But not to protect the search for Madeleine?
The self-appointed spokesman for the PJ declared via a book/documentary about the investigation that Madeleine had in 5A & her body disposed of by her parents. Therefore, no-one need bother looking for Madeleine any more or the person/people who removed her from 5A. Did that harm the search? - you judge.
Furthermore, the self-appointed spokesman failed to declare in his book/documentary that the investigation was shelved due to the nature of any crime against Madeleine or its perpetartor(s) never having been ascertained. Did the non-disclosure of those facts harm the search? - you judge.
When the McCanns took action to overturn this negative publicity about their daughter's disappearance, did it harm the search when people chose to financially back the primary source of such negativity rather than the agencies who were privately trying to find her? - you judge.
If finding Madeleine is such a great public concern that people have placed their money, reputations & lives on the line for it, why question the use of money, freely given to the Fund, for the purpose of eliminating the negative influences on the search?