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A New Jersey couple has been ordered, by a judge, to turn over the funds they raised for a homeless man. According to NBC Philadelphia, Burlington County judge ordered Katie McClure and Mark D’Amico to give the GoFundMe money they raised for homeless man Johnny Bobbitt.
The couple was ordered to turn over the remaining money to their defense lawyer. The lawyer was then told to put the money into an escrow account. McClure and D’Amico were then ordered to provide a full account of all the money they raised within 10 days.
In November 2017 McClure ran out of gas and was stranded in on a highway exit ramp in Philadelphia. Bobbitt, a complete stranger, used his only $20 and walked to the nearest gas station to buy her gas.
McClure couldn’t pay him back at the time but found him a few days later to repay him. She visited Bobbitt a few times after bringing him food and water. Then McClure and D’Amico decided to create a GoFundMe as a thank you to Bobbitt. Their fundraiser has raised over $402,000 in nine months. They initially only wanted to raise $10,000.
The couple videotaped Bobbitt’s reaction when they told him they raised money for him. At the time they only raised $769.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=igCjuWW4luM
Their story went viral and the couple and Bobbitt were featured on Good Morning America, BBC and many major publications.
But unfortunately, the couple didn’t pay it forward completely. Bobbitt sued the two claiming they mismanaged a chunk of the donated money. He claims the couple used the money they raised for him for their own personal needs. He’s seeking damages and for a lawyer to oversee the funds.
The couple denied any mishandling of the funds and said they didn’t turn the money over to Bobbitt because he was spending the money on drugs. They said he spent $25,000 in two weeks in December 2017 on drugs. McClure and D’Amico also claim that they paid for overdue legal bills for Bobbitt, housing for him and sent Bobbitt’s family money from the funds.
They told Megyn Kelly on her show that there is well over $150,000 left of the money.
