Police Say New Jersey Couple, Homeless Man Stole $400,000 In GoFundMe Scam

PHILADELPHIA, PA — The homeless man who had $400,000 raised for him in a GoFundMe campaign last year has been arrested in Philadelphia.

Last year, a campaign was started for Johnny Bobbitt Jr., 35, by New Jersey couple who claimed he spent his last $20 helping out Kate McClure.

McClure and Mark D’Amico said Bobbitt Jr. gave the money to McClure when she was stranded on I-95 after her car ran out of gas.

The story made national headlines, and the amount of money raised grew to more than $400,000.

Now, authorities claim that the whole story was a scam from the beginning, and that McClure, D'Amico, and Bobbitt were in on it together.

All three are reportedly expected to be charged with conspiracy and theft by deception for working together to concoct the story.

After the funds were raised, Bobbitt Jr. complained that the couple kept most of the money. He said that McClure and D'Amico spent the money on trips and expensive purchases – but the couple denied any wrongdoing.

Through their attorney, they stated that they had given Bobbitt Jr. around $200,000.

A civil case involving funds raised for Bobbitt through the GoFundMe was put on hold after the couple promised to replace the missing funds. But the prosecutor’s office announced that the criminal investigation will continue.

Read more: ABC 7, NBC Philadelphia