Overview

• John Pesutto was ordered to pay over $2.3 million in legal costs and $315,000 in damages to Moira Deeming after losing a defamation case in December 2024.
• Pesutto has raised approximately $125,000 through a GoFundMe campaign and secured additional pledges but remains far from the required amount.
• A fake fundraising page targeting Pesutto has emerged, which he has condemned as malicious and misleading.
• The Victorian Liberal Party has declined to directly assist, though Pesutto has appealed to the Cormack Foundation for financial support.
• If Pesutto fails to raise the funds within three weeks, he faces bankruptcy, disqualification from parliament, and a potential byelection in his Hawthorn electorate.