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A homeless veteran who is suing a New Jersey couple for allegedly detonating a large portion of the donations of more than $ 400,000 that he allegedly collected will receive the money he owes, according to his lawyers and the crowdfunding platform of the online campaign.
GoFundMe released a joint statement Thursday night with Cozen O & # 39; Connor, the Philadelphia-based law firm representing Johnny Bobbitt Jr., promising that the Marine Corps veteran and former 35-year-old firefighter would receive the rest of the funds.
"Johnny will be made whole and we are committed to getting the balance of the funds he has not yet received or received, and GoFundMe's goal has always been to ensure that Johnny receives the support that 'he deserves". .
"As we said, our platform is backed by the GoFundMe guarantee, which means that in the rare cases where GoFundMe, law enforcement or a user discover that campaigns are being misused, donors and recipients are protected ". "We are fulfilling this commitment today and we will continue to work with Johnny's team to ensure that it will receive all donated amounts."
The company released this statement just hours after the authorities executed a search warrant at the residence of Kate McClure and her friend Mark D'Amico in the Township of Florence, as part of a criminal investigation into funds raised for Bobbitt. .
No charges have yet been filed, the prosecutor said.
GoFundMe said that he "would continue to contribute to the ongoing investigation into law enforcement".
ABC News
Bobbitt hit the headlines last year after giving McClure, the 28-year-old, his last $ 20 purchase, when his car broke down on Interstate 95 near Philadelphia, where he was living A bridge. To thank Bobbitt for his kindness, McClure and his boyfriend set up a GoFundMe campaign to help Bobbitt up.
More than 14,000 people donated to the fund, for a total of $ 402,706.
"Johnny is sitting on the side of the road every day, holding a sign," wrote McClure on the page, which was created on November 10, 2017. "He saw me stop and got knew that something was wrong, he was back in the car and locked the doors, and a few minutes later he came back with a red can of fuel. "
Last week, Bobbitt sued New Jersey Superior Court in Burlington County against McClure and 39-year-old Amico, claiming the couple had spent a large portion of the money on expenses. personal.
Bobbitt, who was in rehab and is now back in the street, says he has received only about $ 75,000 and fears that the rest of the money will be gone, according to his lawyers.
Bobbitt said at the time that he did not have a lawyer or financial advisor.
"I wish that did not happen," Bobbitt told ABC News in Philadelphia in an exclusive interview on Aug. 31. "I hate that."
ABC News
In an August 27 interview with NBC News' Megyn Kelly on "Today," Amico and McClure said that after paying fees to GoFundMe for creating their account, there remained about $ 350,000 bank account because Bobbitt did not have one.
The couple immediately created an account for Bobbitt and deposited $ 25,000, which he spent in 13 days, most of them on drugs, they said.
Bobbitt also had overdue legal fees, and he sent some of the money to his parents and brother, but Bobbitt used most of the money for drugs, they said.
"Every dollar that he touched was used for medication," said Amico during the interview. "That's why it took so long for us to say" no "when it was time to ask for money when we knew where it was going. in the end, was ready to, he had something left. "
The couple said they used some of the funds to buy a 1999 Ford truck and a Bobbitt travel caravan. They said Bobbitt still had more than $ 150,000 in his bank account and was trying to find an administrator to handle the money.
"That's what we're doing now," added Amico. "And we're trying to get everything examined by our lawyer and he [Bobbitt] has his own lawyer and he will have his own confidence and it will be out of our hands. "
They denied having spent money on themselves.
Elizabeth Robertson / The Philadelphia Inquirer via AP
On August 30, New Jersey Superior Court Judge Paula Dow ordered the couple to return the remaining funds to Bobbitt's lawyers after Bobbitt applied for a temporary restraining order that would prevent the couple from joining. spend more.
At the time, the amount of the remaining funds was in dispute. Christopher Fallon, one of Bobbitt's lawyers, said at the hearing that more than $ 250,000 was to be left behind.
But in their interview with NBC News on Aug. 27, McClure and D'Amico said there was about $ 150,000 left.
The couple's lawyer, Ernest Badway, pleaded in court that he had paid Bobbitt more than $ 200,000 of the funds raised. This includes giving money to Bobbitt for his daily needs and buying him the truck and trailer, which were registered to the couple 's name at Bobbitt' s request, according to Badway, who quoted records as saying. he says he saw.
Badway did not take into account the rest but told the judge that they were currently preparing the accounting that "will show where the money was spent".
David Swanson / The Philadelphia Inquirer via AP
On Wednesday, Dow J. ordered Badway to tell his clients, who were not in court, that they had to appear before her on September 14th after making statements about what had happened at Badway's law firm. Monday morning. Dow also expressed concern that McClure and Amico will attempt to flee his jurisdiction.
"Absolutely not," replied Badway. "They are New Jerseyans, they are there forever, they do not have a place to go."
Dow ordered Bobbitt to make an affidavit next week. But Bobbitt's lawyer, Christopher Fallon, has informed Dow that his client may not be able to respond to the request.
"Johnny Bobbitt will participate in a residential drug program," Fallon told the judge on Wednesday, adding he would launch it immediately. "He received a 30-day scholarship for a residential drug [rehabilitation] program."
When Badway suggested that the case be stayed until Bobbitt was in rehab, the judge said, "It's a ridiculous query at this point."
"I do not think so," said Dow. "We've already done away with funds, they're going away, and it's all about holding those funds."
Badway told the judge that if his clients were to testify on Monday, Bobbitt should do so as well.
"Mr. Bobbitt is an important witness to the money because, as I explained to the court, the money was turned over to Mr. Bobbitt," said Mr. Badway.
Fallon, Bobbitt's lawyer, told the judge that he would ask the New Jersey Rehabilitation Center if it was possible for Bobbitt to file his testimony from the institution.
ABC News & Darren Reynolds contributed to this report.
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