Woman accused of involvement in $400,000 homeless GoFundMe scam claims she was duped by her boyfriend
The woman accused of being involved in a GoFundMe scam with her boyfriend and a homeless man to raise more than $400,000 (£312,000) has claimed she was a victim.
Katelyn McClure, 28, has been charged with theft by deception and conspiracy along with her ex-boyfriend Mark D’Amico, 39, and homeless man Johnny Bobbitt, 34, who they met at a casino in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Prosecutors said the couple spent more than $367,000 on holidays, a car, designer handbags and casino gambling, and that Bobbitt received about $75,000.
But now McClure has claimed her innocence by saying she was duped into the scam by her boyfriend.
Her lawyer has released a secret recording to Good Morning America in which McClure tells him: “You started the whole f*****g thing, you did everything.
“I had no part in any of this and I’m the one f*****g taking the fall.”
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McClure and D’Amico created a GoFundMe campaign page to supposedly raise money for Bobbitt, who they claimed was living under a bridge and had helped her when her car ran out of petrol by spending his last $20.
McClure shared the story in interviews with numerous media outlets, helping raise more than $400,000.
But the plan allegedly fell apart when Bobbitt was unhappy about how much money the couple took for themselves. He went on to sue them, leading to the trio’s arrest.
“D’Amico, McClure and Bobbitt conspired to fabricate and promote a feelgood story that would compel donors to contribute to their cause,” said Burlington County prosecutor Scott Coffina last week.
In the unverified recording released to Good Morning America, a person alleged to be D’Amico can be heard saying to McClure: “You don’t go to jail for lying on TV, you dumb b***h.”
She replies: “But who made me lie on TV?” The man says: “Who cares?”
If found guilty, the trio face potential prison sentences of five to 10 years.
GoFundMe has said it would refund some 14,000 donors who pledged money to the page.
