Could $184,000 raised to help a young man attend college in middle Georgia end up being returned to donors?

Unless an agreement is hashed out that's exactly what might happen. The standoff over the donations marks a troubling turn in a heart-warming tale that had captivated the national spotlight.

Fred Barley is a young man who said he was homeless when he bicycled six hours to register at a college in Barnesville, intent on becoming a doctor. His plight attracted the attention of Casey Blaney a housewife who started a GoFundMe campaign for him.

But then the feel-good story took an unexpected twist. Doubts emerged about Fred's story. Fred and Casey clashed over who should control the money. Everything abruptly came to a halt when Casey publicly challenged the veracity of his story.

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Lt. Gov. Burt Jones — pictured at an August rally in Peachtree City that also featured Vice President JD Vance — appears to have scored another legal victory over gubernatorial rival Attorney General Chris Carr in their battle over campaign finance issues. (Arvin Temkar/AJC 2025)

Credit: Arvin Temkar / AJC