Woman, Homeless Man in GoFundMe Scheme Plead Guilty

CAMDEN, N.J. (CN) — The homeless man and a woman who raised $400,000 on GoFundMe with a bogus rescue story pleaded guilty Wednesday to federal charges.

Johnny Bobbitt, 36, of Philadelphia, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering, and Katelyn McClure, 28, of Bordentown, New Jersey, pleaded to a charge of conspiracy to commit wire fraud.

The pair still face state charges, as does McClure’s then-boyfriend, Mark D’Amico. Prosecutors say the trio conspired to make up a story in 2017 about Bobbitt coming across McClure stranded at a gas station along a Philadelphia highway, and giving her his last $20 so she could fill up her tank.

McClure and D’Amico went viral when they created a GoFundMe page to support Bobbitt, but the truth came out after Bobbitt accused the pair in court of keeping all the money that the scheme had raised.

By that time, all the money had been spent on designer goods, trips and gambling. GoFundMe meanwhile says it has refunded all the donations.

D'Amico's attorney, Mark Davis, says his client denies any wrongdoing and did not face federal charges.

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