Who is Crystal Wilsey and what is her public role or background?
Executive summary
Crystal Wilsey is identified in multiple outlet reports as a 43-year-old Cinnabon employee from the Oneida/Green Bay, Wisconsin area who was fired after a viral video showed her directing racial slurs and saying “I am racist” to a Somali couple; outlets report fundraising on GiveSendGo for her has raised tens of thousands and as much as six figures [1] [2]. Local and tabloid outlets also report prior encounters with law enforcement and an arrest record that some sources say was later dismissed, but the details and public-record corroboration vary across reports [3] [4].
1. The viral incident that made her public
A short video posted to TikTok captured a confrontation at a Cinnabon stall in Bay Park Square Mall, Ashwaubenon, Wisconsin, in which a woman later identified as Crystal Wilsey repeatedly used the N-word, mocked a woman’s hijab, admitted “I am racist,” and made obscene gestures; the footage circulated widely and prompted Cinnabon to confirm the employee had been fired and to say the company does not condone the behavior [3] [5]. Newsweek and other outlets identify Wilsey as the person in the clip and report that the video appears to have been recorded on or before the first week of December 2025 [6] [1].
2. Who reporters say Crystal Wilsey is
Multiple news and aggregator sites identify her as a 43‑year‑old mother from Oneida or Menominee/Oneida area (reports vary on hometown) and as a Cinnabon worker at the mall location near Green Bay [7] [1] [8]. Profiles and human‑interest pieces (Daily Mail, etc.) emphasize she is a mother of five and recount personal family history alleged in public social posts, including the past death of a child — claims drawn from social media and local records reported by tabloid outlets [4].
3. Fundraising and public reaction
Within days of the video’s spread, a GiveSendGo fundraiser set up by a supporter identified as Tom Hennessy raised substantial sums for Wilsey; Newsweek reported donations surpassed $100,000 on that platform and other outlets cited figures ranging from tens of thousands up to six figures [2] [1]. Donor messages posted on the fundraiser page included support for Wilsey’s actions and anti‑immigrant sentiments, according to Newsweek’s reporting [2]. Other outlets note separate campaigns and rapid online debate about whether she was a victim of harassment or unambiguously culpable for hateful conduct [9].
4. Criminal‑record and public‑record claims
Several outlets report prior encounters with law enforcement and cite an alleged arrest in February 2022 on charges like driving while intoxicated and child endangerment; some reports say those charges were later dismissed while others cite public‑record summaries or mugshot images circulating online [3] [10] [4]. Coverage is inconsistent: some sites reference court records or “public records” while other reporting notes difficulty locating corroborating records in county systems, leaving a mixed public record as presented in the press [10] [3].
5. Competing narratives and media framing
Coverage polarizes along two narratives. Supporters portrayed on GiveSendGo and sympathetic outlets frame Wilsey as a “hardworking white mom” allegedly provoked and targeted by the customers [2] [9]. Critics and mainstream outlets emphasize the video’s clear racist language and describe Cinnabon’s firing as a response to that conduct, pointing to the public condemnation and the company statement [5] [6]. Media sources range from national news (Newsweek, IBTimes) to tabloids (Daily Mail) and smaller blogs, producing variation in tone and depth of verification across reports [1] [4] [9].
6. What available reporting does not settle
Available sources do not provide independent confirmation of every detail circulating online: the precise timeline of the confrontation before recording began; comprehensive court‑record files for all alleged past arrests; or whether and how much Wilsey has actually received from the various fundraisers beyond platform totals reported [10] [2]. Reporting relies heavily on the viral video, fundraiser pages, social media accounts and local/tabloid reporting for biographical details [3] [4].
7. Bottom line and context
Public reporting identifies Crystal Wilsey as the fired Cinnabon employee at the center of a viral racist tirade, documents substantial online fundraising on her behalf, and reports conflicting or incomplete public‑record information about prior legal encounters [6] [2] [3]. Readers should note the split between on‑the‑record corporate response and the partisan interpretations on crowdfunding pages and social media; the strongest verifiable fact across outlets is the viral video and Cinnabon’s confirmation the employee was terminated after it circulated [5] [6].