Johnny Bobbitt, homeless veteran involved in GoFundMe scheme, set to be sentenced

FAN Editor

Bobbitt, who concocted a feel-good story with a woman and her boyfriend to raise hundreds of thousands of dollars as part of a GoFundMe campaign, is set to be sentenced on Friday.

The veteran pleaded guilty in March to the state charges of conspiracy to commit theft by deception. Bobbitt faces an additional, separate federal sentencing at a later date for one count of money laundering conspiracy, which he also pleaded guilty to in March.

As part of the plea deal reached in the state case, Bobbitt has been accepted into a drug treatment program and could face five years probation, according to The Associated Press.

Bobbitt, 36, allegedly conspired with Katelyn McClure and her then-boyfriend Mark D’Amico in 2017 to create a page on GoFundMe’s website detailing how Bobbitt acted as a “Good Samaritan” and rescued McClure by giving her his last $20 when she ran out of gas along the highway.

The website said that any donated funds would be used to get Bobbitt off the street and provide him with living expenses. The New Jersey couple set a goal of $10,000.

This November 2018 combination of photos provided by the Burlington County Prosecutors office shows Johnny Bobbitt, from left, Katelyn McClure and Mark D'Amico.

(Burlington County Prosecutors office/AP) This November 2018 combination of photos provided by the Burlington County Prosecutors office shows Johnny Bobbitt, from left, Katelyn McClure and Mark D’Amico.

But in truth, McClure’s entire story was bogus and Bobbitt never spent “his last $20” helping McClure, prosecutors said.

Instead, McClure and D’Amico allegedly conspired to create the false story, authorities said. After the story went viral, approximately $400,000 was donated from more than 14,000 donors in just a matter of weeks, officials said.

Bobbitt was informed of the scheme in mid-November 2017, when the donations had reached approximately $1,500, officials said. The following month, McClure and D’Amico deposited $25,000 of the proceeds into Bobbitt’s account, authorities said.

While all of the money was supposedly going to help Bobbitt, prosecutors said the majority of the donated funds was allegedly spent, very quickly, by D’Amico and McClure on personal expenses including purchasing a BMW, expensive handbags, vacations and other personal items.

Their tale inspired thousands, but things began to unravel when Bobbitt accused McClure and D’Amico of stiffing him out of the money, causing an investigation to be launched.

McClure, 28, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud in March and faces up to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Her sentencing is scheduled for June 19.

ABC News’ Meghan Keneally contributed to this report.

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