Mark D’Amico, Man Accused Of Taking Money From Homeless Vet’s GoFundMe, Arrested On Traffic Warrant

The man accused of taking money from a GoFundMe account set up for a homeless veteran was arrested on a traffic warrant.

Officials say Mark D’Amico was arrested Monday night for an outstanding traffic warrant out of Burlington City.

Police say the warrant stemmed from a motor vehicle stop that occurred last October, when D’Amico was pulled over for a broken tail lamp. During the stop, he was detained for potential outstanding warrants, for which he had the proper documentation and was released on scene.

He posted his $500 bail after being held at the Burlington County Detention Center. He is scheduled to appear in court on Sept. 18.

D’Amico and his girlfriend, Katelyn McClure, are at the center of controversy over $400,000 raised through a GoFundMe account for homeless veteran Johnny Bobbitt.

Bobbitt’s attorney claims the couple withheld most of that money. GoFundMe says Bobbitt will receive the money he is owed.

The couple’s lawyer, Ernest Badway, says the two are likely to be indicted. The attorney said in a letter dated Thursday that one or both could be indicted by the Burlington County prosecutor and that he and his firm would no longer represent the couple in the lawsuit involving Bobbitt.

Badway petitioned Superior Court Judge Paula Dow to pause the civil case in a letter Thursday, the same day authorities raided the couple’s home.

Burlington County Prosecutor Scott Coffina last week confirmed the criminal investigation into the couple, citing the “enormous” public interest in the case, though no charges have been brought.

D’Amico and McClure have earlier denied wrongdoing or misusing the cash, which was raised on GoFundMe from 14,000 contributors.

Bobbitt sued the couple over mismanagement of the funds, and Dow had ordered sworn statements to determine what happened to the cash, which attorneys say is all gone.

The formerly feel-good story has turned dismal, with Bobbitt saying the couple used the funds as “personal piggy bank” to bankroll a lifestyle they couldn’t afford.

Last week, investigators seized a BMW and other items from the couple’s Florence, New Jersey, property. Badway said in his letter that all the couple’s personal and business financial statements, along with jewelry and cash were seized in the official raid last week.

The story goes back to 2017 when Bobbitt used $20 to help a stranded McClure get gas when her car ran out on Interstate 95 in Philadelphia. As a way to help repay his kindness, McClure and D’Amico launched a GoFundMe page that brought in just over $400,000 in contributions.

The account, at first, led to appearances for Bobbitt and McClure on national TV programs, but turned into a dispute over the money.

D’Amico has said Bobbitt spent $25,000 in less than two weeks last year on drugs as well as paying for overdue legal bills and sending money to family. Bobbitt’s attorney said last week Bobbitt was entering a residential program for drug treatment.

The couple also bought Bobbitt a camper with some of the cash and parked it on land McClure’s family owns in New Jersey. But Bobbitt became homeless again after D’Amico told him in June he had to leave.

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Author: https://philadelphia.cbslocal.com/2018/09/11/mark-damico-accused-taking-money-johnny-bobbitts-gofundme-arrested-traffic-warrant/