‘We Were Set Up’: Chicago Rapper Vic Mensa Launches Fundraiser After Foundation Burglarized

Chicago rapper Vic Mensa says he’s raising funds to replace donated supplies that were stolen from his Bronzeville nonprofit on New Year’s Eve.

According to tweets from Mensa earlier this week, he launched the SaveMoneySaveLife Foundation’s fundraiser after donated goods had been stolen including clothing, PPE and about $40,000 of new shoes.

“I founded the organization in 2018 to help the city I call home and since then we’ve donated 100,000+ pounds of food, 50k+ pairs of shoes and countless PPE supplies since the dawn of the pandemic,” Mensa wrote.

According to the foundation’s fundraising page, the final truckload of donated items were scheduled to be moved from their Bronzeville holding place to their final destination but when employees arrived it had been ‘ransacked’.

(2/2) and countless PPE supplies since the dawn of the pandemic. Sadly, we were set up and someone brought a truck to our Southside chicago location and cleaned us out of over $40,000 worth of brand new shoes, Still, I want to thank everyone who has supported us thus far. 🙏🏾
— vino valentino (@VicMensa) January 11, 2021

“We were set up,” Mensa said in a somber video posted on Twitter. “Somebody brought a truck and emptied us out. Over $40,000 worth of brand new shoes, winter coats, sleeping bags, you name it.”

According to the Chicago Sun-Times, Chicago police confirmed a witness saw a person enter the building around 9 a.m. on Dec. 31 in the 200 block of 49th St. and take "a large amount of shoes from inside."