Middletown Family's Fundraiser Under Review After Scam Complaints

MIDDLETOWN, NJ — A Middletown family has been reported to the police, and a GoFundMe page they set up asking for money is now under review by the crowd funding platform. This comes after multiple people reported their page and alleged they are running a scam.

At first, hearing the story of Mary and Rob Dinardo tugs at the heartstrings: The husband and wife and their three children, ages 15, 12, and 10 — the youngest of which is autistic — have been living in a one-room motel room along Rt. 35 for months. They say they lost their home and business when Sandy hit five years ago and have since been unable to get back on their feet.

Except, say dozens of Middletown residents, they've heard this tale before — or something like it.

"Last year, it was that Mary and her kids were living in a car at the Lincroft shopping center," said Kyle Bracken, 46, a Middletown resident of 25 years and volunteer firefighter in town. Bracken runs the Middletown News, U See it, Post it! Facebook page. "So I posted it on my page and I had all these people running over to the shopping center last Christmas trying to give her gift cards and get her into a motel. Except she refused all of it; she only wanted cash. Another person booked a room for her at the Comfort Inn. Except they later found out she never checked in, and redeemed the money instead."

"They've scammed so many people," said a 50-year-old Middletown woman who didn't want her name used. She raised thousands of dollars for the Dinardo family last Christmas with the St. Vincent de Paul Society at St. Catharine's Church on Bray Avenue. "First it was that her house in Lincroft burned down, which turns out it didn't. Then she started saying her husband lost his business because of Sandy. We got them into a house, had a certified check for their landlord, and one month's rent in addition to the security deposit. People donated mattresses, clothing, gift cars, home goods. They were out by the spring."

Middletown Helps Its Own has tried to help the family as well, Bracken said. Related: Middletown Family In Need Living Out Of Motel

When the Asbury Park Press profiled the Dinardo family as part of its "Helping Hands" series this week, Bracken said he felt compelled to act. He reported the Dinardo family and their GoFundMe page to the Middletown police.

"It just seems like every year around this time she pops up with a story," Bracken said. "It's always around Christmas time. Another year it was that her dog had a tumor and needed surgery, so people gave to that. Is this fraud? They've raised over $17,000 on that GoFundMe page, so you tell me."

In fact, the Dinardo's page had raised $19,578 at the time this article was published, far exceeding the original $6,500 goal.

After multiple residents reported their page, the GoFundMe company said it is now under review.

"If there are questions raised by donors about a campaign, it’s standard practice for our team to contact to the campaign organizer to collect additional information before funds can be withdrawn," GoFundMe spokesman Bart Jackson said. "In this case, our team reached out to the campaign organizer, and we’ll let you know when additional information becomes available."

So far, the Dinardos have not collected any of the donations, the company said. Donors are also eligible for a refund.

The department received Bracken's complaints, but the Middletown police department is not actively investigating the Dinardos at this time, department spokesman Lt. Paul Bailey told Patch.

Patch attempted but was unable to reach Robert or Mary Dinardo for this story.

Image via Pixabay