Attorney General Ellison bans Florida-based charity Kids Wish Network, Inc. from soliciting donations from Minnesotans for five years

December 20, 2023 (SAINT PAUL) — Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison today announced that he has filed an Assurance of Discontinuance that bans the Florida-based charity Kids Wish Network, Inc. (“Kids Wish”), from soliciting contributions in Minnesota for 5 years.  Kids Wish advertises itself as a charity that grants wishes for seriously ill children, but Kids Wish is regularly identified as one of the worst charities in America because the vast majority of the funds it raises go to its fundraising efforts rather than to charitable programing.

“When Minnesotans donate their hard-earned money, they want to know that those charitable contributions are actually going to causes they care about,” said Attorney General Ellison. “Part of my job of helping all Minnesotans afford their lives is ensuring that charities soliciting donations in Minnesota are being good stewards of charitable funds.”

In the Assurance of Discontinuance filed today, the Attorney General specifically alleged that Kids Wish solicited donations from Minnesotans by giving the impression that funds would be used to grant lavish wishes to area children with serious medical diagnoses. Attorney General Ellison further alleged that those solicitations are a violation of Minn. Stat. 309.55, which bars charities from using deception to convince potential donors that “the funds being solicited are or will be used for purposes and programs conducted within or for persons located within the state of Minnesota when such is not the case.”

The Assurance indicated Kids Wish will not solicit charitable donations in Minnesota for a period of five years.

In Minnesota, the Attorney General through the Charities Division has civil enforcement authority over the solicitation of charitable contributions. Under state law, no person purporting to engage in solicitation for a charitable purpose may use or employ any false promise, misrepresentation, or misleading statement in connection with a charitable solicitation. The Attorney General’s Office provides additional information and resources about charitable solicitation laws on its Charities homepage. The Charities Division does not enforce criminal laws.

The public may submit complaints to the Attorney General about potential misconduct or other concerns, either online or by calling (651) 296-3353 (Metro area), (800) 657-3787 (Greater Minnesota), or (800) 627-3529 (Minnesota Relay).