GoFundMe investigating campaign for homeless Samaritan

PHILADELPHIA (AP) – A homeless man who helped a stranded motorist in Philadelphia said he is panhandling once again and using drugs, and he has no access to the money raised on his behalf.

Johnny Bobbitt gained worldwide attention when he used his last $20 to fill up the gas tank of stranded motorist Kate McClure in November 2017.

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.

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 questions the couple’s motives and fears they may have squandered the money.

“I think it might have been good intentions in the beginning, but with that amount of money, I think it became greed.” Bobbitt said.

GoFundMe is investigating whether the money was mismanaged, and said it will work to ensure Bobbitt “receives the help he deserves and that the donors’ intentions are honored.”

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Information from: The Philadelphia Inquirer, http://www.inquirer.com