Imagine live in New Jersey ( I know , such a thought sent shake down my spine as well ) . So after spending a day listening to wannabe The Sopranos accent while trying to avoid both Philadelphia and the Jersey Shore , seeing a heart - melting account on GoFundMe over a homeless man ’s good deed might make you more keen to donate . However , in this case , theentire storywas nothing but a scam . Now , prosecuting officer are inching nigher to amply bang the cell threshold on all of those involved .
According to theBurlington County Prosecutor ’s Office , 43 - class - old Mark D’Amico of Florence , New Jersey was at long last sentenced to five years in land prison house Sunday as part of the supplication deal he originally signed with prosecutors in late 2019 . This is in increase to the 27 months in federal prison house he was sentenced to back in April , which New Jersey prosecuting officer tell will go at the same time .
D’Amico and his then - girl Katelyn McClure , alongside the homeless man Johnny Bobbitt , were all part of a experience - good scam they posted to GoFundMe back in 2017 . In that original political campaign titled “ Paying it Forward , ” they claim McClure got strand on an I-95 off - ramp in New Jersey , and that a human being who was dispossessed walked down the road to fill up a gas can with his last $ 20 . The match wanted to put up $ 10,000 for Bobbitt , but came into a windfall of $ 402,706 .
Mark D’Amico was sentenced to five years in prison for a $400,000 GoFundMe scam.Photo: Tim Tai/The Philadelphia Inquirer (AP)
They first claimed they were go to help rent Johnny a home and get him a reliable vehicle . They say they would also localize up a coin bank explanation for his workaday demand , while using some excess funds for Greek valerian . Then the tale speedily began to ravel , first whenlocal reportsshowed D’Amico and McClure only handed over $ 75,000 from the run and furnish Bobbitt with an SUV that eventually reveal down and a used camper as a abode . Bobbitt make for in lawyers to help oneself his reckon case , but then by and by that twelvemonth — lay claim the couple hadeffectively skedaddledwith all the remain GoFundMe funds .
Law enforcement tell that nearly all the movement ’s funds were spent in the first few month after it terminate , which was when Bobbitt set forth taking legal action against the other two conspirators .
Policeraidedthe former couple ’s home , who eventuallyturned themselves into the police . The twist ? public prosecutor said Bobbittwas in cahootswith D’Amico and McClure to scam bleeding hearted internet users of their money . Police said the three conjure to the made - up story , which was all back up byan audio recordingobtained by police which McClure claimed she had immortalize in secret , all point to this wildly successful campaign as a pseudo . GoFundMelater issue refundsto all the presenter involved .
From left: Johnny Bobbitt, Mark D’Amico and Katelyn McClure.Photo: GoFundMe/Gizmodo Archives
“ People genuinely desire to conceive it was true , ” said LaChia Bradshaw , the Burlington County prosecutor in the release .
Gizmodo reach out to Mark G. Davis , who ’s list as D’Amico ’s lawyer , but we have yet to hear back Monday morning .
McClure , of Bordentown , New Jersey , and Bobbitt , of Philadelphia , were also charged back in 2018 . All three were from the country surrounding Philadelphia , which I have heard on serious self-assurance from a aboriginal New Jerseyan is “ the forged part of New Jersey . ” The whole adventure sound like an episode ripped direct out of It ’s Always gay in Philadelphia .
This latest conviction imply prosecuting attorney are inch from close up the book on this strange , foreign internet scam . The roofless man at the center of the scheme was doom in 2019 to five years of probation as part of a substance insult programme . McClure has alsopleaded guilty , and is scheduled for sentencing September 9 .
GoFundMe says that lying about your relationship to the fund ’s recipientscould lead in a movement being rent down . The caller hassaidit responds to allegations of pseud ground on user complaints . The company has also mentionedsome measuresfor verifying fundraisers duringcrisis situations .
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