NJ couple, Mark D’Amico and Kate McClure and homeless man Johnny Bobbitt indicted for fooling Americans that decency, selflessness, valor and integriy exists.
A NJ couple who raised hundreds of thousands of dollars in a in a viral charity campaign for a homeless man following an alleged good deed done- have admitted it was all just an elaborate ruse- to sucker you the public in to giving away your cash at yet another episode of bravery, valor and selflessness that deserved to be rewarded.
Prosecutors believe that Mark D’Amico and Kate McClure of Florence Township, NJ, conspired with homeless man du jour, Johnny Bobbitt to create their get-rich-quick scheme in 2017, aka ‘Pay It Forward” fund-raiser NBC’s Philadelphia reported.
The couple were arrested after turning themselves in to authorities Wednesday, while Bobbitt who’d previously publicly accused the couple of ‘stiffing him’ out of his bonanza – was arrested after authorities picked him up staying at an apartment on the 1200 block of Shackamaxon st in Fishtown, Wednesday morning.
According to a criminal complain brought forward by The Burlington County Prosecutor’s Office– come Thursday- all three were booked on charges of conspiracy and theft by deception for working together to create the ruse.
The complaint stated McClure and D’Amico being booked for theft by deception valuing $75,000+/extortion and conspiracy. Both are crimes of the second degree.
During Thursday’s press corps meeting, prosecutors said the couple who were hard up for cash had known Bobbitt for a month, ‘occasionally spotting him $10 or a cup of coffee,’ as he panhandled near an underpass by Philly’s SugarHouse Casino- before hatching their larger than life get rich scheme (or in jail) that duped America.
Johnny Bobbitt arrested in Philadelphia 7am yesterday by US Marshals & BurlCo Prosecutors. He was staying at an apartment on the 1200 block of Shackamaxon st in Fishtown. Kate McClure & Mark D’Amico turned themselves in yesterday. @BurlcoPros @USMarshalsHQ @gofundme @CBSPhilly pic.twitter.com/6SRgI3kFWm
— Stephen McKenzie (@SteveMcKCBS3) November 15, 2018
Mark D’Amico, Kate McClure & Johnny Bobbitt indicted: Using the media to play on Americas self perception of itself.
McClure, 28, and D’Amico, 39, created a GoFundMe page in November 2017, claiming homeless drug addict Bobbitt spent his last $20 to fill up McClure’s empty gas tank after her car broke down on I-95 near Philadelphia. Because who can ever get enough of yet another Good Samaritan story to perk us all up?
The charity campaign exploded, tearing at the public’s sense of pathos and the knowledge that life in America is often very unfair and the product of every man for himself- while sometimes coming along to bestow a public good feel gesture for those amongst us who retain chivalry, integrity and valor and a sign that says, ‘don’t forget to GoFundMe too.’
With the media piling on (and this is the real master plan here- the hiring of a 24 x7 public relations team for free to remind the world you were deserving, and hardly the vagrant one gave the occasional crumpled dollar to upon being confronted while you made your way- so of course you too wouldn’t end up homeless.
In the end- the ruse which played on general American’s sense that life can be fair and full of valor after all (if you watch enough Hollywood thrillers and viral stories) and gave heartily-raising more than $400,000 to prove to itself and fellow Americans that in the end- we really do care about you.
‘It has changed my entire outlook about people, my outlook about people has skyrocketed,’ McClure said of the donations at the time.
Tow truck removes BMW from the Bordentown, NJ property of Katie McClure & Mark D’Amico, where @BurlcoPros is serving a search warrant. The couple is being investigated over funds missing from a $400,000 GoFundMe account they started for homeless veteran Johnny Bobbitt @CBSPhilly pic.twitter.com/cxPcFBrw9P
— Trang Do (@TrangDoCBS3) September 6, 2018
Mark D’Amico, Kate McClure & Johnny Bobbitt indicted: The get rich scheme that nearly worked.
The trio nearly got away with it- except they couldn’t help but be too greedy with their new found wealth- when Bobbitt- the token vagrant homeless man and decoy sued the couple, claiming they were withholding funds raised on the GoFundMe from him.
McClure and D’Amico, not to be undone both accused Bobbitt of being on drugs (back to that argument again- which is how we like to remind the less fortunate- that their misery is really all self inflicted) and refused to pay him until he was clean. If only. One day.
Welcome to a brave new America – where we can’t even trust a gesture of human goodwill isn’t really just an effort to cash and grab- sponsored by your local TV ad raking news outlet who made out pretty well too….
You think you read stories about low under handed people, but then read that people donated $400,000 to a homeless vet, who happens to be a CON ARTIST and two “good” Samaritans, who happen to be CON ARTISTS.
Garbage people. #JohnnyBobbitt https://t.co/FoXhtqduhI— Veronica (@IAmVeroEscobar) November 15, 2018
