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TRENTON, N.J. – A New Jersey couple under investigation after a good Samaritan accused them of diving into part of the $ 400,000 in their online donations, they were probably charged, their lawyer said Monday. Ernest Badway represents Mark D & # 39; Amico and Katelyn McClure in a civil case against Johnny Bobbittwho is a homeless veteran.
The lawyer said in a letter dated Thursday that one or both of them could be indicted by the Burlington County Attorney and that he and his company would no longer represent the couple in the lawsuit involving Bobbitt.
Badway has asked Superior Court Judge Paula Dow to suspend civil proceedings in a letter on Thursday, the same day the authorities raided the couple's home.
The letter was unveiled Monday when Dow granted the suspension in the civil case until December.
"(Since), it is expected that one or both of the accused will probably be charged, my company and I will no longer be able to continue to represent them in this case," Badway wrote. .
He declined Monday to comment further. It is unclear whether he will represent Amico and McClure in a possible criminal case.
Burlington County Attorney Scott Coffina last week confirmed the criminal investigation into the couple, citing "huge" public interest in the case, although no charges were laid.
The prosecutor's office declined to comment on Badway's letter, but pointed out that no charges had been filed.
Amico and McClure have already denied wrongdoing or misuse of money, which was collected from GoFundMe by 14,000 contributors.
Bobbitt sued the couple for mismanagement of the funds, and Dow had sworn affidavits to determine what had happened to the cash, which, according to the lawyers, has disappeared.
The once beneficent story became desolate, with Bobbitt claiming that the couple had used the funds as a "personal piggy bank" to finance a way of life he could not afford.
GoFundMe and the law firm representing Bobbitt issued a joint statement last week in which they said he would receive all the money raised for him. Chris Fallon, Bobbitt 's attorney, said earlier he received about $ 75,000 in cash.
Badway said Bobbitt had about $ 200,000.
Last week, investigators seized a BMW and other items from the couple's property in Florence, New Jersey, and were seen loading the car on a flatbed truck, according to CBS Philadelphia.
Badway said in his letter that all the couple's personal and business financial statements, as well as the jewelry and the money, were seized during the official raid last week.
The story goes back to 2017, when Bobbitt used $ 20 to help a distressed McClure get gasoline when his car arrived on Interstate 95 in Philadelphia. To help repay his kindness, McClure and D'Amico have launched a GoFundMe page that has brought in just over $ 400,000 in contributions.
The account, at first, led to appearances for Bobbitt and McClure in the national television programs, but turned into a dispute over the money.
Mr. Amico stated that Bobbitt had spent $ 25,000 in less than two weeks last year on drugs, in addition to paying overdue bills and sending money back. his family. Bobbitt's lawyer said last week that Bobbitt was entering a residential drug treatment program.
The couple also bought a camper from Bobbitt with some of the money and parked it on land owned by the McClure family in New Jersey. But Bobbitt became homeless after Amico told him in June that he had to leave.
© 2018 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, disseminated, rewritten or redistributed. Associated Press contributed to this report.
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