$400K raised on GoFunMe for homeless veteran hero is gone, couple spent the rest of it: lawyer

[ansible]

A kindhearted homeless veteran who helped a stranded woman with gas money has been left “devastated” after learning that a nearly half-million-dollar fortune he got through GoFundMe is gone, a lawyer for the man revealed Tuesday. Johnny Bobbitt, a Philadelphia vagrant, only received about $75,000 cash, a camper and a 19-year-old pick-up, out of some $400,000 raised for him by Kate McClure and Mark D’Amico.

The couple got the money from some 14,000 online donors, who were moved by the story of Bobbitt giving McClure his last $20 to help her fill up her tank on I-95 earlier this year. Chris Fallon, an attorney for Bobbitt, said that the couple informed him through their lawyers Tuesday that the rest of the cash was now gone.

“Shocked. Shocked,” Fallon said of when he learned about the fund, telling NJ.com that Bobbitt was “devastated.” They raised this money to help Johnny Bobbitt get money for food.”

Bobbitt has accused the couple of mismanaging the money that was raised in his name — as they have responded by saying they have not misused the money and do not want to give him large sums of cash for fear he will spend it on drugs. Bobbitt had filed suit in New Jersey to get the cash, prompting a judge last week to order the couple to hand over the rest of the money. There was no immediate word on what had been done with the rest of the $400,000. McClure and D’Amico’s attorney, Ernest Badway, told the Associated Press they have no comment.

https://nypost.com/2018/09/04/400k-raised-for-homeless-hero-is-gone-lawyer/

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1. The guy got 75k in cash and other stuff? Hummm...sounds like greed on both sides.

They should've split the money.

But the guy was broke and got 75k...wish I had 75K.

[bettyellen]

2. Still they lied and stole more than three times that amount.

That’s pretty fucked up.

[Rorey]

3. Good point, but

The people who donated to the GoFundMe account intended for their donation to go to the homeless veteran, not the couple. It sounds like they're not just greedy. They're thieves.

[Ms. Toad]

5. Seriously???

His name and story were used to raise money to support him. The couple withheld the money people donated specifically for him - apparently on paternalistic theory that they know better than him what he needs.

From my perspective, not only should he be suing - but so should everyone who donated the money for his assistance. The money was not the couple's to control or use for themselves.

[NanceGreggs]

7. "They should have split the money"?

When someone donates money to any charitable cause, they do not do so on the basis that those raising the money are going to "split it" with the recipient for whom the funds were intended.

"Hi! I'm raising money for the Cancer Society. Please donate what you can - and I'll 'split it' with them."

When was the last time you heard that pitch - and donated money anyway?

[brush]

8. Valid point. 400k though? If I was broke and someone raised that amount...

I'd want to share it with them. But that's just me.

[LisaL]

13. When somebody raises it for you, you can share.

As for this money, people donated for the homeless veteran. Promises were made that the veteran was going to get a home, and money will be put into trust funds for him.
Now we find out there is no money left, and homeless veteran is still homeless.

[brush]

20. For sure there were shenanigans with the money, but from what I understand...

Last edited Wed Sep 5, 2018, 10:39 AM - Edit history (1)

he got 75k in cash. He shouldn't still be homeless.

[ProfessorGAC]

17. Didn't He Already Do His Good Deed?

Isn't that what all this was about? He was the good samaritan, already.

Sharing it because someone got other people to donate money due to his kind act? And he should share it?

I'm not following the logic here, Brush.

[brush]

21. Like I said, that's just me. How many are ever going to get 400k in cash?

Last edited Wed Sep 5, 2018, 02:15 PM - Edit history (1)

I get all the posts saying the people should go to jail and all, and you're probably right if the couple didn't broach some kind of arrangement with the vet.

Selfishness kicked in.

With that kind of windfall seems some kind of agreement could've been worked out.

[ProfessorGAC]

22. Perhaps

I guess i could buy 5 or 10% as a "broker" fee. But, they ended up with 81.25% of it. That seems wrong, on its face.

[brush]

23. I agree with that.

[tammywammy]

25. I believe in the GoFundMe they said they would set up a trust.

They were raising money for him. They had no right to keep any of it with out his agreement.

[LanternWaste]

32. I doubt it's just you.

I imagine many people would share, but many would also avoid the self-righteous advertising of how noble they are in contrast to the people they criticize.

[brush]

34. Absolutely.

[dubyadiprecession]

28. The American cancer society collects money for...

Itself and nobody else!

[Adrahil]

31. It's called fraud.

If they raised the money on the premise they would use to benefit of this man, but spent it on themselves, they committed fraud.

I mean $75k is great... but where is the test of it?

[brush]

33. I can't argue with you. Another poster responded to my suggestion for both parties working out...

a sharing arrangement by suggesting the couple, in such an arrangement, would get a ten percent finders fee but the rest should go to the vet.

That sounds reasonable to me.

[aeromanKC]

4. Theft

Pretty sure this is a Felony amount. Also class action lawsuit from those who donated. This couple should do jail time.

[3Hotdogs]

6. I agree. Jail time is in order.

Still. It seems like 300k is missing. There must have been stuff that was purchased that can be sold.

[ooky]

10. Perhaps the IRS will help them sort that out.

[3Hotdogs]

15. Yeah, there aught to be a $60,000 IRS bill attached to what they stole.

Unfortunately, our homeless friend also has a $13,000 IRS bill which he probably didn't account for.

[scheming daemons]

9. It is "GoFundMe". "GoFunMe" sounds like a sex toy.

[Gothmog]

11. These idiots need to be prosecuted and put in jail

[KWR65]

12. Sadly there are lot of scammers that claim they are helping the homeless.

Then they spend it on salaries and the few dollars left over are spent on giving out granola bars.

[Lee-Lee]

14. I'm always dubious of these pop-up gofundme camoaigns

Ones like this, ones for high profile people or causes suddenly in the media, etc.

Because there is absolutely no assurance your money is going where you want it to.

I could start a campaign right now that says “help support this family seeking asylum in the USA” with a picture and a story, get people to give, and then do anything from donate 100% of it to the family to keep 100% for me.

[Vinca]

16. They should be charged with fraud or theft or something. This is no different than

going door-to-door collecting money for a made up charity or being the Trump Foundation collecting money and spending it on themselves.

[Bengus81]

18. Total BS,that money is not "gone". What did they do,spend it all at McDonalds?

That homeless guy still has options including going after Go Fund me who recklessly let that guy and his girlfriend pull all those funds out when it was obvious the homeless guy is still homeless.

Anyone who contributed to that GFM can get their money back--it's a GFM policy. This is a HUGE black eye for Go Fund Me and will hurt their reputation.

[LisaL]

19. Homeless guy accused them of spending money on vacations and a new BMW.

[3Hotdogs]

24. That's still about 200k unaccounted. Unless they hit casinos.

[brooklynite]

26. Aside from not reporting taxable revenue...

...it's not clear to me about holding a GOFUNDME under false pretenses is a criminal activity.

[dameatball]

27. Sadly, this will not help other legitimate causes. Makes people reluctant to trust Gofundme.

[ansible]

29. UPDATE: N.J couple in $400K dispute with homeless vet no-shows court hearing, may take 5th

The New Jersey couple embroiled in a legal dispute over $400,000 they raised for a homeless veteran no-showed a court hearing Wednesday and their attorney told a judge they want to invoke the 5th Amendment right against self-incrimination.

Superior Court Judge Paula Dow rejected the request because Kate McClure and her boyfriend Mark D'Amico were not present in the Burlington County courthouse for the second straight hearing in the civil case filed by Johnny Bobbitt.

https://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2018/09/couple_in_400k_gofundme_scandal_taken_to_court_by.html

[Iggo]

30. Sounds like they're going to Jay-uhl.

Theft. Fraud.

And they did it on TV.

They're done.