- Katelyn McClure and her at-the-time boyfriend Mark D'Amico fabricated a story of a homeless veteran in 2017.
- The couple raised $400,000 from 14,000 people on GoFundMe, after deceiving donors.
- McClure admitted she lied and was sentenced to a year and a day in prison.
A New Jersey woman on Thursday was sentenced to a year and a day in federal prison after she pleaded guilty to theft by scamming donors of $400,000 on GoFundMe after fabricating a homeless veteran story.
Prosecutors said Katelyn McClure,32, and her boyfriend Mark D'Amico, 43, went viral in 2017 after fabricating a story about a homeless veteran, Johnny Bobbitt, 39. In the viral post, McClure claimed the homeless vet handed over his last $20 when she ran out of gas on a Philadelphia highway.
According to the DOJ, the couple took this story to GoFundMe, where they started the "Paying It Forward" campaign with a $10,000 goal that promised donors that the money donated would provide living expenses for Bobbitt.
The GoFundMe campaign raised approximately $400,000 from more than 14,000 donors in less than three weeks, which the couple quickly spent on personal expenses such as Casino trips and cars, according to The Associated Press.
Law enforcement began investigating the couple after Bobbitt sued the couple, accusing them of not giving him the money, according to the AP.
According to the DOJ, D'Amico pleaded guilty in April and was sentenced to 27 months in federal prison. In addition to McClure's prison sentence, she must pay $400,000 in restitution, per the DOJ.
Bobbit pleaded guilty and is awaiting federal sentencing.
