Who is Crystal Wilsey and what prompted her GiveSendGo campaign?
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Executive summary
Crystal Terese Wilsey is the former Cinnabon worker in Ashwaubenon, Wisconsin, whose 29‑second viral clip shows her using racial slurs, mocking a Somali customer’s hijab and saying “I am racist,” after which Cinnabon fired her [1]. A GiveSendGo fundraiser titled “Stand With Crystal,” launched by a supporter identified as Tom Hennessey, says the campaign will “make sure Crystal lands on her feet” and has raised six‑figure sums (reports vary from about $65k early to $136k by Dec. 9) as conservative and MAGA‑aligned backers amplifying the page donated and reposted it [2] [3] [4].
1. Who is Crystal Wilsey — the on‑camera incident and immediate fallout
Crystal Terese Wilsey is identified in multiple reports as the Cinnabon employee filmed on Dec. 5 verbally attacking a Somali couple at a Bay Park Square Mall location in Ashwaubenon, Wisconsin; the clip shows her using the N‑word, mocking a woman’s hijab, flipping the middle finger and saying “I am racist,” which led the franchise owner to call her behavior “unacceptable” and terminate her employment [1] [2] [5].
2. What the GiveSendGo campaign says it’s for
A GiveSendGo page created by a person named Tom (or Tom Hennessey / Hennessy in reporting) presents Wilsey as a “hardworking White mom” who was allegedly “intimidated” by customers and betrayed by Cinnabon; the fundraiser’s stated purpose is to provide financial support so “Crystal lands on her feet” after being fired [6] [7] [8].
3. How much money and who’s amplifying it
Coverage shows the campaign quickly attracted large sums: early reporting put the total around $65k–$100k, then jumped past $100k and into six figures — some outlets reported $120k, $126k, $136k or higher at different update points [2] [8] [9] [3]. Conservative influencers and MAGA‑aligned networks amplified the page, which critics say turned the fundraiser into a focal point for grievance politics and xenophobic messages [4] [6].
4. The nature of donations and public reaction
Multiple outlets report that donations came with comments supporting Wilsey’s racist remarks and calling for deportation of Somali immigrants; other coverage highlights a sharp public backlash and local community fundraising for the targeted Somali customer as a counterresponse (p1_s7; [6]; available sources do not mention a GoFundMe amount for the Somali couple in these snippets).
5. Claims, criticisms and competing narratives
The GiveSendGo description and supporters frame Wilsey as the victim of harassment who was unfairly fired [7] [8]. Opposing reporting portrays the fundraiser as monetizing racist behavior and as part of a pattern where donors reward public racist tirades [10] [4]. Sources also note that Hennessey’s relationship to Wilsey is unclear and that the fundraiser’s language omits or reframes key details from the viral video [7] [6].
6. Broader context and precedent
Reporters compare this case to prior incidents where people filmed using racial slurs later received large GiveSendGo donations (for example, a Minnesota case cited as similar), suggesting a pattern: viral racist acts followed by crowdfunded support from politically aligned donors [10] [3]. Outlets flag GiveSendGo’s history as a platform that has attracted both conservative causes and controversy over comment moderation on such pages [2].
7. Questions left open by available reporting
Available sources do not mention whether GiveSendGo has released funds to Wilsey yet, whether the fundraiser violates platform policy, or whether any legal action stems from the video beyond employment termination; they also do not confirm Hennessey’s exact connection to Wilsey [2] [11] [7]. Reports mention an online surfacing of an alleged criminal record but do not provide full documentation or outcomes in the snippets provided [11].
8. What to watch next
Follow‑up reporting should confirm whether donors’ funds are disbursed and how GiveSendGo handles donations tied to content that many outlets characterize as explicitly hateful [2]. Also watch for statements from Wilsey, from the fundraiser organizer, and any local community responses or legal developments that would change the public record [9] [11].
Limitations: this analysis relies solely on the supplied clips of reporting and does not incorporate primary GiveSendGo page screenshots, court or employment records, or direct statements beyond those cited by the listed outlets; where sources are silent I note the absence rather than speculate [2] [7].