New Jersey woman faces four years in jail after pleading guilty to $400,000 GoFundMe scam involving a homeless veteran and a sham story that he gave her his last $20 to buy gas
- Katelyn McClure pleaded guilty in New Jersey on Monday to second-degree theft by deception for her role in scamming $400,000 in GoFundMe donations
- McClure admitted to concocting a feel-good lie with her former boyfriend, Mark D'Amico, claiming that homeless man Johnny Bobbitt bought her gas
- McClure will serve four years in state prison and must repay the $400,000
- Bobbitt was sentenced on Friday to five years of probation
- D'Amico has denied wrongdoing in the scheme that defrauded 14,000 donors
A New Jersey woman pleaded guilty to her role in concocting a feel-good tale about a homeless man rescuing her from the side of a highway and scamming 14,000 donors out of $400,000 in GoFundMe contributions.
Katelyn McClure pleaded guilty in New Jersey state Superior Court on Monday to second-degree theft by deception under a plea agreement.
Prosecutors say McClure will serve four years in state prison and must repay the $400,000 under the deal.
She must also testify against her former boyfriend and co-defendant Mark D'Amico.
McClure's plea comes after Johnny Bobbitt was sentenced Friday to five years' probation for his role in the scheme.
D'Amico has denied wrongdoing.
Katelyn McClure pleaded guilty in New Jersey on Monday related to scamming 14,000 donors out of $400,000 with the use of a feel-good tale involving a homeless man buying her gas. McClure is pictured at Burlington County Superior Court in Mount Holly, New Jersey
Prosecutors say McClure will serve four years in state prison and must repay the $400,000 under the deal. This November 2018 file combination of photos provided by the Burlington County Prosecutors office shows Johnny Bobbitt (left), Katelyn McClure (center) and Mark D'Amico (right)
Prosecutors say the trio fabricated the 2017 story of Bobbitt rescuing McClure from the side of a Philadelphia highway to enrich themselves.
Johnny Bobbitt, 36, pleaded guilty in March in state court to conspiracy to commit theft by deception.
Pursuant to a plea deal, Bobbitt will enroll in an inpatient drug treatment program.
If he violates those conditions he'll face five years in prison with no possibility of parole for at least 18 months.
In the plea deal, Bobbitt also agreed to testify against co-conspirators McClure and the accused D'Amico.
Bobbitt made no statement in court Friday.
McClure (shown at right in court on Monday) must also testify against her former boyfriend and co-defendant Mark D'Amico (left)
The trio concocted a feel-good tale about homeless Bobbitt rescuing McClure from the side of a highway to scam 14,000 donors out of $400,000 in GoFundMe contributions
Authorities began investigating last year after Bobbitt sued the couple for allegedly not giving him the money.
The couple claimed the cash would be donated to Bobbitt, but New Jersey authorities said the three split the money and spent lavishly, including on a BMW, designer bags, and trips to Las Vegas and elsewhere.
According to prosecutors the couple was going through a hard financial time when they concocted the false story.
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In addition to his state guilty plea, Bobbitt pleaded guilty last month to a federal money laundering conspiracy charge. He'll be sentenced for that at a separate date.
McClure pleaded guilty to one federal count of wire fraud conspiracy in March and faces up to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Her federal sentencing is set for June 19.
D'Amico doesn't face any federal charges but was also charged in state court with theft and conspiracy and is also yet to be indicted.
Bobbitt was sentenced on Friday to five years of probation. Bobbitt stands in the courtroom during his sentencing hearing at Burlington County Superior Court in Mount Holly, New Jersey on Friday
