KINGSTON, Jamaica —  Controversial People’s National Party (PNP) activist, Karen Cross, has raised nearly J$300,000 through crowdfunding website, GoFundMe, in her bid to pay a fine of $750,000 that was imposed on her last week for contempt of court.

Cross and social media blogger, Natalee Stack, who was also fined $750,000 in the Supreme Court last week, were given 14 days to pay the fine after being both found guilty of contempt of court in a matter involving PNP General Secretary, Dr Dayton Campbell. 

 If Cross and Stack fail to pay the fine, they will spend six months in jail. 

Cross, who has publicly indicated that she does not have the money to the pay the fine, on Saturday, set up a GoFundMe campaign entitled, ‘Help Karen Cross Legal Defence’. 

A total of US$6,000 (approximately J$928,980) is being targeted to be raised within 10 days. So far, US$1,885 (J$291,854) had been raised up to Monday evening. 

According to the description on the website, Cross said she has allegedly started an Anti-Pedophelia Movement (APM), which is aimed at fighting child sexual abuse case in the island.

“My name is Karen Cross. I have started an Anti-Pedophelia Movement (APM), a platform for the fight against child sexual abuse. Child sexual abuse has risen to an uncomfortable level in Jamaica,” she wrote.

“Over recent months a group of women led by me, Karen Cross, have been vocal in social media and elsewhere in an attempt to hold powerful men accountable. The fight has spilled over into the justice system and its history of not sufficiently taking these things serious,” she continued.

 “I would be extremely grateful for your assistance in this cause against this injustice,” Cross concluded. 

PNP General Secretary, Campbell, had filed a defamation lawsuit against both Cross and Stack in relation to allegations of sexual misconduct they levelled against him on social media.

A gag order was later imposed on all parties, restricting them from making any further public commentary on the matter.

However, both Cross and Stack have continued to use their social media platforms to make the allegations against Campbell, and were consequently found guilty of contempt of court last Thursday.

In May, news emerged that Cross had filed an explosive defence in the Supreme Court in the defamation suit that Campbell filed against her.

In her defence, Cross included signed statements, allegedly witnessed by justices of the peace, from three women making allegations of sexual misconduct against Campbell, while they were minors.

But responding to the much-publicised allegations, Campbell, in a statement at the time, said he rejected “in the strongest of terms”, recent and ongoing allegations made against his character by Cross and others.

“These allegations have been circulated widely across social media platforms and covered by some traditional media houses. When [the] allegations first surfaced online, the People’s National Party referred the matter to the police. I then filed a lawsuit against Karen Cross et al for defamation, having publicly denied the allegations,” declared Campbell.

He noted that the police had reported that after extensive investigations into the claims they found no basis for the allegations and Cross provided no evidence to support her allegations.