US election: He donated $2.5 million to Donald Trump’s legal fund. Now he wants his money back

A man who donated $2.5 million to the Texas “True the Vote” campaign, which aimed to prove there was election fraud, wants his money back and is suing for a refund.

Fred Eshelman, 71, says he does not know what his millions were spent on, after donating to the campaign.

The pro-Trump donor says he was hoping the money would go towards proving that Donald Trump had been robbed of his victory due to voter fraud.

But now Eshelman has filed a lawsuit in Texas claiming he does not know what his money was spent on.

He said that, prior to donating, he spoke to one of the campaign leaders, Catherine Engelbrecht, who told him the goal of “True the Vote” was “to ensure the 2020 election returns reflect one vote cast by one eligible voter and thereby protect the right to vote and the integrity of the election”.

Engelbrecht reportedly told the donor the plan included collecting whistleblower testimonies and “galvanising Republican legislative support”, among other things.

In his lawsuit, the disgruntled donor says she told him it would all cost $7.95 million, even though she had a budget of just $750,000.

Eshelman says he donated $2 million on November 5 “on the condition that the money be used” to further the cause. He donated another $500,000 on November 13, after Engelbrecht told him legal expenses meant they needed extra funds.

He says he has repeatedly asked for information on how his money is being spent but has only received “vague responses, platitudes and empty promises”.

“In response to requests for specific and data relating to potential whistleblowers and how their allegations fit into an overall narrative, Engelbrecht would simply respond with vague comments like: ‘We are vetting’ or ‘They are solid’,” the lawsuit alleges.

“Ms Engelbrecht also routinely ignored repeated requests for memoranda and written reports to summarise Defendant’s efforts to identify and obtain information from whistleblower witnesses.”

Eshelman says Engelbrecht voluntarily dismissed four lawsuits filed in Georgia, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Michigan on November 16.

He says she made that decision “in concert” with Trump campaign counsel.

He says they were “unable to execute” what he had given them money to do.

Eshelman, a venture capitalist from North Carolina, is now suing True the Vote for breach of contract and conversion.