A series of new reports have raised questions about the role of billionaire philanthropist George Soros and his network of charitable foundations in funding political activity in the United States. How Soros’s $40 million charity network allegedly backed Zohran Mamdani with one investigation alleging the misuse of more than US $40 million through tax-exempt entities to support New York mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani.
The Politiko and White Collar Fraud revelations
According to Politiko (politiko.al, Nov 1 2025), the campaign of Zohran Mamdani allegedly benefited from tens of millions of dollars in charitable funds channelled through organisations connected to Soros.
The report cites findings from the conservative investigative site White Collar Fraud, which claims that a network of Soros-linked nonprofits coordinated activities resembling a political campaign — community mobilisation, youth outreach and door-to-door canvassing — while maintaining tax-exempt status.
In its own detailed piece (White Collar Fraud, Oct 28 2025), the site alleged that the funding structure operated like “a sophisticated political machine that used the tax code as a weapon to produce a winning candidate.” Investigator Sam Antar, a former accountant who contributed to the report, argued that the setup blurred the line between charity and electioneering.
Soros foundation response
The Open Society Foundations (OSF), now led by Alex Soros, strongly rejected the allegations.
A spokesperson told the Daily Mail that “the grants in question – many of which were intended for other causes in different countries – were awarded years before the mayoral race began.”
OSF called the reports “filled with inaccuracies and misinformation,” maintaining that all funding complied with U.S. tax and charity law.
Under U.S. law, charitable organisations may support civic engagement and social advocacy but are prohibited from directly funding or coordinating with political campaigns. Violations can result in loss of tax-exempt status or other penalties — a legal boundary that investigators such as Antar claim was crossed in this case.
Mamdani’s campaign denies wrongdoing
Mamdani’s team has rejected any suggestion of improper funding, describing his campaign as “a product of grassroots support” built through small donations and community activism.
The candidate, who has portrayed himself as a progressive voice representing Queens, has not been formally accused of any legal or ethical breach by election authorities.
Broader context and geopolitical connections
Beyond the financial controversy, some analysts and media sources — which you cite independently — have linked certain Soros-funded networks to organisations ideologically aligned with the Muslim Brotherhood, an Islamist movement that has historically enjoyed political support and financial backing from Turkey.
While these claims remain unverified by independent investigations, they add another layer of complexity to debates surrounding Soros’s global influence and his foundations’ engagement with Islamic-world civil-society initiatives.
A blurred line between philanthropy and politics
The twin reports by Politiko and White Collar Fraud reignite a long-running debate about the intersection of philanthropy, politics and global influence.
Critics argue that large charitable foundations can act as shadow political machines, shaping agendas and outcomes under the guise of social improvement.
Supporters counter that Soros’s network has for decades promoted human rights, transparency and open-society values, often in regions where democratic institutions are fragile.
As of now, no formal charges have been brought against any of the parties involved, and the allegations remain unsubstantiated but politically explosive.
What is clear is that the controversy surrounding Soros’s philanthropy — and the blurred boundary between charity and political power — continues to fuel sharp global debate.
