Money often seems like the answer to all of life’s problems, which is why people go to extremes trying to increase their bank accounts. Yet money often causes more problems than there were to begin with.
In 2017, a homeless veteran made headlines around the world after his selfless act toward a woman in need inspired her and her boyfriend to raise money to help turn his life around. The feel-good story inspired people to donate hundreds of thousands of dollars. Two years later, however, the three are facing jail time after investigators started looking into the inspiring story.
Featured Photo Credit: philadelphia.cbslocal.com
Car Trouble
In October 2017, a young woman found herself stranded and alone on the streets of Philadelphia after her car broke down. According to the woman, Kate McClure, she hadn’t noticed that she was running low on gas. She immediately exited the highway as soon as she realized but it was already too late.
Stranded and Alone
At the end of the exit ramp, McClure’s car broke down. She tried not to panic but was acutely aware that she wasn’t in a great area and was completely alone. To make matters worse, she didn’t have any money even if she did manage the courage to get out of the car and walk to the nearest gas station.
A Guardian Angel
A few minutes later, however, a bearded man who appeared to be homeless approached the car. He introduced himself as Johnny and explained that he watched the woman’s car break down while he was panhandling nearby. He also told McClure that he wanted to help if she needed it.
Keeping His Promise
Since McClure didn’t have any money with her, Johnny told her he would walk to the nearest gas station and buy her some gas. He promised he would be back soon and told her to lock her doors while she waited. Sure enough, he came back a little while later with a small gas can.
His Last Penny
When McClure learned that Johnny had spent $20, which was all the money he had to his name, to help her, she was speechless. She thanked him before driving away but, in the days that followed, McClure couldn’t stop thinking about the man who helped her and told everyone she knew about what happened.
Returning the Favor
McClure went back to the spot her car broke down with her boyfriend, Mark D’Amico, to look for Johnny. They wanted to properly thank him and repay him for his kindness. When they found him, the couple gave him some cash, food, and some warm clothes to help him get through the upcoming winter. But it still didn’t feel like enough.
One Little Break
So McClure decided to set up a GoFundMe account in Johnny’s honor. “[I] truly believe that all Johnny needs is one little break. Hopefully, with your help, I can be the one to give it to him. Any little bit will help,” McClure explained on the GoFundMe page. At first, McClure set their target goal to $10,000 to get Johnny established in an apartment, get him a car, and help prepare him to get a job.
Viral News
However, news of Johnny’s selfless deed and McClure’s inspiring desire to help the homeless veteran quickly made headlines around the world. The pair were interviewed by various newspapers and TV shows. Before long, more than 14,000 people had donated over $400,000 to Johnny.
Life Changing Money
“He will never have to worry about a roof over his head again!!” McClure and D’Amico wrote on GoFundMe while thanking everyone who donated. They also explained that they wouldn’t be handing over all the money to Johnny since he was still a recovering addict. The couple explained they wanted to be sure that the money would be used wisely so Johnny never ends up back on the street and hired a lawyer and financial adviser to manage the funds.
All A Lie
That’s the story McClure, D’Amico, and Johnny Bobbitt told the public on GoFundMe and various news outlets that contacted them to share their experience. The problem was that it was all a lie. The entire story had been fabricated with the intent to trick people into giving them money.
The Plan Backfires
McClure, D’Amico, and Bobbitt would have gotten away with the lie, however, things started to go awry in the months that followed the media circus. According to Bobbitt, he didn’t get as much money as he felt was fair and had been promised so he decided to take legal action.
The Lawsuit
Johnny, who was in a drug rehabilitation center fighting to overcome his addiction problems at the time, filed a lawsuit against the couple. In the lawsuit, he has accused McClure and D’Amico of stealing the money and using it to fund various vacations to California, Florida, and Las Vegas. He also suspects they used his money to buy a BMW and gamble.
An Investigation Begins
Johnny also claimed he only received about $75,000 while the couple claimed they gave him $200,000. As a result, the Florence Township Police Department has begun a criminal investigation into the matter to see if McClure and D’Amico really did steal the donations from Johnny.
Nothing Left
Both McClure and D’Amico denied Bobbitts claims that they misused the funds. However, when a judge ordered the couple, who have since broken up, to turn over the remaining funds raised on GoFundMe for Bobbitt, they claimed there was nothing left.
A New Investigation
The fact that all of the $400,000 was gone caught the attention of Burlington County prosecutors. They then proceeded to file pending criminal charges and began their own investigation into the matter. While investigators still haven’t figured out where all the money went, they did find evidence to support the case.
Totally Fabricated
Investigators discovered evidence proving that the entire story had been fabricated. According to prosecutors, Bobbit conspired with McClure and D’Amico to make up the fake feel-good story in order to get media attention and get sympathy to get people donating.
A Deliberate Act
In reality, McClure’s car never actually broke down and Bobbit never actually came to her rescue. He also never gave her the last $20 he had to his name. “They deliberately prevented donors from knowing information that would affect their judgment about solicited contribution to that fundraising effort,” the complaint, which was obtained by NBC10, claimed.
The Charges
And instead of using the money for rehabilitating Bobbitt, McClure and D’Amico used it for lavish vacations, casino trips, and luxury items like designer handbags. As a result, McClure, D’Amico, and Bobbitt were all charged with conspiracy and theft by deception.
The Consequences
“The entire campaign was predicated on a lie. It was fictitious and illegal – and there are consequences,” county prosecutor Scott Coffina said in a statement at a hearing. According to NBC News Bobbit could face up to 10 years in prison for the charges and McClure could face up to 20 years.
A Pending Case
After being arrested, Bobbit has since pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering in a plea deal. He could now face six to 30 months in federal prison. McClure has also pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and faces up to 33 months in prison. However, the case is still not over. Bobbitt, McClure, and D’Amico all still face conspiracy and theft-by-deception charges in a pending case.
