Judge orders NJ couple to turn over money raised for homeless man
A judge has ordered a New Jersey couple to turn over all the remaining money they raised for a homeless man who received worldwide attention after he spent his last $20 to help a stranded driver.
Katie McClure ran out of gas last November in Philadelphia when John Bobbitt, a homeless veteran, walked several blocks and spent the only money he had to buy her gas, according to NBC Philadelphia.
McClure then visited Bobbitt a few days later to repay him, as well as bring food and water.
{mosads}McClure, along with her boyfriend, Mark D’Amico, became a worldwide internet sensation, appearing on “Good Morning America” and the BBC, NBC Philadelphia noted.
After her story went viral, McClure set up a GoFundMe for Bobbitt that she said was intended to help buy the man a car and get him a home. The site has now raised more than $402,000 donated from more than 14,000 people.
The Philadelphia Inquirer later reported that Bobbitt had only received about half of the funds raised.
Bobbitt sued the couple, claiming that they had mismanaged the funds, but the couple said they would not give Bobbitt the money because Bobbit had reportedly become addicted to drugs again.
Bobbitt accused the couple of fraud, saying they took money for themselves and asked a judge to appoint a supervisor to manage the money in the fundraising account.
He told the Philadelphia Inquirer that the couple recently paid for a BMW and vacations to Las Vegas and Florida.
The pair denied Bobbitt’s allegations, claiming the money already given to him was spent on drugs, overdue legal bills and dispersed to his family members.
McClure and D’Amico also said they bought Bobbitt a camper with some of the money and parked it on McClure’s family land in Florence.
D’Amico reportedly told him he had to leave the property in June, so Bobbitt is homeless again.
The New Jersey judge ruled the couple must now give the funds to their lawyer, who has been told to put the funds into an escrow account as the case continues.
The couple has also been ordered to provide a full accounting of the money.
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