A US court convicts a woman who created virtual crowdfunding for the homeless and took the money raised

On Monday (25), the US Court of Justice sentenced Catelyn McClure, a 32-year-old American, to one year and one day in prison for making virtual crowdfunding for a homeless person and ruled with herself the collected money.

She had already admitted her guilt.

McClure and her ex-boyfriend Mark D’Amico started a virtual crowdfunding campaign, in theory, to help homeless Johnny Bobbitt in 2017.

She said she was once driving on a highway and ran out of fuel. Bobbitt, the homeless guy, was going to help her with $20 in his pocket (all of his money).

Then the couple opened up a virtual crowdfunding called Front Pay.

In theory, the donations will go to the homeless. The goal was to reach $10,000. The amount raised was 40 times that: $400,000. More than 14,000 people donated money.

According to American Justice, the whole story was a lie. She did not run out of gas, and the homeless person did not spend all the money he had to help her. It was just a story to educate the donors.

The couple transferred the money to their own bank accounts. They bought jewelry, went to Las Vegas and started driving a BMW.

The tramp didn’t find out about the campaign until some money had already been raised. The couple opened a bank account for him, and $25,000 was deposited.

The court ordered McClure to pay $400,000.

Her ex-boyfriend, D’Amico, has pleaded guilty and is serving a sentence of two years and three months in prison. Bobbitt, the homeless man, has pleaded guilty and is waiting for the court to decide what his sentence will be.