EAST PALESTINE, OH – FEBRUARY 14: Machinery is situated along rail tracks on February 14, 2023 in East Palestine, Ohio. A train operated by Norfolk Southern derailed on February 3, releasing toxic fumes and forcing evacuation of residents. (Photo by Angelo Merendino/Getty Images)
The following article was originally published on News5Cleveland.com and is published in the Ohio Capital Journal under a content-sharing agreement. Unlike other OCJ articles, it is not available for free republication by other news outlets as it is owned by WEWS in Cleveland.
Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost is suing a man accused of exploiting the East Palestine train derailment disaster with a sham charity he used to collect more than $100,000.
The lawsuit, filed on Monday, accuses Michael “Mike” Peppel of operating an “unlawful charity using a high-profile disaster to divert donations away from the intended recipients.”
A Norfolk Southern train carrying toxic chemicals derailed on Feb. 3 in East Palestine, located in Northeast Ohio’s Columbiana County.
The derailment released over a million gallons of hazardous materials from at least 39 railcars, with substances running into nearby Sulfur Run as well as other waterways. Since the derailment, East Palestine residents have reported feeling ill.
News 5 has been on the ground since the disaster. Click or tap here to learn more.
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