Homeless man to get GoFundMe cash
Judge orders couple who raised $400K for U.S. man to turn over funds
MOUNT HOLLY, N.J.— A couple who raised more than $400,000 (U.S.) for a homeless man after he used his last $20 to fill up the gas tank of a stranded motorist in Philadelphia must now turn over what’s left of the cash.
A New Jersey judge issued the order Thursday during a hearing on the lawsuit brought by Johnny Bobbitt, who worries Mark D’Amico and Katie McClure have mismanaged a large part of the donations raised for him on GoFundMe.
The couple deny those claims, saying they’re wary of giving Bobbitt large sums because they fear he would buy drugs. The judge ordered the couple to transfer the money into an escrow account by the end of business Friday and hire a forensic accountant to review the financial records within 10 days. The money will be transferred to an account controlled by Bobbitt’s lawyers.
McClure set up the online fundraiser page as a way to give back to Bobbitt, who came to her aid when she ran out of gas on an Interstate 95 exit ramp late one night. It raised more than $400,000 in funds donated by more than 14,000 people.
Bobbitt walked a few blocks to buy McClure gas. She didn’t have money to repay him at the time, but sought him out days later to do so, and visited him a few more times to bring food and water. They later appeared on shows like “Good Morning America”, but the relationship has gone sour.
McClure and D’Amico deny misusing the money. D’Amico has said Bobbitt spent $25,000 in less than two weeks on drugs, in addition to paying legal bills and sending money to his family.
The couple bought Bobbitt a camper with some of the funds and parked it on land McClure’s family owns, but Bobbitt became homeless in June after D’Amico told him he had to leave the property.
During an appearance Monday on NBC’s Megyn Kelly Today show, D’Amico said there was over $150,000 in funds left.