Read The Unbelievable Text Messages Behind $400K GoFundMe Scam

BURLINGTON COUNTY, NJ - The first text was sent less than one hour after the “Paying it Forward” campaign went live.

"Okay so wait the gas part is completely made up...But the guy isn’t...I had to make something up to make people feel bad," Kate McClure told her best friend in a Nov. 10 text.

The text would be a key piece of evidence that revealed what was thought to be a heartwarming fundraiser to help a homeless Philadelphia man was actually a fabricated tale in an effort to scam thousands of people out of more than $400,000. It was just one of 60,000 messages authorities would review in the investigation that led to charges against the three co-conspirators on Thursday.

"This gas story is gonna backfire," McClure's friend told her at one point.

"Nah, it's all good," McClure responded. "How would it?"

But it did.

The Burlington County Prosecutor's Office announced charges of conspiracy and theft by deception against McClure, her boyfriend Mark D'Amico and homeless veteran Johnny Bobbitt, of Philadelphia, on Thursday. All three allegedly fabricated their story with the intent of creating the GoFundMe account to raise money for themselves, according to the Burlington County Prosecutor's Office.

Read more here: Homeless Vet, NJ Couple Made Up $400K GoFundMe Scam: Prosecutors

But did the couple begin with noble intentions? And did they do themselves in with their own text messages? Below are some of the text messages that show what went on behind the scenes as the trio collected more than $400,000 from an unsuspecting public during the online fundraiser. The messages were provided to the media by authorities as part of the probable cause statement this week.

• On Oct. 16, 2017, at about 4:09 p.m., a lengthy text conversation between McClure and D’Amico about Bobbitt took place. McClure stated, “IDK why but that homeless guy by sugarhouse keeps popping in my damn head today.” (emphasis added). D’Amico replied, “Dude I just thought about him!!” (emphasis added). The conversation continued with them both wanting to help the guy [Bobbitt], by providing him with, among other things, food, clothes, a Nintendo Switch, the possibility of a job and even giving him a house. In that same text exchange, McClure confirmed that the couple had given him [Bobbitt] $10 on a prior occasion.
• On Nov. 10, 2017, at about 7:25 p.m. – less than one hour after the “Paying it Forward” campaign was launched – McClure admitted to her best friend via text message that the “gas story” did not occur, and rather “is completely made up.” The conversation started off with the friend questioning McClure as to why she never told her about running out of gas. McClure stated that she had known Bobbitt “for two months,” or “at least a month.” More specifically, McClure texted in response to her friend: “Okay so wait the gas part is completely made up . . . But the guy isn’t . . . I had to make something up to make people feel bad . . . So, shush about the made up part.” (emphasis added). McClure and the best friend continued their text conversations in which McClure demonstrated her familiarity with Bobbitt and his history.
• On Nov. 13, 2017, at about 1:52 p.m., McClure and D’Amico discussed McClure’s mother’s suspicion of whether the “gas story” of McClure and Bobbitt actually happened, via text message. McClure and D’Amico exchanged messages that the “gas story” did not occur, but all of the other stuff about Johnny Bobbitt was true. D’Amico told McClure that the gas story was just a “little lie.” This was within three days of the campaign being launched.
• On Nov. 14, 2017, at about 9:22 p.m., McClure and her best friend continued their discussion about the fake gas story. McClure mentioned her dilemma of discussing this situation with her mother: “My mom just called me and said that people go to jail for scamming others out of money. So there’s that . . . That’s what my own mother thinks of me” (emphasis added).
• On Nov. 15, 2017, at about 1:06 p.m., McClure and her best friend exchanged texts about a recent newspaper story about the campaign. The best friend said: “…This gas story is gonna backfire lmfao” (emphasis added). McClure replied, “Nah its all good” (emphasis added) and “How would it?” (emphasis added). The best friend responded: “They’re gonna Interview him one day and ask him! But you need to tell him first. Make sure he knows” (emphasis added). McClure stated, “yeah we will tell him... This week we have to…” (emphasis added).
• That same day, McClure told D’Amico they had to talk to Bobbitt about the situation. That night, they showed Bobbitt a newspaper story about their gas story and the campaign, and recorded his reaction with their cell phone. They told him that about $1,700 had already been contributed to the campaign. Most of Bobbitt’s reaction was about how this money would “change his life.” On the video, he did not comment on the fake gas story repeated in the article.
• On Dec. 9, 2017, McClure recorded two, hour-long conversations involving herself, D’Amico and a literary agent about the trio’s desire for a book and movie deal in order to make even more money off the scam.
• From December 2017 through March 2018, there were hundreds of electronic communications between McClure, D’Amico and Bobbitt, about Bobbitt receiving cash, living on their property, setting up Uber transportation, etc.
• The first time it becomes apparent that the trio is running out of money is during a text conversation between McClure and D’Amico on March 9, 2018, almost four months to the day after the campaign launched. McClure started the conversation with, “I can’t believe we have less than 10k left. I’m so upset know [sic].” (emphasis added). The conversation continued with McClure and D’Amico going back and forth about spending the funds from the GoFundMe campaign. D’Amico told McClure not to worry, referring to eventually receiving money from the book deal. McClure states “In a year you’ll be laughing about when you blew hundreds of thousands”, “Just like 45k,” “just like 15k” (emphasis added).
• In the early morning hours of March 11, 2018, McClure sent text messages to her friend expressing McClure’s frustration with Bobbitt about not going to rehab for his drug addiction. “Right. Yeah that’s true. F--- him though.” (emphasis added). As the conversation continued, McClure’s best friend stated: “You really need to get rid of him and get the public off your back by donating.” (emphasis added). McClure replied: “I’ll be keeping the rest of the money, f--- you very much.” (emphasis added). McClure’s best friend followed up with, “He could out you.” (emphasis added).
• On March 19, 2018, at about 10:38 a.m., a lengthy text conversation occurred between McClure and D’Amico. The conversation started about questioning the BMW, and whether to cancel the warranty on it because according to D’Amico, “We’re gonna need all money we can get for now…”. D’Amico stated, “Obviously we f------ up so cal [sic] down” (emphasis added). The conversation continued about the BMW, while McClure told D’Amico “All you need to do is start working. At your real job. Not the job you think you have. Once you do that, we’ll be fine” (emphasis added). McClure expressed her anger for finding out that D’Amico had logged into online poker, while he [D’Amico] should have been working stating, “You logged into poker the exact minute you told me you were doing an invoice…” D’Amico replied, “I logged into poker 10 times today” (emphasis added). McClure confronted D’Amico about not doing anything (meaning home improvement contracting) since November, which D’Amico acknowledged. McClure then got mad at D’Amico for not sending information to the anticipated book author. D’Amico defended himself and stated he did send information to the author. They continued bickering about finances. D’Amico suggested a “title loan” for “$10k,” using the BMW as collateral or selling the BMW. The conversation went back and forth about the couple being in financial distress and needing money to pay bills. During this message thread, McClure acknowledges that her bank account with the money from the campaign was in the negative.
• On Aug. 10, 2018, at about 4:10 p.m., Bobbitt used his brother’s Facebook messenger to tell D’Amico: “We should really talk about things. There has been a lot of people asking questions and i really don’t know what to say. We really should get out of here before things go public. I have really been trying to avoid people but it’s becoming more and more difficult. We (meaning he and his brother) will get on a bus anytime you can take us and watch us leave. I think it’s the best idea because we don’t want people asking questions. We are still in the same place. We’re always on the lookout for you.” (emphasis added). D’Amico responded: “Hey. I’ll get there this weekend. When I do you get on a bus…no b-------?” (emphasis added).
• August 2018 was when Bobbitt first began accusing D’Amico and McClure in public of withholding money that was raised through the campaign from him. On Aug. 15, 2018, at about 5:36 p.m., McClure shared a screenshot with her best friend of a conversation that Bobbitt, utilizing his brother’s messenger app, had with McClure and D’Amico. In the conversation, D’Amico stated, “I’II be there…There’s nothing to investigate” (emphasis added). Bobbitt replied, “I know that it will only get worse as far as other people and want to avoid it” (emphasis added). D’Amico responded, “Yea us too. Idk why you said we mishandled your money.” (emphasis added). Bobbitt replied, “Im just saying what I was told from someone other than [the reporter].” (emphasis added). D’Amico countered with, “You know what we did for you...That’s f----- up if you pull that s--- bro” (emphasis added). Bobbitt replied, “I did NOT say mishandled. I will tell you exactly what I said. I have not said anything that would jeopardize us…I was afraid of this happening” (emphasis added).
• From Aug. 15-23, 2018, there were numerous text messages and Facebook messages between and among McClure, D’Amico and Bobbitt, as well as between McClure and her best friend. The conversations were about a news reporter reaching out and questioning the current situation of the GoFundMe campaign since Bobbitt was panhandling again. This started an obvious panic involving McClure and what could come of people learning of the fact that the gas story did not happen. McClure continually messaged with others about her anxiety due to this new development. The discussions involved Bobbitt not wanting to speak to the reporter, along with McClure and D’Amico planning ways to get Bobbitt out of the Philadelphia area. McClure told her best friend that she and D’Amico had spoken to a lawyer, who told them they only had to give Bobbitt $10,000. McClure and D’Amico also were communicating with the literary agent on how to address the possible media coverage during this time.
• In an Aug. 28, 2018, text message, McClure told her best friend how upset she was and how hard everything had become. The best friend told McClure that she [McClure] has so many people on her side and how she [McClure] had an amazing support system. McClure responded, “But none of them know the truth” (emphasis added). The conversation turned to Johnny, wherein, McClure’s best friend texted: “If there’s a way to hide the truth that would be amazing...Does Johnny know the truth?” McClure responded, “Kinda… He [Bobbitt] knows that he [Bobbitt] gave us 150. He [Bobbitt] knows that. But idk if he’d admit that” (emphasis added).
• On Aug. 29, 2018, McClure had a similar text message with a family member, telling that person how upset she was, that she had not eaten in over a week, and could not sleep. McClure related that the agent [literary agent] recommended a lawyer. McClure shared that the agent did not know (presumably, the full story) and wanted to tell her after speaking to the lawyer. More specifically, McClure texted to her relative: “Like. He [Bobbitt] agreed to split it with us but we didn’t sign anything so how the f--- are we going to prove thayb [sic]” (emphasis added). The relative responded, “You have Half” to which McClure responded, “No…Nothing…That’s the issue” (emphasis added)
• On Sept. 2, 2018, at about 1:03 p.m., McClure recorded a conversation between herself and D’Amico in which they discussed the campaign. McClure stated that she felt as if she was going to take the fall and be blamed, because her name was on everything. McClure expressed concern about going to jail. D’Amico replied, “You don’t go to jail for lying on TV…” (emphasis added). The conversation then turned to how they spent the money raised through the campaign, with D’Amico providing specifics: “Twenty thousand, BMW. Five thousand, Disney. Ten thousand in bags. We both went to Vegas, right? Huh? How much did you spend in Cali.? Twenty-five hundred? Probably broke even on that one getting thirty-seven hundred? So just right there is forty thousand. Now you wanna talk about everything else? Like you act like you didn’t spend a dollar” (emphasis added.) McClure eventually responded, “I never said that I didn’t spend a dollar.” (emphasis added).
• On Sept. 3, 2018, at about 7:25 p.m., McClure recorded a conversation between herself and D’Amico about the GoFundMe campaign. McClure stated, “I wish that you never updated the GoFundMe. Like we shoulda just let it go and not f------ kept people informed” (emphasis added).

See related:
Homeless Man Will Pay It Forward After Woman Raises $380K For Him
Homeless Vet Who Helped Woman Buys New Home With Money She Raised
Woman Raised $400K For Man, But Addiction Struggle Continues
NJ Man Is Back On Streets - Even Though $400K Was Raised
NJ Couple Must Surrender Some Of $400K Raised For Homeless Man
NJ Couple's $400K For Homeless Man's GoFundMe Is Gone: Attorney
GoFundMe Gives $20K To Homeless Vet, Probing NJ Couple's Role
BMW Hauled Away In Search At Alleged GoFundMe Scammers' Home
Homeless Vet To Get Rest Of GoFundMe $400K Raised By NJ Couple

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