles
New York AG sues far-right nonprofit for misusing funds to buy West Virginia castle
BERKELEY SPRINGS, W.Va. (WBOY) — The owners of an iconic castle in West Virginia are facing legal action after being accused of running a false charity. According to a press release, New York Attorney General Letitia James filed a lawsuit on Wednesday against the nonprofit VDARE Foundation, as well as its leaders, Peter Brimelow and his wife Lydie Brimelow. The suit claims that the pair diverted at least $2 million of funds from VDARE to "benefi…
Letitia James sues anti-immigration group for misusing charitable funds to buy West Virginia castle
New York Attorney General Letitia James on Wednesday sued anti-immigration website VDARE for misusing at least $2 million in charitable funds, some of which went toward the website’s founders’ purchase of a castle in West Virginia. In 2020, VDARE founders Peter and Lydia Brimelow bought Berkeley Springs Castle for $1.4 million using funds from the New York nonprofit organization. The couple allegedly purchased the property for extra space for of…
Far-right activists ‘looted’ corporate assets to buy a castle, NY AG says in lawsuit
The New York attorney general’s office filed civil charges against far-right anti-immigration activist Peter Brimelow and his wife for allegedly misusing more than $2 million in assets, including a West Virginia castle, from a charitable foundation they run.
'Personal Piggybank' or 'Political Target'? New York AG's Suit Against VDARE Leaders Seeks Restitution for Couple's Purchase of Castle
The Office of the New York State Attorney General had been investigating the controversial anti-immigration organization, for allegedly being a "piggy bank" to the couple that heads it, since 2022.
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