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Mark D’Amico, 42, formerly of Bordentown, must serve just about all of his plea-bargained 27-month sentence because there's no parole in the federal prison system.
He also must pay restitution and undergo gambling, drug and mental-health counseling under the sentence imposed by U.S. District Judge Noel L. Hillman in Camden on Friday, April 1. Three years of supervision will also follow his release.
D'Amico admitted late last year that he masterminded the bogus feel-good story about a "hero" coming to the rescue of Katelyn McClure after she ran out of gas on Route 95 on her way home to New Jersey from Philadelphia.
Both McClure and the homeless man, Johnny Bobbitt Jr., were in on the scheme, authorities said.
Together, D’Amico and McClure created a crowd-sourcing fundraising campaign on GoFundMe that they called "Paying It Forward.” The campaign set a $10,000 goal to help get Bobbitt off the streets and cover some of his initial living expenses.
The bogus tale of Bobbitt giving McClure his last 20 bucks was quickly picked up by local and national news outlets. There was even an appearance on NBC's "Megyn Kelly Today" show.
The schemers gathered $400,000 in donations in less than a month.
D’Amico and McClure shifted the money from GoFundMe into accounts that they controlled, then spent most of it over three months for vacations, a BMW, a vacation, clothing, handbags and "other personal items and expenses," federal authorities said
McClure helped open an account for Bobbitt, who collected $25,000 for his participation, they said.
The scheme soured when Bobbitt turned around and sued the couple, demanding to know where the money went.
D’Amico and McClure claimed that Bobbitt spent tens of thousands of dollars on drugs, legal bills and donations to his family in less than two weeks. They said they also bought him a camper.
The Burlington County Prosecutor’s Office and Florence Township police began poking around, obtaining search warrants to seize various pieces of evidence. It led to guilty pleas in state court by all three defendants.
Federal authorities brought their own charges.
D'Amico took a deal from the government rather than face trial, pleading guilty in U.S. District Court in Camden on Nov. 21, 2021 to conspiracy to commit wire fraud.
McClure and Bobbitt took deals, as well, and are scheduled to be sentenced on their federal guilty pleas later this year.
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