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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region Forumshomeless guy using his last $20 to buy gas for woman - elaborate ruse by all three
https://nypost.com/2018/11/15/homeless-vet-couple-at-center-of-gofundme-controversy-allegedly-made-up-story-report/Prosecutors believe that Mark DAmico and Kate McClure conspired with homeless man Johnny Bobbitt to create their get-rich-quick scheme in 2017, NBCs Philadelphia affiliate reported Wednesday.
The couple turned themselves in to authorities on Wednesday, but Bobbitt was still at large, the news station said.
According a source who spoke to the news outlet, which said it had a copy of a criminal complaint, all three are expected to face charges of conspiracy and theft by deception for working together to create the ruse. The Burlington County Prosecutors office is expected to make an announcement in the case Thursday, according to multiple reports.
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McClure, 28, and DAmico, 39, created a GoFundMe page in November 2017, claiming the homeless, drug addict Bobbitt spent his last $20 to fill up McClures empty gas tank after her car broke down on I-95 near Philadelphia.
The charity campaign exploded, raising tens of thousands of dollars from unsuspecting donors in a matter of days and ultimately shooting up to more than $400,000.
PatSeg
(47,419 posts)What a rotten scheme.
Hortensis
(58,785 posts)and an obviously long-term homeless man (guessing alcohol and/or drugs) came to my rescue. It was very hot that day, and of course I broke down in full sun with heat shimmering off the abandoned parking lot I'd rolled into, but he tinkered with my car until he got it running. Just being a nice guy, and I'm pretty sure glad to be able to help someone.
I'm happy to read an alternative happy ending story here. Somebody doing something nice for someone without any expectations.
Hortensis
(58,785 posts)Loki Liesmith
(4,602 posts)LisaL
(44,973 posts)Demovictory9
(32,454 posts)could have easily given a donation to this one. Never dreamed it was faked
Hermit-The-Prog
(33,340 posts)Y'all need to attend some fundamentalist revivals or just watch some teevee preachers crying for money.
Or just adhere to the time-worn advice: If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
LisaL
(44,973 posts)In fact somebody on the thread shared a similar story that happened to them, about being helped by homeless man when their car broke down.
Volaris
(10,270 posts)Volaris
(10,270 posts)So these people are in trouble for posting something on the internet that wasn't true, and other people didn't bother to check and then gave them money .
It maybe should be, but last I checked being rock-stupid wasn't a crime u can get somebody ELSE in trouble for...
Hermit-The-Prog
(33,340 posts)Volaris
(10,270 posts)But isn't that EXACTLY what a gofundme page IS lol?, except now the fools get to decide which way they want their money to go when they part with it?
Seems like since u can set up a gofundme for anything you want , there aren't a lot of limits on WHY you're asking for the money...
Dorian Gray
(13,493 posts)to scam people?
1) If Bobbitt was truly homeless and addicted to drugs, I believe he was used and has less culpability.
and
2) This is why these go fund me campaigns make me nervous. Unless it's for someone I know personally, I don't give to them. I hate that people are not trustworthy... but people are not trustworthy.
and
3) Scammers scammed each other. Shocking.
Kaleva
(36,298 posts)The couple would, maybe, have had a better chance of success had they found a homeless person who wasn't a drug addict.
LisaL
(44,973 posts)Kaleva
(36,298 posts)Wanted: Trustworthy, homeless veteran who is addicted to drugs and lives under a bridge to join us in a quick rich scheme defrauding people of hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Iggo
(47,552 posts)Unless that was bullshit, too.
Where this story is concerned, I don't actually really know what I'm talking about anymore.
I'll just be over here...
Tipperary
(6,930 posts)unless I know the person involved. Still astounded that Bode Miller had one when his kid died. Smh.
jberryhill
(62,444 posts)Well that ties together a number of loose ends here that never quite matched up.
ProfessorGAC
(65,010 posts)I thought there was a lawsuit over recovering the funds by somebody representing Bobbitt.
If one was part of the scam, why would one sue?
jberryhill
(62,444 posts)I'm thinking the legal maneuverings could have been Act II.
ProfessorGAC
(65,010 posts)Or quadruple.
fescuerescue
(4,448 posts)as something "spontaneous" and then "someone" started a gofund based on the "viral" video.
It always amazes me how people can't spot these "spontaneous" videos as fakes.
LisaL
(44,973 posts)The history of it is well known. It wasn't filled on youtube.
fescuerescue
(4,448 posts)But I tend to ignore this kinda stuff
Catherine Vincent
(34,489 posts)Shameful humans!
Polybius
(15,398 posts)A homeless addict spending his last $20 on a stranger's gas? Yeah ok.
Calculating
(2,955 posts)I remember being skeptical of this when the story initially came out, and everyone bashed me. Apparently I was just envious of the money and had no heart . Well, all I can say now is "told ya so".
Codeine
(25,586 posts)Humans are scum.