Katelyn McClure Got One Year In Prison For Her Role In The $400k GoFundMe Viral Scam

July 26, 2022 / Posted by:

A few years ago a New Jersey couple, Katelyn McClure and Mark D’Amico, tugged at the heartstrings of the nation when they invented a complete lie about how a homeless man, Johnny Bobbit Jr., gave them his last $20 after their car broke down on the side of a highway. Unfortunately for them, that highway leads into the deepest pits of Hell because the three of them were all conspiring to scam people out of their money by creating a GoFundMe that was supposed to go towards getting Johnny off of the streets. What happened instead was a lengthy-saga which landed Katelyn and Mark into their new home: prison.

Here’s the fairy tale version; Former couple Mark and Katelyn’s car broke down on I-95 in Philadelphia, but then their guardian angel Johnny saved the day by giving them the last bit of money he had to ensure they would get home safely. Katelyn and Mark were so touched by the gesture that they posted the story online praising Johnny for his kindness. Subsequently, they started a GoFundMe on Johnny’s behalf which immediately piled high with cash and turned them all into America’s Sweethearts.

Here’s the raw and uncut version; CNN reports that the entire scenario was fabricated in an attempt to make all of them richer. Katelyn and Mark’s car never broke down, but the scam had been in place for about a month. Their GoFundMe rose to almost $400,000, of which Bobbit only received $75,000. So what happened to the rest of the money you ask? Katelyn and Mark’s greed took over and they ended up spending the majority of it on lavish trips and a brand new BMW. Appalled that Johnny never received all of the money, he ended up suing Mark and Katelyn. Eventually, Katelyn and Johnny both turned against Mark, but at that point, the damage was already done. The judge handed out sentences for all of them.

According to Burlington County Prosecutor Scott Coffina, the couple first met Bobbit at an off-ramp near a casino at least a month before the GoFundMe campaign went live. Investigators reviewed texts the couple sent discussing the scam and their money troubles, including one McClure sent to a friend that read, “Okay so wait the gas part is completely made up, but the guy isn’t. I had to make something up to make people feel bad.”

Bobbitt pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit theft by deception in 2019 and was sentenced to a five-year special probation period that includes drug treatment. D’Amico also pleaded guilty and agreed to a five-year term in New Jersey state prison, as well as restitution of GoFundMe and the donors, in 2019.

And what about Katelyn? Not only will she have to pay restitution, she will also serve a one-year and one-day sentence as well as three years of supervised release. I guess the moral of the story here is don’t try to scam folks. Because now Katelyn really needs a GoFundMe and instead will hear GoFuckOff! from anyone who’s familiar with this cautionary tale.

Pic: Burlington County, New Jersey, Prosecutor’s Office

 

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