A New Jersey couple raised thousands of dollars for a homeless man on GoFundMe. Now that homeless man is suing the couple, claiming they’ve stolen money that rightfully belongs to him.
Mark D’Amico and Katie McClure set up the account in gratitude for Johnny Bobbitt after he gave McClure his last $20 when she found herself stranded on a Philadelphia highway with an empty gas tank. The story captivated the nation and the GoFundMe raised some $400,000.
Bobbitt is now claiming the couple mishandled the funds, allegedly spending the money on personal vacations and a new car, and has filed suit against them.
“Bobbitt’s lawsuit contends the couple committed fraud by taking money from the fundraising campaign for themselves. He’s seeking undisclosed damages, and his lawyers want a judge to appoint someone to oversee the account,” reports Fox 26 Houston.
But that’s only one side of the story.
D’Amico and McClure have denied the allegations, telling Megyn Kelly on “Megyn Kelly Today” that they used hundreds of thousands of dollars from the fund on shelter and necessities for Bobbitt, but fear giving him any more large sums of cash since he blew through past offerings on drugs.
“If he needed anything, he got it, there was never a question,” D’Amico told Kelly. The couple said they spent a large chunk of the funds on a camper for Bobbitt (which was originally parked on land owned by McClure’s family), clothing, food, a laptop, a television, and hotel bills. There is currently around $150,000 left in funds, they said.
D’Amico told Kelly that he initially began handling the money simply because Bobbitt did not have a bank account or any identification. And after Bobbitt allegedly spent $25,000 in less than two weeks on drugs in December, they were worried he’d end up “back where he was.”
“We saw the pattern that was developing,” said D’Amico of Bobbitt’s alleged drug habit.
Bobbitt, unfortunately, is reportedly back where he was, homeless and living under a bridge. He also admitted to spending some of the donated money on drugs, though he says some was used to help family and friends.
D’Amico did admit to borrowing and paying back $500 from the account after Bobbitt consented to it, but says the pair have otherwise never used the money on themselves.
An emotional McClure said the couple has received death threats over the allegations by Bobbitt, yet stand by their actions. “I would do it all over again for him,” she said.
A hearing on the lawsuit is set for Thursday.
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