A New Jersey couple and homeless Marine vet who have been embroiled in a dispute over a $400,000 GoFundMe campaign are back in the news.
The couple, Mark D’Amico and Katelyn McClure, and Marine veteran Johnny Bobbitt are now being accused of conspiring to concoct a fake story to bilk supporters into donating money to a GoFundMe account, NBC 10 has reported.
The three have been charged with conspiracy and theft by deception, according to NBC 10.
The New Jersey couple had turned themselves into Burlington County prosecutors on Wednesday, but it is unknown if Bobbitt has turned himself in, according to NBC 1O.
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In 2017, a viral story surfaced when McClure and D’Amico shared that homeless Marine veteran Johnny Bobbitt had allegedly used his last $20 to help the stranded woman buy gas after her car ran out on Interstate 95 in Philadelphia.
The couple then launched a viral GoFundMe campaign, which pulled in more than $400,000.
Since then, the three have been involved in a legal dispute over the donated money.
In September, The Associated Press had reported that Bobbitt had filed a lawsuit claiming the couple was mismanaging the funds. The couple had argued that they were simply worried about handing over large sums of money they thought he would use to buy drugs.
Bobbitt’s lawyer had argued he had only received $75,000 of the donations, which included a camper and 1999 Ford Ranger, the AP reported.
On Sept. 6 police raided the home of the New Jersey couple and confiscated a BMW, according to AP.
Bobbitt served as an ammunition technician when he was in the Corps but had never completed his first enlistment. He was discharged from the service as an E-1 in 2004.
GoFundMe has said that all campaign donors will be fully refunded, NBC 10 reported.
Shawn Snow is the senior reporter for Marine Corps Times and a Marine Corps veteran.
