Homeless Samaritan suing couple who raised funds to help him
MOUNT HOLLY, N.J. — A homeless man whose selfless act of using his last $20 to fill up the gas tank of a stranded motorist in Philadelphia got him worldwide attention is suing the couple who led a $400,000 fundraising campaign to help him.
Johnny Bobbitt says he’s concerned that Mark D’Amico and Katie McClure have mismanaged a large part of the donations raised for him on GoFundMe. The New Jersey couple denies the claims, saying they’re wary of giving Bobbitt large sums because they feared he would buy drugs.
Bobbitt’s lawsuit contends the couple committed fraud by taking money from the fundraising campaign for themselves. He’s seeking undisclosed damages, and his lawyers want a judge to appoint someone to oversee the account.
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 give him the money, and visited him a few more times to bring food and water. They later appeared on news shows such as “Good Morning America” and were interviewed by the BBC.
But the relationship has since gone sour.
Christopher Fallon, one of Bobbitt’s lawyers, told The Philadelphia Inquirer that the legal action was taken after D’Amico ignored multiple requests for a full accounting of the money raised by the GoFundMe campaign.
McClure and D’Amico have denied wrongdoing or misusing the money. D’Amico has said Bobbitt spent $25,000 in less than two weeks in December. Johnny Bobbitt, from left, Mark D’Amico and Kate McClure, in Philadelphia, last November.