Kate McClure Pleads Guilty In $400K GoFundMe Scam: Prosecutor

The South Jersey woman involved in the $400,000 GoFundMe scam has pleaded guilty in exchange for four years in state prison, according to the Burlington County Prosecutor’s Office.

Kate McClure, 29, of Bordentown, pleaded guilty to second-degree theft by deception on Monday, Burlington County Prosecutor Scott Coffina announced.

Her plea comes three days after 36-year-old homeless veteran Johnny Bobbitt Jr. was placed on special probation for up to five years while he fulfills the requirements of a court-sponsored drug treatment program.

They both must also pay $402,766 in restitution and agreed to testify against McClure's ex-boyfriend, 39-year-old Mark D’Amico, a spokesperson for the prosecutor’s office said.

McClure's sentencing is scheduled for June 3.

McClure and Bobbitt have both also pleaded guilty to charges in federal court. Only D'Amico has yet to enter a guilty plea in the case. He is charged with second-degree theft by deception and second-degree conspiracy to commit theft by deception. He is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

Bobbitt was the stated beneficiary of a high-profile GoFundMe campaign that raised $400,000 for the veteran who was living on the streets in Philadelphia after he supposedly helped a Burlington County woman whose car broke down on I-95.

However, he then claimed he never saw most of the money, and an ensuing investigation ended with all three being charged with conspiracy and theft by deception. Authorities said the story about Bobbitt helping McClure was made up.

D’Amico claimed he was initially unaware that the story was made up, but McClure claimed she was the one who was duped by D’Amico. Both attorneys said the story was exaggerated, but that nothing criminal had taken place.

GoFundMe has refunded all those who donated to the "Paying It Forward" campaign. Last week, its CEO highlighted some of the safeguards they have in place that are designed to make sure a scam like this never happens again.

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