War of words as US tourist Stephen Termini claims son won’t give him money raised in wake of Dublin assault

Exclusive: A war of words has broken out over the GoFundMe cash raised after the infamous attack on Talbot Street

Assault victim Stephen Termini claims his son won’t give him any of the funds that were raised by the public in the wake of the attack that shocked the nation.

US tourist Stephen, who has recovered from a brutal assault near Dublin’s Talbot Street in July, says he hasn’t seen a cent of the $130,000 raised by his son Mike Rizzuto on the website ‘GoFundMe’ – and now claims it’s been “stolen” from him.

But speaking to this paper, Mr Rizzuto said the thousands of donations from the Irish public were “technically never” his father’s to claim – and said the funds were intended to be used for his and his brother’s own travel to Ireland, their accommodation and to potentially pay their dad’s medical bills.

“I’m withholding it until I figure out with an accountant taxes and stuff. Based on technicality it was never his. Like it never hit his account. It was for the intended travel so that we could take care of him and if there were medical bills presented to me that I would take care of it as much as I could,” Mr Rizzuto, who admits he’s not currently on speaking terms with his dad, said.

But speaking to this paper Mr Termini, who has now returned to his hometown of Buffalo, New York, sensationally claimed his son Mike “stole” the money for himself – and is now refusing to answer his phone calls.

“I have to tell you something, that GoFundMe thing my son set up, he stole all that money. He didn’t give me any of that money. My heart is broken over it. He won’t answer my calls, won’t call me back. I don’t know what happened with his mentality

What I’m planning to do now with the GoFundMe is to file a complaint of fraud. I’m going to get GoFundMe to give all those people their money back and then I’m going to try and hopefully set up one for myself.

“It got stolen by this kid. I can’t believe that he did that.”

Mr Rizzuto’s GoFundMe page, which in total raised $133,516, featured a picture of him, his father and his brother Jesse and had a statement which asked people to “send healing vibes to my father” following the “brutal” attack which left him fighting for life in hospital.

It also featured a statement from Mr Termini’s sister Michelle which said “we feel so very helpless as none of us can afford the trip to be with him in his time of dire need.”

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Mr Rizzuto told us that the GoFundMe page was clear in that the money was never intended to go directly to his father – who now says he wants to use it to potentially purchase a house in the West of Ireland. He also denied his father’s claim that the money was “stolen.”

“I just want to put that out there, there’s nothing really stolen. He did approach me for some of that, which I have no problem talking to him about.

“I have distanced myself as I don’t think he’s in the right mind. I want to give him time to relax. I’ve been trying to take a mental break myself. I lost one of my jobs while I was away as well. I’ve no problem taking care of any of his medical bills.