Editor's note: Ashley Walk was employed by KRIS Communications in 2023 as an account executive. Additionally, businesses shown in file photos and videos have no affiliation with Fierce Advertising or Ashley Walk. This includes Laguna Madre Tournaments and JBBM Marketing.
Nonprofits across the Coastal Bend didn't receive thousands of dollars from fundraising events held to benefit these organizations — without a fight.
Each of these nonprofits has something in common, they worked with the same woman.
"People, like myself, that do it for all of the right reasons, we get a bad name," Krystal Thompson said.
Thompson said she has a passion for helping non-profit organizations and wanted to look for a way to do that. In 2017, she met Ashley Walk, the owner of Fierce Advertising.
Together, the two set out to raise money for small non-profits that couldn’t do it on their own. So, they created an annual fundraising event, Hooked Up Anglers (HUA), a fishing tournament. It would benefit a charity each year and Foster Angels of South Texas was the nonprofit selected.
“The main focus and mission for the fishing tournament was to really supplement a huge cost. And, inevitably the gifts that go towards these kids. Beds for them to lay down their worried and stressed-out little heads at night,” Thompson said.
Thompson said she handled social media and sponsorships, while Walk handled the financial details and the giveaway items for the event.
That event had been held for a few years, and Thompson believed it had been a success. Then, she was served with notice that she was being sued.
Foster Angels sued both Thompson and Walk, alleging the organization never received profits from tournaments held in 2021 and 2022.
“This was really what put the icing on the cake was that she had always, these last couple of years she would never respond to any of her texts, her calls. It was lie, after lie, after, excuse after excuse,” Thompson said.
Thompson then made a cross-complaint, suing Walk. After a February hearing, which Walk didn’t attend, a judge ruled in favor of Foster Angels of South Texas, stating Walk and HUA acted under “false representations, false pretenses and actual fraud committed with intent to deceive.”
“It made me extremely angry, and disappointed. My emotions were all over the place,” Thompson said.
Walk and HUA were ordered to pay over $56,000 to Foster Angels of South Texas. The judge also ruled in favor of Thompson over Walk and ordered her to pay Thompson $30,000.
READ THE RULING IN THE FOSTER ANGELS CASE
That judgment required Thompson to pay money to Foster Angels. She said she paid them $10,000, money not raised from any fundraiser.
Earlier this year, Thompson said she began digging into bank statements and check receipts. She said she discovered Walk had been withdrawing more money than necessary or moving that money into her Fierce Advertising bank account, without explanation.
“I never want another child, veterans, any of these people that trust us to provide this, to ever feel those feelings ever, ever again,” she said.
6 Investigates found that this was not the only nonprofit that had experienced similar issues.
KRIS 6 News obtained a letter from the Nueces County District Attorney's Office, which confirmed Walk was indicted earlier this year for theft. That indictment connected with a charity event Walk held for Choice Living Community, which is a nonprofit organization that provides adults with disabilities a space for recreation and education.
Nueces County District Attorney James Granberry said that the theft charge was conditionally dismissed after Walk and the nonprofit came to a restitution agreement.
Nonprofit organizations Heroes on the Water and Burn Bits 360 also told 6 Investigates they worked with Walk and Fierce Advertising. Each declined to do an on-camera interview, but said they had a negative experience working with Walk.
Heroes on the Water said they received no money from a Bikers on the Bay event held in 2022, an event in which they used Fierce Advertising.
6 Investigates also spoke with individuals who worked the event and said they were not paid for their services, including musicians and sound technicians.
They said once the event was over, Walk was nowhere to be found.
Sound technician Ryan Schumann said he did receive payment, six months later. An artist who asked for anonymity was paid last week.
Foster Angels of South Texas did not respond to our request for an interview and Choice Living Community declined to comment.
Ashley Walk declined an interview and said she couldn’t speak on any litigation matters.
