A homeless veteran in Philadelphia who made headlines last year after he used his last $20 to help a stranded stranger fill up her car’s gas tank said he has no access to the money raised on GoFundMe.
GoFundMe is investigating whether the money was mismanaged.
Johnny holding the article in the paper today about him and the people willing to help!! https://t.co/jLSNrNuYcy pic.twitter.com/MryoaUrGmD
— Kate McClure (@getjohnnyahome) November 16, 2017
Johnny Bobbitt gained worldwide attention when he used his last $20 to fill up the gas tank of stranded motorist Kate McClure.
McClure and her boyfriend Mark D’Amico started a GoFundMe campaign in return, promising that Bobbitt would have a home.
Bobbitt told the Philadelphia Inquirer that he can’t use the $200,000 left out of the $400,000 that donors raised on GoFundMe, and he no longer has a camper or a car.
McClure said the couple did all they could to help Bobbitt. The couple and Bobbitt once had a warm relationship with Bobbitt, but now they may be headed to court, the report said.
In an interview with the Inquirer last week, D’Amico said he controls the money and will start dispensing it when Bobbitt gets a job and stops using drugs.
“Giving him all that money, it’s never going to happen. I’ll burn it in front of him,” he said, adding that giving an “addict” the money would be like “giving him a loaded gun.”
Bobbitt admitted to the paper that the couple once gave him $25,000 and he spent it on giving it to relatives and friends, and some on drugs.
Bobbitt questions the couple’s motives and fears they may have squandered the money. He also questions if the couple has the legal authority to deny him the funds.
“I think it might have been good intentions in the beginning, but with that amount of money, I think it became greed.” Bobbitt said.
Bobbitt raised suspicions over how McClure, a receptionist, is now driving a new BMW. The couple said the car was paid from their own money.
GoFundMe said it will work to ensure Bobbitt “receives the help he deserves and that the donors’ intentions are honored.”
The couple insists they did nothing wrong and that they did all they could to help Bobbitt.
“Write what you want.” D’Amico told the paper last week.
