Homeless Marine veteran, woman in $400,000 GoFundMe scam plead guilty in federal court

The saga of Johnny Bobbitt Jr., the homeless Marine veteran embroiled in a GoFundMe scam, is slowly coming to a close.

Bobbitt pleaded guilty Wednesday in New Jersey federal court to conspiracy to commit money laundering.

The woman involved in the scam, Katelyn McClure, also pleaded guilty Wednesday.

Bobbitt was part of a 2017 viral story shared by McClure and her boyfriend Mark D’Amico, claiming that Bobbit, a homeless Marine vet, shared his last $20 to buy McClure fuel after her car ran out of gas on Interstate 95 in Philadelphia.

The couple launched a GoFundMe campaign that raised nearly $400,000 for the former Marine. It turns out the campaign was all a hoax.

The scandal came crashing down after the trio became embroiled in legal disputes over the donated money. The three were then charged with conspiracy and theft by deception.

RELATED

The homeless Marine vet who is now famous never finished his first enlistment

Johnny Bobbitt Jr. was discharged as a private after serving only 14 months in the Marines.

By Jeff Schogol

Bobbitt never completed his first enlistment as an ammo technician. He was discharged in 2004 as an E-1.

GoFundMe says it has since refunded everyone who contributed to the campaign.

All three still face charges in state court. D’Amico’s attorney, Mark Davis, says his client denies any wrongdoing and has not been charged by federal authorities.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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