NJ GoFundMe Hoaxer Gets 27 Months In Prison For $400K Scam

CAMDEN, NJ — Mark D’Amico, who along with his then-girlfriend and a homeless man invented a story that spurred thousands in donations, was sentenced 27 months in prison Friday, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.

D’Amico must also pay nearly $402,000 in restitution, pay a $20,000 fine and go through gambling, drug and mental health counseling, the spokesperson also said. He will also be on probation for three years.

He had pleaded guilty in federal court in November to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, the report said.

Fraudulent Fundraiser

Patch has previously reported that D'Amico, along with his then-girlfriend Kate McClure and homeless veteran Johnny Bobbitt Jr., concocted a scheme in November 2017 to raise $10,000 for Bobbitt via GoFundMe after the trio said he spent his last $20 to help McClure get gas after she broke down on Interstate 95 on her way into Philadelphia.

The story gained national attention, swelling the amount in Bobbitt’s GoFundMe account to more than $402,000.

The trio’s story began to unravel in August 2018, when Bobbitt sued D’Amico and McClure on grounds that they were not giving him access to the money that was raised for him through the campaign.

At about the same time, reports surfaced that McClure posted pictures online from events that took place after the gofundme.com fundraiser, including a party in Las Vegas, helicopter rides over the Grand Canyon and from the front row of a Broadway show, according to 6ABC.

In May 2019, D’Amico pleaded not guilty to charges filed in Burlington County Court that stemmed from the scam. That September, his attorney tried unsuccessfully to have the charges against his client dropped; and then in December, D’Amico pleaded guilty to a charge of second-degree misapplication of entrusted property in Burlington County Superior Court.

Both McClure and Bobbitt have already pleaded guilty to charges at the state and federal levels. Bobbitt was placed on special probation for up to five years while he completes the requirements of a court-sponsored drug treatment program, and McClure faced four years in state prison at sentencing after pleading guilty.

GoFundMe has since refunded all those who donated to the fraudulent campaign.

Dos And Don’ts When Donating Via GoFundMe.com

D’Amico, McClure and Bobbitt’s GoFundMe scheme was not an isolated event.

GoFundMe scams have recently been reported in several places across the United States, including one centered on a boy injured on an amusement park ride in Orlando in the aftermath of an amusement park ride accident and those around the United States looking to help Ukrainian refugees.

GoFundMe said legitimate fundraising campaigns on its website often contain information on how the organizer of the campaign know the person who funds are being raised for, specific details regarding who or what the funds will go to and include messages from those closely associated with those the raised funds will benefit.

Conversely, if the information regarding the events that led up to a GoFundMe fundraiser differs from reliable published accounts of the same event and/or it seems as if a fundraiser is copying another person’s idea, it could be a scam, GoFundMe’s website stated.

This story also contains reporting by Anthony Bellano.

---

Hi there, South Jersey! Got a news tip? Story idea? Email me the details at janel.miller@patch.com. You can also get Patch local and statewide news alerts sent directly to your phone by downloading our new app.