Katelyn McClure sentenced to 3 years in viral GoFundMe scheme
MOUNT HOLLY, N.J. (CBS) -- A judge has sentenced a Burlington County woman to three years in a New Jersey prison for her role in a GoFundMe scam that raised hundreds of thousands for a homeless veteran.
Prosecutors said Katelyn McClure, her then-boyfriend Mark D'Amico and Johnny Bobbitt concocted a story in late 2017.
They went viral after McClure shared the story, saying she ran out of gas on Interstate 95, and Bobbitt spent his last $20 to get her on her way.
They raised more than $400,000 on the fundraising platform after misleading donors. They said the money would go toward getting Bobbitt a place to live.
But the couple did not expect the fundraiser to get so much revenue, the Burlington County Prosecutor's office said. They spent money on a BMW, casino gambling, a New Year's trip to Las Vegas, a helicopter ride over the Grand Canyon and Louis Vuitton handbags.
Bobbitt later took civil action against McClure and D'Amico, alleging he had only received about $75,000 of the funds raised for him. He later pleaded guilty to a conspiracy charge and was admitted into the New Jersey Recovery Court program. He could face a prison sentence if he breaks the program's rules.
About 14,000 people donated to the campaign. GoFundMe has said it voluntarily reimbursed the money.
"GoFundMe has zero tolerance for misuse of our platform," Jalen Drummond, the director of public affairs at GoFundMe, said in a statement. "We cooperated fully with law enforcement to ensure that these individuals were held accountable for their crimes and all donors were refunded."
The judge who sentenced McClure ruled she would be barred from future public employment. She previously worked for the New Jersey Department of Transportation.
McClure was not present in the New Jersey courtroom Friday because she is serving a sentence in federal prison in Connecticut. D'Amico, of Florence, New Jersey, is serving time in a federal prison in Pennsylvania.
"Our wish is that prosecutions like this will serve to deter criminals from such deceitful actions, but not discourage individuals from caring about those who are in crisis as a result of a tragedy, or simply need a helping hand after experiencing a hardship or setback," Burlington County Prosecutor LaChia Bradshaw said in a statement.