I’m constantly thinking of new innovative ways to make money.

After all, Time Is Money!

That said, tugging on the heartstrings of thousands of people is not an angle I’ve thought of before, in terms of deriving an income. Especially when it’s based on a lie. This whole emotional fraud game seems very lucrative.

Take this trio from Philadelphia, for example. Their story apparently has to do with a complete fabrication of one of those ‘faith-in-humanity’ stories, which happened to go viral.

Check it out – as per the Telegraph:

It was a heartwarming tale of generosity – a fundraising drive to thank a homeless man who had sacrificed his own meager funds to help out a stranded motorist.

The story of how Johnny Bobbitt gave his last $20 to Kate McClure, and her crowd funding initiative to repay his act of kindness went viral online, with donations pouring in from thousands of well-wishers.

But it has now emerged the entire story was an elaborate scam, as prosecutors in New Jersey charged Ms McClure and her boyfriend Mark D’Amico, who raised $400,000 (£307,000) in alleged donations for Mr Bobbitt.

Wow – that’s a hellish amount of cash – R5,6 million, to be precise.

How exactly did the homeless veteran ‘help’ the stranded motorist?

The Guardian reports:

Investigators searched the Florence, New Jersey, home of D’Amico and McClure in September after questions arose about what happened to the money they raised for Bobbitt. The couple claimed he helped McClure get gas after she became stranded on Interstate 95 in Philadelphia last year.

McClure said that in an attempt to thank Bobbitt for his help, she set up the fundraising page, which brought in more than $400,000 and landed them in the national news.

Ok, so you’re saying he did help them out, but they just didn’t give him the money?

Wrong.

Burlington county prosecutor Scott Coffina said almost no part of the tale was true. McClure didn’t run out of gas. Bobbitt didn’t spot her in trouble and give her money.

Less than an hour after the couple set up the page to solicit donations, McClure sent a text message to a friend acknowledging the story was “completely made up”.

Prosecutors began investigating after Bobbitt claimed he wasn’t getting the money that had been raised on his behalf. He later sued the couple.

Ok, now we know that they fabricated the whole thing – so why didn’t they just enjoy the proceeds together?

Oh, because drugs.

In an ensuing law suit, New Jersey Judge Paula T Dow ordered the couple to transfer the money into an account and hire a forensic accountant to review the financial records.

Jacqueline Promislo, Mr Bobbitt’s lawyer, told the court she estimated the couple spent about $75,000 on his care but claimed the couple spent the remaining cash to “fund a lifestyle that they could not otherwise afford”.

For their part, the couple alleged the marine veteran had once spent $25,000 of his new wealth on drugs in a single fortnight.

In their last update on GoFundMe, the couple said they had “received a lot of comments and questions about what Johnny’s plans are for this money and how it will be used”.

The pair claimed Mr Bobbitt “will never have to worry about a roof over his head again” and was purchasing his “dream truck”.

The funds, they said, would be put into two trusts in his name. One giving him a small “salary” each year and the other acting as a “retirement trust which will be wisely invested by a financial planner”.

What a bloody disaster. Not a massive surprise, when you mix lies, drugs and money together.

Stick to truth, sex and booze kids…

Oh, by the way, the homeless chap has an Instagram page – obviously – you can check that out here.

[source:guardian&telegraph]