A judge has ordered a New Jersey couple to explain what they did with the $400,000 in crowdfunding donations they raised for a homeless man. The judge also ordered Kate McClure and Mark D’Amico to provide the court with a forensic analysis showing how they spent the cash.
McClure and D’Amico created a GoFundMe account to raise money for Johnny Bobbitt, a homeless veteran who lent McClure his last $20 when her car ran out of gas and she was stranded on the road last October.
The story went viral and the public donations far surpassed the original goal of $10,000. A total of $400,000 was raised for Bobbitt to start a new life.
But Bobbitt is reportedly back on the streets after the couple allegedly spent the cash on themselves. Photos on the couple’s Instagram account show them taking vacations, buying expensive designer items, and going on trips to New York to attend Broadway shows.
The couple claimed they withheld the funds from Bobbitt because he stole possessions from them and used $25,000 they gave him to buy drugs. Bobbitt’s lawyers say the couple gave paid $75,000 for a camper and a 1999 Ford Ranger — Bobbitt’s dream car.
Bobbitt’s lawyers say he lived in the camper until June and the Ford broke down on him. Bobbitt told ABC News he gave some of the $25,000 to friends and family, and he bought drugs with the rest. Bobbitt failed two attempts at drug rehab.
McClure and D’Amico said they held onto the rest of the money — nearly $200,000 — because Bobbitt didn’t have a bank account in his name.
A judge ordered McClure and D’Amico to turn over what’s left of the remaining monies to be placed into a trust fund by the court.
McClure and D’Amico were also ordered to provide the court with an accounting analysis of the purchases they made with Bobbitt’s funds.
The accounting analysis is ordered to be completed by September 10.
“I hate that it came to this,” Mr Bobbitt told ABC. “I always felt like I was in a weird situation. I didn’t want to be pressuring to get a lawyer or do anything because I didn’t want to seem ungrateful”.
