Woman Used Fraudulent Go Fund Me Account To Raise Money

MARIETTA, GA — A woman has pleaded guilty to using a Go Fund Me account that falsely claimed her child was ill to raise money.

Joannessa Ann Clawson, formerly of Marietta, was sentenced to serve 10 years in prison, with one year in custody and the balance on probation.

In March 2015, staff at Mountain View Elementary became concerned when the child missed several days of school and also appeared at one point with her hair “hacked off.” The family told district officials the child was in the hospital with a life-threatening heart condition. Officials then found a GoFundMe page set up to take donations for the sick child, and became concerned the child was being used by her parents to perpetrate a fraud.

When police went to Clawson’s house, the child came running to answer the door, leaving the parents stumbling to explain why the child appeared to be perfectly healthy. Clawson produced a forged note from an actual physician indicating he was treating her child. The telephone number on the note, however, belonged to Clawson’s mother.

All of the money given through the GoFundMe page was refunded to the donors, and Clawson did not receive any of the funds..

Charges of false swearing and conspiracy to commit theft by deception are pending against Clawson’s husband, James Clawson.

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