Bay Area radio personality Ronn Owens and his wife, Elizabeth Ann Naylor, are facing scrutiny over the use of funds raised through a GoFundMe campaign intended to cover Owens' medical expenses. Federal officials from the U.S. Trustee’s Office have reviewed 18 months of the couple's financial records and found that only $17,209 was spent on health and pharmacy costs during that period.
The GoFundMe campaign raised approximately $135,000, with much of its content highlighting Owens' health challenges, including four cancer bouts and heart issues. However, the federal review indicated that a significant portion of the funds was diverted to personal expenses, including their mortgage, limited liability companies they controlled, food delivery, credit card payments, restaurants, travel, and retail purchases.
These findings emerged after the couple filed for Chapter 13 bankruptcy several months after the GoFundMe was established. The bankruptcy filing revealed $2.3 million in liabilities and over $511,000 in debts to more than 40 creditors. The couple subsequently filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in May, seeking protection for their Scottsdale home, but this case was dropped with a two-year prohibition on filing another bankruptcy petition.
Jennifer A. Giaimo, an attorney with the U.S. Trustee’s Office, stated that it is unreasonable to assume donors expected the GoFundMe money to be used for personal credit card bills. The Justice Department has not concluded that the couple broke the law, but the spending raises questions about whether donors received what they were promised.
Adding to the family's legal entanglements, their daughter, Laura Owens, is also facing legal issues. She was indicted in May 2025 on seven felony counts, including perjury, fraud, forgery, and evidence tampering, related to allegations that she falsely claimed to be pregnant to manipulate "The Bachelor" star Clayton Echard into a relationship. Laura Owens has pleaded not guilty and is awaiting trial later this year. The GoFundMe donations were allegedly used to cover her legal expenses, and she is financially dependent on her parents, living with them.
Naylor has asserted that the GoFundMe was intended to address the family's broader financial difficulties, not solely medical bills. However, federal officials maintain this interpretation is not a reasonable assumption for donors.
A hearing is scheduled to address the trustee's request for the two-year prohibition on the couple filing for bankruptcy, citing bad faith filings and inconsistencies across their bankruptcy documentation. If the couple cannot secure bankruptcy protection, creditors may be permitted to pursue foreclosures and lawsuits.