GoFundMe Fraudster Finally Seals His Fate
(USNewsMag.com) – GoFundMe can be a very useful platform for many people who are looking to raise money for various causes. Some use the fundraising service to assist in paying medical bills or to help those less fortunate who are having trying times. However, like any platform, it’s subject to abuse, and one offender was recently sentenced to prison for his fraudulent ways.
In November 2017, Mark D’Amico and his partner, Katelyn McClure, set up a GoFundMe campaign highlighting how a homeless man helped McClure after she ran out of gas, giving her his last $20. As a reward, the couple wanted to help the man, Johnny Bobbitt and were looking to raise $10,000 to reward him for his kindness. The story of the good deed spread far and wide when the campaign surpassed its original goal with donations from over 14,000 people reaching more than $400,000.
Mark D’Amico and his girlfriend said they wanted to help a homeless man, so they started a GoFundMe campaign that took more than $400,000. But the story was made up, authorities said. D’Amico was sentenced to five years in prison for his role in the fraud. https://t.co/S9Eu9x0FuQ
— The New York Times (@nytimes) August 8, 2022
Unfortunately, the story was a lie and one of the biggest cases of fraud involving the platform. D’Amico eventually pleaded guilty to Misapplication of Entrusted Property and took a plea deal. He was sentenced to five years, which he’ll serve in a New Jersey state prison. The Burlington County Prosecutor’s Office released a statement on Facebook detailing the case and D’Amico’s sentencing.
McClure and Bobbitt also pleaded guilty to theft by deception and conspiracy to commit theft by deception, respectively. McClure, who received one year for federal charges, appears in court for her state sentencing on September 9. Bobbitt is currently in a treatment facility.
Copyright 2022, USNewsMag.com
