Yesterday, the 24th of December, a popular platform for fundraising GoFundMe said that it has repaid $400 thousand which were offered by the people for the 35-year-old homeless veteran johnny Bobbitt, accused of colluding for profit.
This story is exactly known for every second American is mainly due to its unexpected turn. Last year mark D’amico and Kate McClure has launched on GoFundMe page to raise money for new life Babbitt, which, according to them, saved a girl in a desperate situation, giving her the last twenty gasoline. Not surprisingly, this case has resonated in the hearts of men, so the pair in a short time raised $400 thousand. It would seem, the perfect end to stories about human kindness, but… expectations do not match with reality.
A year later, the homeless man filed a lawsuit against D’amico and McClure, claiming that their money he never saw. And later came another news, more shocking: prosecutors accused all three in collusion and receiving donations under false pretenses. Law enforcement officers claimed that «the whole campaign was based on lies» and started with only one purpose — to get a quick profit.
«In less than an hour after the start of the campaign, GoFundMe McClure in a conversation with a friend told me the story of how Bobbitt helped her, were «completely invented»,» — said the Prosecutor of Burlington County Scott Coffin.
The lawyer 29-year-old McClure said that she «used by Mr. D’amico and Mr. Bobbitt, and she believed that this money goes to a homeless veteran.»
In turn, the lawyer D’amico said that he is surprised because of counsel McClure.
«I don’t know how Kate is now playing the victim. I would be curious to see how this protection will affect her in court,» he said.
«All donors who have contributed to this GoFundMe campaign, received the full compensation,» — said the press-Secretary of the platform Bobby Whithorn in the email.
According to Whithorne, fraud on the platform is very rare, but if cheating happens, donors will return their money, GoFundMe is working with law enforcement to recover the funds.
