Couple who crowdfunded $400,000 for homeless man accused of scam

It was a heartwarming tale of generosity - a fundraising drive to thank a homeless man who had sacrificed his own meager funds to help out a stranded motorist. 

The story of how Johnny Bobbitt gave his last $20 to Kate McClure, and her crowd funding initiative to repay his act of kindness went viral online, with donations pouring in from thousands of well-wishers. 

But it has now emerged the entire story may have been an elaborate scam, as prosecutors in New Jersey announced developments in a criminal investigation into Ms McClure and her boyfriend Mark D'Amico, who raised $400,000 (£307,000) in alleged donations for Mr Bobbitt.

According to US network NBC10, all three will face charges for providing a false story in order to raise money for themselves. The charges are reported to include conspiracy and theft by deception.

New Jersey's Prosecutor Scott Coffina will hold a news conference with an update on the investigation on Thursday.

Investigators searched the home of Mr D'Amico, 30, and Ms McClure, 28, in September after questions arose about how the money they raised through a GoFundMe page was being spent. 

They have previously denied any wrong doing but on Thursday their lawyer did not respond to requests for comment.

The couple's problems began over the summer when Mr Bobbitt filed a lawsuit against them, claiming they had refused to hand over the majority of the funds to the homeless veteran and instead spent it on themselves. 

The pair denied the claims, but in August a US judge ordered them to hand over the remains of the funds.

The couple started the crowdfunding attempt in 2017 ostensibly to thank Mr Bobbitt, a homeless veteran, who they claimed came to the aid of Ms McClure when she ran out of petrol on a motorway.

Ms McClure wrote that she was launching the online appeal to help the former marine "get into a home". 

She added: "I wish that I could do more for this selfless man, who went out of his way just to help me that day. He is such a great guy, and talking to him each time I see him makes me want to help him more and more."

The overwhelming response led to donations from more than 14,000 well wishers, but the couple's relationship with Mr Bobbitt eventually soured as they accused him of using the money to feed a drug habit.

In an ensuing law suit, New Jersey Judge Paula T Dow ordered the couple to transfer the money into an account and hire a forensic accountant to review the financial records.

Jacqueline Promislo, Mr Bobbitt's lawyer, told the court she estimated the couple spent about $75,000 on his care but claimed the couple spent the remaining cash to "fund a lifestyle that they could not otherwise afford".

For their part, the couple alleged the marine veteran had once spent $25,000 of his new wealth on drugs in a single fortnight.

In their last update on GoFundMe, the couple said they had "received a lot of comments and questions about what Johnny's plans are for this money and how it will be used". 

The pair claimed Mr Bobbitt "will never have to worry about a roof over his head again" and was purchasing his "dream truck". 

The funds, they said, would be put into two trusts in his name. One giving him a small "salary" each year and the other acting as a "retirement trust which will be wisely invested by a financial planner".