COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — Ohio billionaire and 2026 gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy has a little-known nonprofit with a registered office at Easton Town Center.
Stand For TRUTH was incorporated on March 29, 2024, according to Ohio records, and is a tax-exempt nonprofit per the IRS. Ramaswamy, 39, is the face of the organization, and several of his allies serve as directors. It has garnered minimal attention despite activity across social media and Ramaswamy’s own fame.
According to state filings, Stand For TRUTH was established to educate the public about misinformation from journalists and government officials. The nonprofit lists more than a dozen examples, alleging the government and media outlets are lying about the origin of COVID-19, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and the war in Ukraine, the 2017 Charlottesville rally and the Jan. 6 insurrection. See NBC4’s 1-on-1 with Ramaswamy in the video player above.
“We the people deserve a government and media that looks you in the eye and tells you that they lied to you,” Ramaswamy said in a video on Stand For TRUTH’s website.
According to state records, the nonprofit has offices in Virginia and Ohio. According to Virginia business accounts filed in January, Stand For TRUTH has four leading employees:
- Director and Secretary Steve Roberts has previously represented Ramaswamy. He recently joined a new conservative law firm founded by the treasurer and lawyer for Elon Musk’s PAC.
- Director and President John Epitropolous is a former Ohio State linebacker and was secretary for Ramaswamy’s 2024 presidential campaign. His wife was the campaign’s secretary.
- Director Ben Yoho worked on Ramaswamy’s presidential campaign, as well as President Donald Trump’s 2016 victory.
- Treasurer Janna Rutland has been treasurer for multiple PACs and also served as treasurer for Ramaswamy’s presidential campaign.
Despite these resources, Stand For TRUTH has received little attention, garnering just 22 followers on Facebook and Instagram combined. Even on X, where it now has around 950 followers, it had fewer than 60 before affiliate accounts promoted it. According to LinkedIn posts from former interns, most of the content was generated by college students working for the nonprofit in Columbus last summer.
On YouTube, Stand For TRUTH has 40 subscribers and has posted nine videos, each a several-minute-long cartoon about various topics like student debt and immigration. One video called “What Is An American?” includes clips from Ramaswamy speaking about a loss of cultural patriotism and a need to return to Christianity. Ramaswamy himself is Hindu but often discusses Christian faith.
The nonprofit’s website encourages supporters to donate to the cause. However, its tax forms are not available, which indicates Stand For TRUTH either has gross receipts of under $50,000, or there are delays in virtual filing, according to the IRS.
Along with being the face of the nonprofit, Ramaswamy has publicly agreed with many of the policies and assertions listed by Stand For TRUTH. NBC4 asked Ramaswamy if Stand For TRUTH’s policies align with his gubernatorial campaign, but he did not respond by publication. Ramaswamy did say he would prioritize economic and educational development as governor, neither of which are mentioned on the nonprofit’s website.
“Bring down the property tax burden, bring down the income tax burden, eventually down to zero in this state,” Ramaswamy told NBC4’s Colleen Marshall. “End the war on work, and this affects the budget to work requirements for Medicaid and welfare in the state, cut every piece of regulation that’s getting in the way of economic growth.”
Ramaswamy’s run for governor has been endorsed by President Donald Trump and billionaire Elon Musk. In the primary, he will face Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost and Morgan County business owner Heather Hill. The only Democrat to enter the race so far is former state health director Amy Acton.
The general election to decide Ohio’s next governor will be held on Nov. 3, 2026.
