A homeless veteran pleaded guilty Wednesday in New Jersey federal court to conspiring with a woman and her then-boyfriend to concoct a feel-good story that helped raise hundreds of thousands of dollars from a GoFundMe campaign.
The veteran, Johnny Bobbitt, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering.
The woman, Kate McClure, also pleaded guilty today.
Bobbitt, McClure, and her then-boyfriend Mark D’Amico, who still face state charges in Burlington County, New Jersey, were accused of fabricating a feel-good story about Bobbitt coming to McClure’s aid when she ran out of gas along the highway and gave her his last $20.
Their tale inspired thousands to donate on GoFundMe but things unraveled when Bobbitt accused McClure and D’Amico of stiffing him out of the money. Prosecutors have said the couple spent lavishly on themselves.
