Katelyn McClure, 32, is presently serving a 12-month and at some point time period in a federal jail in Connecticut for her involvement within the scheme, the Burlington County Prosecutor introduced in a news launch.
Her state sentence will run concurrently along with her federal jail time.
The decide additionally dominated McClure, who previously labored on the state Department of Transportation, is “permanently barred from ever holding another position as a public employee,” the discharge stated.
The homeless man, Johnny Bobbitt Jr, supposedly noticed her and gave her his final $20 for fuel.
McClure and her then-boyfriend, Mark D’Amico, posted concerning the “good deed” on social media, together with an image of her with Bobbitt on a freeway ramp.
They additionally began a GoFundMe marketing campaign to boost cash for the homeless veteran, saying they needed to pay it ahead to the nice Samaritan and get him off the streets.
The story went viral and made nationwide headlines, with greater than 14,000 donors contributing.
The scammers netted round $531,000 after charges, in response to courtroom paperwork.
Prosecutors stated the then-couple spent the cash on a BMW, a New Year’s journey to Las Vegas, playing in casinos, Louis Vuitton purses, and different gadgets.
Bobbitt, who obtained $108,000 from the fundraiser, in response to prosecutors, took civil motion towards D’Amico and McClure and the rip-off quickly turned public.
An investigation revealed the true story.
According to Burlington County Prosecutor Scott Coffina, the couple first met Bobbitt at an off-ramp close to a on line casino no less than a month earlier than the GoFundMe marketing campaign went reside.
The largest hoaxes, scams and frauds in fashionable historical past
Investigators reviewed texts the couple despatched discussing the rip-off and their cash troubles, together with one McClure despatched to a buddy which learn, “Okay so wait the gas part is completely made up, but the guy isn’t. I had to make something up to make people feel bad.”
D’Amico and Bobbitt have been charged in 2018 alongside her for concocting the scheme, prosecutors stated.
McClure pleaded responsible to at least one depend of theft by deception within the second diploma in 2019, in response to the Burlington County prosecutor.
Bobbitt pleaded responsible to conspiracy to commit theft by deception in 2019 and was sentenced to a five-year particular probation interval which incorporates drug therapy.
D’Amico additionally pleaded responsible and agreed to a five-year time period in New Jersey state jail, in addition to restitution of GoFundMe and the donors, in 2019.
